Van Heemst, David B. 1966-

PERSONAL:

Born March 12, 1966, in Paterson, NJ; son of Henry Peter and Julia Margaret (a homemaker) Van Heemst; married April Michelle Cordes (a teacher), July 1, 1995; children: Maggie and Ellie (twins). Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Dordt College, B.A., 1988; American University, M.A., 1990; University of Virginia, Ph.D., 1993; Olivet Nazarene University, M.P.L., 1995, M.A., 1998. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Long-distance running, family activities, reading.

ADDRESSES:

Home—IL. Office—Olivet Nazarene University, 1 University Ave., Bourbonnais, IL 60914. E-mail—dvh@olivet.edu.

CAREER:

Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, IL, professor of political science, 1993—. Also community volunteer.

MEMBER:

American Political Science Association, American Counseling Association, National Political Science Honor Society, National Counseling Honor Society, Center for Public Justice.

WRITINGS:

Empowering the Poor: Why Justice Requires School Choice, Rowman & Littlefield Education (Lanham, MD), 2004.

Herman Dooyeweerd and Eric Voegelin: A Comparative Study, Edwin Mellen Press (Lewiston, NY), 2005.

(With Bob Goudzwaard and Mark Vander Vennen) Hope in Troubled Times: A New Vision for Confronting Global Crises, Baker Academic (Grand Rapids, MI), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

David B. Van Heemst told CA: "All of my writing emerges from this single passion: a desire to seek justice for those who are suffering the most. My first book paints a vision of justice for socioeconomically disadvantaged children in the United States. My second book fleshes out a philosophical conception of justice. My third book looks at how we might begin to seek justice for the economically disadvantaged throughout the world. My hope is that my writing may advance the cause of justice for those who are presently suffering so that they might suffer no more.

"I remember one of the moments that first inspired me. I was serving as a group therapist at a school in a very poor school district, and I looked into the eyes of an eight-year-old who had the sadness in her eyes of some eighty-year-olds. I thought to myself, I've got to do something to help her. Writing became my way of helping.

"The most significant influences on my work are the philosophies of Herman Dooyeweerd and Eric Voegelin.

"I like to write when I have huge chunks of time. I like to close myself off and become engaged with the texts themselves. The most surprising thing I've learned as a writer is that it's hard work!

"It might be hard for me to pick a favorite because all [of my books] are expressions of my soul.

"My deepest hope is that my work may be one small part of seeking justice for those who today have no justice."