
Scholarship in public, for the public.
Westar is a member-supported nonprofit organization. We conduct public, collaborative research seminars with academic scholars in the field of religion. Westar investigates issues in the history of Christianity and beyond to inform public discourse on culture, society, and civic life. As a public-facing organization, we are committed to sharing the results of scholarly research in accessible language through publications, events, and other resources.
Westar works in dialogue with the public to foster critical thinking about religion.
Publications & Media
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Upcoming Online Events
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Resources
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Our latest title!
After Jesus Before Christianity
A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements
Christianity has endured for more than two millennia and is practiced by billions worldwide today. Yet that longevity creates difficulties for scholars seeking to trace the religion’s roots. The first two centuries of the Jesus movement are so diverse that any effort to set down an official account of events fills with contradiction. What if the version of Christianity that emerged in the fourth or fifth centuries caused the death of a pluralistic Jesus movement? How would that change the way historians see and understand the first two hundred years?
“You are about to read a book that possess the potential to rewrite history.” – Sue Monk Kidd
Attend our online events to celebrate the release of After Jesus Before Christianity!
The Story of Westar
Westar began in 1985 when Robert W. Funk invited 30 New Testament scholars to join him in the Jesus Seminar, a collaborative inquiry about the historical Jesus. Since its founding, Westar has held a series of innovative seminars on the origins of Christianity. But Funk’s founding vision was larger than scholarship for its own sake. He believed there was a large lay audience eager to join scholars in a critical discourse about religion. His aim was to make religious literacy as ubiquitous as reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Why Our Work Matters
What does the Bible say about same-sex relationships? Did women have authority in the early Jesus movements? How were gender, sexuality, and morality understood in early Jesus movements? These are critical questions precisely because misrepresentations of Christian texts have shaped and continue to intersect with cultural, social, and political life in the US and throughout the world.
Westar exists to pursue an honest and rigorous inquiry into the origins of the Christian tradition. Our work is explicitly conducted outside of any particular religious institution or theological perspective to provide a nuanced account of the complex history and cultural implications of Christianity.