Dr. Dong-Ha Kim announced as Interim Director of Academic Programs and Asian Centre Director
Beginning July 1, 2017, the Reverend Dr. Dong-Ha Kim will serve as Knox College’s Interim Director of Academic Programs (80%) and Director of the Asian-Canadian Centre for Theology and Ministry (20%). His one-year appointment allows for the transition of the Reverend Dr. John Vissers from Director of Academic Programs to Knox College Principal.
As Interim Director of Academic Programs, Dr. Kim will administer the College’s academic programs to ensure academic excellence, ministerial skill, and spiritual development, and to meet the requirements of The Presbyterian Church in Canada and the Toronto School of Theology.
As part-time Director of the Asian-Canadian Centre for Theology and Ministry, he will build relationships with Asian-Canadian and Asian churches and will research the future of Asian-Canadian churches.
Dr. Kim earned both Master of Divinity and Doctor of Theology degrees at Knox College and the University of Toronto. Since then, he has occasionally taught online courses through Knox’s Ewart Centre for Lay Education, including “Reformed Faith and Spirituality” and “Evil, Suffering, and the Love of God.” He wrote that “as a strong believer in Christian formation through education,” his work “has always been strongly rooted in a ‘teaching ministry.’”
He is presently serving a three-year term on the Knox College Board of Governors (begun in 2016), where he serves on the Governance and Nominations Committee.
At First Presbyterian Church (Brandon, Manitoba), Dr. Kim served as Minister of Word and Sacrament from 2009 to 2017. He has ministered in both Korean and Canadian congregational settings and been involved at various levels of church life, including as a member of the Committee on Church Doctrine (2010-2016), member of the Canada Youth 2012 Worship Planning committee, Moderator of the Presbytery of Brandon (2012-2014), Convener of Pastoral Care Committee for the Presbytery of Brandon, and Padre for Korea War Veterans within the Brandon, Manitoba, region.