Call for Justice: From Practice to Theory and Back

by Kurt Ver Beek; Nicholas P. Wolterstorff; Ruth Padilla DeBorst

Publisher:

Cascade Books

, 2019

Overview

Christians around the world are awakening to the Biblical call to "Do Justice"--but what does that look like in practice? Through a series of compelling and illuminating letters, a renowned philosopher and the founder of a ground-breaking Honduran justice organization draw on decades of personal experience to discuss theology, politics, human nature, and the messiness of making government systems work to defend rights and uphold justice.

Praise for Call for Justice

“I believe there have been few moments in the history of the church more important than the present for understanding what it means to answer God’s call to engage in the doing of justice. Of moving beyond compassion and benevolence to the more challenging work of effecting systemic change. For those who are awakening to this deeper work and have the desire to most effectively pursue it, I know of no better counsel than that of Kurt Ver Beek and Nicholas Wolterstorff. In this single work, these two giants in the field of social justice combine to give us both a solid theological foundation for the work and invaluable insight to the most practical and challenging of questions that arise when the actual engagement begins. If you are a pastor, front line justice leader, student, or person of faith who desires to be one of the brave Christians of our day, I know of no better single resource.”

—Ray Carter, Executive Director of Chicago Fellowship



“Much has been written on justice in years of late, but probably nothing as earthy and personal as the set of letters between philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff and Kurt Ver Beek, co-founder of the Honduran organization, Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa(ASJ). Through the narrative arc of their own stories and the encounter with justice and injustice around the world, Wolterstorff and Ver Beek give the reader a deeper understanding of the theological undercurrents of justice and a piercing look into what it means to fight for a more just society. Read this as a devotional or as a textbook, either way it will invite you further into a life-transforming discussion.”

—Ken Wytsma author Pursuing Justice and The Myth of Equality



“Rooted in decades of firsthand experience and years of reflective study, the letters in Call to Justice contain priceless wisdom and knowledge that will, without a doubt, challenge both how you think about and how you pursue justice. Each page contains some pearl or paragraph of wisdom that we in the contemporary church need to encounter to enliven our imagination for seeking justice today. Whether you are considering your own callings or reflecting on the animating vision that informs how the churches, ministries, and institutions of which you are a part engage God’s world, this book will quickly become a trusted companion on your journey.”

—Kristen Deedee-Johnson, Associate Professor of Theology and Christian Formation at Western Theological Seminary



“Have you seen a book in whose title appears the word justice and then you read, from start to finish, and it is just about compassion? This is not one of them! I commend Call for Justice: From Practice to Theory and Back to all, but more importantly to: teachers and preachers, because this book is a corrective to distortions of the gospel that are dominant on the Christian landscape; leaders and workers in Christian-based organizations in compassion, development, and justice work, because your understanding and practice will be enriched; to activists for justice, because you will be encouraged to keep hope. It is a powerful book! Simple and yet profound!”

—Bishop David Zac Niringiye, Senior Fellow with the Institute for Religion, Faith, and Culture in Public Life in Uganda, Visiting Fellow at Fuller Theological Seminary, and author of The Church: God’s Pilgrim People



“Ver Beek and Wolterstorff bring the fullness of their friendship to a rich analysis of faith, social justice, and advocacy. Whether you want to learn more about how change is brought to Honduras, or how social justice is seen through the prism of faith, Call for Justice: From Practice to Theory and Back is worthy of your time.”

—Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum and author of There Goes the Neighborhood



“In Call to Justice, the authors display something exceptional: a model of doing justice that bridges today’s best justice theory with the vanguard of justice practice. Call to Justice is a field guide for anyone committed to pursuing deep and lasting change. Those brave enough to accept its invitation, and tenacious enough to endure the long haul, will experience the kind of breakthroughs we long for.”

—Stephan Bauman, author of Break Open the Sky and Seeking Refuge

 

“This book is about how tenacity, bravery, and commitment can deal with the devastating impact of corruption. It emphasizes the often overlooked importance of hope as a driver to initiate and sustain action. Without hope, cynicism prevails along with inertia.”

—Huguette Labelle, Former Chair of Transparency International



“In recent years, a growing number of Christians have recognized the centrality of justice to the biblical narrative. Often, though, justice can feel like an abstract concept: what does it look like in real life to follow the biblical injunction to seek justice? Nicholas Wolterstorff and Kurt Ver Beek—a Christian philosopher and a practitioner based at the Association for a More Just Society in Honduras, respectively—have offered a tremendous service to the global church by allowing us to eavesdrop on their conversations in Call for Justice: From Practice to Theory and Back. Rooted both in Scripture and in the practical experience of brave Christians working against violence and corruption in Honduras, this is a book that the church needs.”

