Wolterstorff To Discuss Doing Justice

In a lecture next week in Grand Rapids, Mich., author and philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff  will discuss the biblical imperative that calls Christians to be involved in bringing the peace of Christ to local as well as global communities.

Titled “Justice Theory in Practice: From Honduras to your own community,” his lecture will be at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10 at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church.

In his presentation, the former Yale University philosopher will share his personal and academic experiences with trying to bring about justice.

Woltertorff will also invite members of the audience to think about what “doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God” means in local communities, says a press release from the Association for a More Just Society (AJS), which is sponsoring his lecture.

Since 1983, with the release of his book, Until Peace and Justice Embrace, Wolterstorff has been exploring themes of love and justice both at a personal and academic level. He has visited AJS in Honduras multiple times, connecting his study of doing justice with AJS’ work on the ground.

AJS staff has been working in Honduras for the last 15 years striving to be Christians who seek justice for victims of violent crime and corruption.

Although Honduras is currently rated by Transparency International as the most corrupt country in all of Central America and is called by others the murder capital of the world, AJS remains optimistic as it works to restore peace, justice, and transparency in the face of violence and corruption.

In a series of lectures he gave last year at AJS in Honduras, Woltertorff said loving justice and doing mercy isn’t easy, especially in Honduras where the discrepancy between social and political groups is extreme.

He said Honduras, with the help of ASJ, has put just laws on the books.

"There are good laws (here) but they don't make a difference because they don't kick in," he is quoted as saying in a story posted on the Huffington Post.

"AJS does its best to remind the government and police of those good laws, which must be implemented. But that's risky."

Over the course of six lectures, Wolterstorff explored various themes, writes Jo Kadlecek, a journalist in residence at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass., where she also teaches journalism.

She quotes Woltertorff as saying: "To speak against social injustice is to observe as the (Old Testament) prophets did and assume that things can be different," he said.

"Movements combined with the prophetic in a civil society awaken people to injustice. And part of waking them up is enabling them to imagine a better alternative.”

For more information, contact Jill Van Beek, director of operations for AJS at [email protected].