Bear Witness: The Pursuit of Justice in a Violent Land

Join us as we host a special discussion featuring author Ross Halperin and Dr. Kurt Ver Beek, co-founder of the Association for a More Just Society. They will discuss the events chronicled in Ross’ book, Bear Witness, a compelling account of evangelical Christians who choose to live in faithful proximity to extreme violence and corruption. Drawing on Halperin’s reporting and Ver Beek’s decades of missionary work in Honduras, the discussion will examine the intersections of faith, violence, accountability, and the rule of law, as well as the lessons these experiences teach policymakers who seek to respond to violence, suffering, and injustice here in the U.S.

Dr. Kurt Ver Beek co-founded ASJ with his wife Jo Ann and four  Honduran friends with the dream of transforming Honduran systems to serve the poor and vulnerable. He currently serves as the President of  ASJ-Honduras and collaborates with experts in Honduras to develop innovative solutions to strengthen public systems. Despite the challenges that Honduras has faced, Kurt believes that justice is possible for Honduras. Kurt taught as a professor of Sociology for Calvin University, where he directed the Honduras Justice Studies semester with his wife Jo Ann for 20 years. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Calvin, a  Master’s in Human Resource Development from Azusa Pacific University, and a Doctorate in Development Sociology from Cornell University.  

He is the author of Call for Justice, co-written with  Christian philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff about  the theory and practice of justice. Kurt and his family have lived in Honduras for over 30 years. 

Ross Halperin attended Harvard University, worked on Wall Street, led a campaign to reconstruct the library in his hometown, and worked under Mark A.R. Kleiman, one of the world’s leading criminal-justice scholars. He started reporting Bear Witness in 2018 and has since spent much of his time in Honduras.