Mennonites Called to Acknowledge Past Harms and Pursue Reparations

Goshen summit gives voice to Black and Indigenous communities, demanding change from Mennonite institutions.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A recent reparations summit in Goshen, Indiana gave voice to generations of Black and Indigenous people, calling on Mennonites to acknowledge how they have benefited from and been complicit in systems of slavery, land seizure, and ongoing exploitation. The summit highlighted the need for Mennonite institutions and individuals to examine their own spending and supply chains, which still profit from these oppressive systems today.

Why it matters

The Mennonite church has a complex history of both social justice advocacy and complicity in racist and colonial systems. This summit represents an important step towards truth-telling, accountability, and the pursuit of meaningful reparations to begin addressing these historical and ongoing harms.

The details

The 'Repair & Revival' reparations summit in Goshen, Indiana provided a platform for Black and Indigenous community members to share their experiences and call on Mennonites to take concrete actions. Participants highlighted how Mennonite institutions and individuals have directly benefited from the extraction of labor through slavery and the seizure of Indigenous lands, and how these exploitative systems persist today through unfair supply chains and underpaid work.

  • The reparations summit took place in Goshen, Indiana in February 2026.

The players

Dan Nester-Detweiler

A Mennonite resident of Evanston, Illinois who responded to the summit in a letter.

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What they’re saying

“The past demands repair. The future demands change. Now is the time for both.”

— Dan Nester-Detweiler (Anabaptist World)

The takeaway

This summit represents an important step for the Mennonite community to grapple with its complex history, acknowledge past harms, and pursue meaningful reparations and systemic change to address ongoing injustices. The call to action extends to all Mennonites to examine their own complicity and work towards a more equitable future.