—Matthew Soerens, U.S. Director of Church Mobilization, World Relief and co-author of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis



“Kurt and Nick invite us into an extensive exchange of ideas about what social justice means and how to achieve it. Kurt is a powerful storyteller—his stories of injustices suffered by the poor are shocking and heart wrenching, but the individual resolutions and systemic solutions achieved by AJS for the poor are truly inspirational and highly relevant to all of us working to improve the lives of the poor.”

—John Wingle, Honduras Country Director, Millennium Challenge Corporation



“If you are a pastor, a professor, or a committed advocate for justice, this is an essential book that equips and convicts. Churches and classrooms will find this accessible philosophically with case-studies that make the philosophy and action come to life.  Deep.  Inviting. Authentic.”

—Shirley Hoogstra, President, Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities



“Call for Justice: From Practice to Theory and Back demonstrates how people of faith are engaging in the messy space of social justice advocacy and changing unjust systems. AJS’ extraordinary experience of seeking justice in Honduras proves that loving our neighbor means pursuing accountability for rampant impunity and corruption in our midst. Call for Justice offers concrete examples of how corrupt political systems and unbridled power prevent human flourishing, but at the same time it shares what brave hope and action for change looks like. This rich dialogue between a philosopher and a practitioner includes topics from coalition building to restorative justice, and orients us on what it takes to honor the God given dignity of every person and to transform systemic injustices of our time.”

—Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, Executive Director, Catholic Mobilizing Network and co-author of Advocating for Justice: An Evangelical Vision for Transforming Systems and Structures



“For followers of Jesus motivated to deepen their understanding of doing justice, Call for Justice is now the best place to start. This rich conversation between two friends blends wise, inspiring stories of AJS’s best practices in Honduras with a potent distillation of Wolterstorff’s seminal work in the philosophy of justice. The result is a compelling vision for how theory and practice should sharpen each other as we seek to bravely embody biblical justice.”

—Gary VanderPol, co-author of Return to Justice and senior pastor, Church Without Walls



“Kurt Ver Beek and the AJS team have dedicated themselves to the work of justice in Honduras with relentless courage and tenacity. For decades AJS has defended and protected the vulnerable, even in the face of violent opposition.  As an exploration of the AJS model for transforming justice systems, Call for Justice embodies a rare combination of warmth and rigor; it’s highly accessible as a dialogue between Ver Beek and Wolterstorff, while also providing a framework for confronting corruption and engaging broken justice systems. This book will be a significant companion for anyone who is serious about doing the work of justice over the long haul.”

—Gary A. Haugen, CEO, International Justice Mission



“If you have ever called for justice to be done, but never engaged in the messy, complex, and perilous work of practical reform, then this book is for you. If you seek to bring about justice by the work of your hands each day, but struggle to articulate the reasoning that motivates your work, then this book is for you. Kurt Ver Beek and Nicholas Wolterstorff have produced an excellent work that bridges theory and practice, ideas and consequences, and the yearning for justice in the broken systems that so often cripple human flourishing. The authors help us to see that when we do the work of justice, we also put our trust in the slow work of God. All readers will find a challenge embedded in this work: nuance and complexity for the idealist; moral aspiration for the realist; and great hope for the cynic.”

—Michael Le Roy, President, Calvin University



“I am struck by the intrinsic power of the authors’ use of letters for their higher order reflections on social justice.  The dialogical learning that this exchange enables is transformative and models the importance of reciprocity for theorists and practitioners as they link ideas and action. The modesty and humility present in the letters inspires all who take seriously the importance of dialogue as a means for reflection and practice of social justice in our communities.”

—Ivy George, Professor of Sociology, Gordon College



“Call for Justice: From Practice to Theory and Back struck me as a remarkable book in a number of ways.  The book uses a clever literary device—an exchange of letters between philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff and activist Kurt Ver Beek—to bridge the gap between the theory and practice of justice. Both authors are muscular Christians who bring deep faith to courageous activism.  You’ll learn a lot about the differences between development, relief, and justice; about political, prophetic, and priestly authorities; about how governments fail their citizens; and how justice is the most important thing to those abandoned by society.”

—James D. Nealon, Former US Ambassador to Honduras 2014-2017

Product Details

• Title : Call for Justice: From Practice to Theory and Back
• Authors:
  • Ver Beek, Kurt
  • Wolterstorff, Nicholas P.
• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Publication Date: 2019
• ISBN: 9781532692215

About the Authors

Nicholas Wolterstorff taught philosophy at Calvin College for thirty years and then, for fifteen years, at Yale University. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a former president of the American Philosophical Association and of the Society of Christian Philosophers. Among the twenty-nine books he has published are Until Justice and Peace Embrace, Justice: Rights and Wrongs, Justice in Love, and Journey toward Justice.



Kurt Ver Beek is a professor of Sociology at Calvin College and has lived the past 30 years in Honduras. He and his wife Jo Ann Van Engen direct the Justice Semester in Honduras. Kurt is one of the co-founders of ASJ, a Honduran NGO made up of individuals seeking to be brave Christians making the Honduran government work, especially for the most vulnerable.