Join our vibrant community of Scholars, Jesus Questers, and Religious Seekers

Westar is a member-supported, non-profit educational institute that fosters collaborative research in religious studies and shares the results of research with the public.

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Why should you become a Westar Member?

“Our is an ongoing quest – for meaning not cloaked in dogma,
for truth not based on authority
and for religious scholarship
free from biblical literalism and the academy.”

What did it mean to say that Jesus was the Son of God in a time when the Roman Emperor alone was called Son of God? Who is the real Paul? What happened in the years after Jesus, but before Christianity? What does the Bible say about same-sex relationships? Were women leaders in the early Jesus movements?

At every level of membership in the Westar community, members gain insights into the Bible, early Christian texts, historical contexts, and theology.

How is this done?

Through non-dogmatic scholarly religious research that is shared in the public square. Starting with the Jesus Seminar, Westar has, for 35 years, advocated for religious literacy by bridging the gap between the scholarship of religion and popular culture.

We invite you to join our quest! Become a member today!

Associate and Enhanced Associate members benefit from first-hand access to scholarship and help promote the Westar mission of religious literacy.

Praxis and Praxis Plus memberships are clergy and other practitioners in religion (counselors, journalists, chaplains) who put scholarship into practice.

Scholar and Scholar Plus members are qualified (Ph.D. or equivalent) researchers and teacher who participate in academic seminars and learning events.*