Education
PhD (2003), Social Welfare, Case Western Reserve University.
Dissertation: Secular and Religious Tensions in Government-Funded Faith-Based Social Services Organizations
MSW (1991), Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University.
Thesis: Having A Say: The Experiences of Five Participants in a Community Development Project
BA (1988), History and Psychology, Calvin College.
Dipl. (1987), Arts, The King’s University College.
Courses
- Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare (APS-101)
- Social Welfare Policy and Process (APS-342)
- Poverty: Problems and Perspectives (APS-428)
About
Dr. James R. Vanderwoerd has worked in social services and education for more than thirty-five years in both the USA and Canada. Prior to joining the faculty at Redeemer in 2006, he was the Director of the Social Work Program at Dordt University, Iowa. He also worked as a community researcher at the Shelldale Family Gateway, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with the launch of the book Realizing the Dream: The Story of Better Beginnings, Better Futures in Guelph. He was also a research associate at the Faculty of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. His research interests and publications are in the areas of sexual violence; faith-based nonprofit organizations; the role of religion in social welfare; social work education; and the history of social welfare.
Dr. Vanderwoerd lives in Brantford with his wife Valerie, a retired teacher at Brantford Christian School. They have four children, all of whom are graduates of Redeemer, and three (and counting) grandchildren. Vanderwoerd enjoys camping, biking, hockey, disc golf, and photography, and has read The Lord of the Rings seven times, including once aloud.
Research Interests
- Economic freedom and its contribution to flourishing and reducing poverty
- Domestic violence and sexual assault, violence prevention on college and university campuses
- Nonprofit organizations, management and leadership, government funding and contracting, religiously affiliated nonprofit organizations, civil society
- Social work education, educational assessment, service learning in social work education
- Comparative social welfare policy, history of social welfare
- Social support and prevention in family and child welfare
Selected Research Publications
Visit the Research Publications page for selected publications by Dr. James R. Vanderwoerd.
Selected Refereed Journal Articles
Vanderwoerd, James R., and V. L. Timbers. Guest Editors, Special Issue on Gender Identity. Social Work & Christianity, 51, no. 2 (Fall 2024): 211 pages.
Foubert, John D., Andre Durham, Michael Houston, and James R. Vanderwoerd. “Sexual Violence at Christian and secular universities: Does institutional type matter?” In Christian Higher Education 20, no. 4 (2021): 257-270.
Vanderwoerd, James R., and Lankfhof, K. “An Exploratory Study of Stalking on Christian Campuses: Does that Happen Here?” Christian Higher Education 19, no. 3 (2020): 177–191.
Vanderwoerd, James R., and Cheng, A. “Sexual Violence on Religious Campuses.” Canadian Journal of Higher Education 47, no. 2 (2017): 1-21.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “The Promise and Perils of Anti-Oppressive Practice For Christians in Social Work Education.” Social Work & Christianity 43, no. 2 (2016): 153-188.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “All Things New: Neo-Calvinist Groundings for Social Work.” Social Work & Christianity 42, no. 2 (2015): 121-148.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “Reconsidering Secularization and Recovering Christianity in Social Work History.” Social Work & Christianity 38, no. 3 (2011): 244-266.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “The Challenge of Fundamentalism for Social Work Ethics: Can Anti-Oppressive Social Work Include Orthodox Religion?” Canadian Social Work 12, no. 2 (2010): 68-87.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “Experiences of Sexual Coercion, Awareness of Services, and Acceptance of Rape Myths Among Students in Rural Colleges.” Rural Social Work & Community Practice 14, no. 1 (2009): 17-28.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “How faith-based social service organizations manage secular pressures associated with government funding.” Nonprofit Management & Leadership 14, no. 3 (2004): 239-262.
Selected Books and Book Chapters
Vanderwoerd, James R. “Toward A Biblical Grounding for the Profession of Social Work: ‘No More Death or Mourning or Crying or Pain.’” In Creation Regained: Disciplinary Perspectives, edited by Russel D. Kosits, 199-242. Dordt Press, 2026.
Vanderwoerd, James R., and E. L. Sumner. “Expanding Our Horizons: Rediscovering The Narrative of Christianity in Social Work History and its Implications for Social Justice” In Christianity & Social Work: Readings on the Integration of Christianity and Social Work Practice, 7th Ed., edited by T. Laine Scales and Regina Chow Trammel, 69-89. North American Association of Christians in Social Work, 2025.
Vanderwoerd, James R., and Esther R. van der Woerd. “Is There More to This Story? Christianity in Social Work History and Implications for Social Justice.” In Christianity & Social Work: Readings on the Integration of Christianity and Social Work Practice, 6th Ed., edited by T. Laine Scales and Michael S. Kelly, 63-80. Botsford, CT: North American Association of Christians in Social Work, 2020.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “Social welfare in a diverse society: Loving the Neighbor You Don’t Know.” In Christianity & Social Work: Readings on the Integration of Christian Faith and Social Work Practice, 4th Ed., edited by T. Laine Scales and Michael S. Kelly, 214-234. Botsford, CT: North American Association of Christians in Social Work, 2012.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “I Am Making Everything New! Biblical Themes for Macro Practice.” In Christianity & Social Work: Readings on the Integration of Christian Faith and Social Work Practice, 3rd Ed., edited by B. Hugen and Laine Scales, 119-138. Botsford, CT: North American Association of Christians in Social Work, 2008.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “Who cares? Social welfare in a diverse society.” In Christianity & Social Work: Readings on the Integration of Christian Faith and Social Work Practice, 3rd Ed., edited by B. Hugen and Laine Scales, 179-196. Botsford, CT: North American Association of Christians in Social Work, 2008.
Selected Book Reviews and Non-Peer Reviewed
Vanderwoerd, James R. Review of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, by Carl Trueman. Christian Scholar’s Review 51, no. 2 (2022): 256-259.
Vanderwoerd, James R. Review of Heaven on Earth: The Rise, Fall, and Afterlife of Socialism, by Joshua Muravchik. Christian Scholar’s Review 50, no. 3 (2021): 327-331.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “Is your daughter safer at a Christian college?” Faith Today (November/December 2017): 36-38.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “Campus Violence And Moral Community.” Convivium, September 2017.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “The culture of consent on campus.” Convivium, June 2016.
Vanderwoerd, James R. Review of One Hundred Years of Social Work: A History of the Profession in English Canada, 1900-2000, by T. Jennissen and C. Lundy. Social Work & Christianity 38, no. 3 (2011): 377-380.
Vanderwoerd, James R. “Do we need a welfare net or floor? Debating child poverty in Canada.” Cardus Policy in Public 4, no. 2 (Spring 2011): 64-72.
Vanderwoerd, James R. Book review of The Poor You Have With You Always by Alan Keith-Lucas. Social Work & Christianity 37, no. 3 (Fall 2010): 371-374.
Research Funding
Building a Case for Markets in Social Work & Social Welfare, Priscilla and Stanford Reid Trust, 2025-2026.
Multi-institutional Campus Safety and Preventing Misconduct Project, CCCU Supplemental Networking Grant, with Nathan Tintle, Director, and Kristin Van De Griend. 2018-2021.
Relationship Violence: Are Christian Colleges Safer? Zylstra Grant, Centre for Christian Scholarship, 2015-2016.
Evaluation of Safe Campus Project and Survey of Sexual Assault on Rural College Campuses, funded in part by U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus, 2004-2006.
Comparative Case Study Exploring the Influence of Government Funding on Faith-Based Social Service Organizations, funded in part by the Mandel Center For Nonprofit Organizations, 2002-2004.