Westar Institute

A specialist in the New Testament and Christian Origins, Susana de Sola Funsten is a native of San Salvador, El Salvador. Her research interests lie in the intersections between ancient economics, the New Testament, and early Christianity, including such topics as early Christian self-definition, asceticism, and martyrdom, and slavery in the New Testament and early Christianity. After completing her undergraduate degree in Anthropology at Harvard University in 1976, she went on to earn an MPH at UCLA’s School of Public Health and to pursue a career in health care and hospital administration. In 2001, Ms. Funsten received her MA in Theological Studies from the Claremont School of Theology. A Ph. D. in Religion and New Testament Studies from Claremont Graduate University followed in 2013. The topic of her dissertation, “The Parable of the Unjust Steward, Luke 16: 1-13,” was directed by Gregory Riley, Dennis MacDonald, and Karen Torjesen.Susana de Sola Funsten has taught various courses on the New Testament at Claremont School of Theology, Loyola Marymount University, Occidental College, and Azusa Pacific University. She has also taught courses on New Testament Greek through UCLA’s Department of Classics. Professor Funsten has used her fluency in Spanish to teach a course on the New Testament through the Instituto Bíblico Católico of San Bernardino County. Articles by Susana de Sola Funsten have appeared in The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible and Sacred History Magazine. In addition, Susana de Sola Funsten presented on Matthew’s Parable of the Unforgiving Slave at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature held in San Diego, California in 2007.

• Teaching Assistant, New Testament, Claremont Lincoln University, 2013–present• All Saints’ Parish, 2002–present• Lecturer, Department of Classics, University of California-Los Angeles, 2010, 2012• Visiting Professor, Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount University, 2008–2009• Lecturer, New Testament Studies, Instituto Biblico Católico, 2008–2009• Adjunct Professor, Biblical Studies, Azusa Pacific University, 2008• Adjunct Professor, Religious Studies, Occidental College, 2005• Teaching Fellow, Claremont School of Theology