Westar Institute

Last updated

The Westar Institute, founded by Robert W. Funk in 1985, is a member-supported nonprofit educational institute with a twofold mission: [1]

Contents

Westar is located in Salem, Oregon, on the campus of Willamette University. [1] The institute has a publishing arm in the form of Polebridge Press, which publishes books, media, and two journals: [2]

Organizational structure

Westar is managed by a Board of Directors [3] and staff. [4] Membership is divided into Associate Members, [5] who are members of the public, and Westar Fellows, [6] scholars in the field of religious studies or a cognate discipline. Associate membership provides ongoing support for the organization in the form of annual dues, and is open to anyone with an interest in religion. However, scholars must apply to become Fellows. To become a Fellow, a person must hold an "advanced academic degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in religious studies or related disciplines with accredited universities worldwide." [6] While there is no required religious affiliation, Fellows do commit to the Ethos & Protocol statement, [7] which includes sharing historical-critical research with the public. The approach taken by the Westar Fellows to their research has drawn criticism from a number of directions.

Activities

Westar sponsors "large-scale, collaborative research projects" [8] called seminars on various topics in early Christian history. The first and most famous of these was the Jesus Seminar on the historical Jesus, which lasted from 1985 to 1993. Other Westar seminars include the Paul Seminar, Acts of Apostles, Christian Origins, and, currently, the Christianity Seminar. While Scholars communicate throughout the year, twice annually they present papers at national meetings with a public audience. Meetings culminate in votes by both Fellows and Associate Members regarding specific historical assertions.

Voting system

The concept of voting on aspects of early Christian life and the accuracy of biblical sayings was not a unique innovation of Westar. Rather, it was based on "the disciplined work of Bible translation committees, a very traditional scholarly practice," [9] [10] based in turn on the more ancient Greek voting system that involved dropping colored beads into an urn. [11] Westar Fellows vote as follows:

Votes are weighted according to historicity. The higher the numerical value, the more historical weight is given to a piece of information. [13] Examples from the Jesus Seminar, as recorded in seminar publication The Five Gospels, include:

Reactions

Because of its emphasis on historical foundations over dogmatic faith, Westar Institute has been criticized by evangelical and fundamentalist-leaning organizations. This criticism has appeared "almost from the moment that they published their first paper on the life and death of Jesus Christ." [15] Moderators of the faith-based site AllAboutReligion.org provide a relevant example: "Critics of the Jesus Seminar [cry] foul because they say that the Jesus Seminar is not subjective in their findings. This criticism is based on the knowledge that the Jesus Seminar eliminates any evidence they cannot explained [sic] using modern scientific principles." [15] Indeed, as the Ethos & Protocol statement of Westar Fellows indicates, the approach of all seminars sponsored by the institute is historical-critical, [16] by definition incongruous with faith-based assertions.

Beyond online forums, books have been published that criticize the work of the Westar Institute, particularly the Jesus Seminar, from the above perspective. Reasons for Our Hope: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics, published in 2011 by H. Wayne House and Dennis W. Jowers, serves as an example. As with the above-cited website, House and Jowers argue that the historical-critical approach of Fellows is problematic: "The starting point [of the Jesus Seminar] is a total rejection of the supernatural, a throwback to the first quest [of the historical Jesus]. ... Any miracle is considered a myth, added later to reflect later beliefs. Thus, there can be no virgin birth, walking on water, or resurrection. Before they even begin their work, the Jesus Seminar decided that anything in the Gospels that supports Jesus being more than just human cannot possibly be true." [17]

House and Jowers describe Westar Institute as "a think tank set up by several liberal academics" and "radical critics of the Bible" among whom, House and Jowers claim on less credible terms, are "only a handful are well-known scholars in the field of New Testament studies" (319). In fact, most Westar Fellows are affiliated in some manner with leading organizations in the field of biblical studies and generally respected academic honors, as is evident in any survey of Fellow biographies on the Westar website. [18] For example, publications and activities of the Fellows frequently include involvement with the leading organization of biblical research, the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL). The SBL published an obituary for Westar founder Robert W. Funk in 2005, in which Funk is credited for his service as the Executive Secretary for the SBL. [19] Likewise another Westar Fellow, Daryl D. Schmidt, was remembered in an obituary on the site in 2006. [20] Furthermore, an article by John Dart, originally a paper presented at the 2006 SBL International Meeting in Edinburgh published in Forum, also in 2006, is featured on the SBL website. As Dart explains: "Unfortunately, there is built-in resistance to popularizing biblical research findings for the general public. First, it is believed that complex, nuanced scholarly arguments tend to get 'lost in translation' to readers and audiences unfamiliar with the terminology and background." [21]

This is not to say Westar has escaped criticism from other scholars. "The most bitter and outspoken critic of the Seminar, Luke Timothy Johnson, published The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels in 1996." [22] : 200  To clarify, Johnson does not come from a fundamentalist perspective; he critiques that perspective as neither modern nor self-critical enough. [23] : 63  Nevertheless, he problematizes the deeply unsettling experience of viewing the Bible through an historical-critical lens: "First-year students, who often come to seminary with deeply conservative convictions concerning the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, are exposed at once to the 'shock therapy' of the historical critical method." [23] : 64  In the spirit of earlier theological perspectives of the twentieth century, Johnson focuses on the Christ of faith over against the Jesus of history as an appropriate focus of studies of Christian life.

Bessler, himself a Westar Fellow, describes Johnson's position as largely dependent on the approach of theologian Martin Kähler, among others, and responds critically to Johnson's criticism of the first-year theology students' experience of the historical method: "Can one also imagine, I wonder, the gall of professors in other graduate departments, in physics for example, or psychology, or cultural anthropology, 'forcing' their students to learn a methodology: How outrageous!" [22] : 201 

A more weighty criticism comes from feminist theologian Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza for "historical positivism." [24] While Schüssler Fiorenza does not criticize the use of the historical-critical method, she does critique a lack of emphasis on the fact that all historical work is a form of re-construction which "must open up its historical models or patterns to public reflection and critical scrutiny." [24] In other words, in spite of the highly public format of the Westar seminars, Schüssler Fiorenza advocates for greater involvement in explaining and opening methods up to public scrutiny.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesus Seminar</span> American biblical research and scholarship project to determine the historical Jesus

The Jesus Seminar was a group of about 50 biblical criticism scholars and 100 laymen founded in 1985 by Robert Funk that originated under the auspices of the Westar Institute. The seminar was very active through the 1980s and 1990s, and into the early 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biblical criticism</span> Scholarly study of biblical writings

Biblical criticism is the use of critical analysis to understand and explain the Bible. During the eighteenth century, when it began as historical-biblical criticism, it was based on two distinguishing characteristics: (1) the scientific concern to avoid dogma and bias by applying a neutral, non-sectarian, reason-based judgment to the study of the Bible, and (2) the belief that the reconstruction of the historical events behind the texts, as well as the history of how the texts themselves developed, would lead to a correct understanding of the Bible. This sets it apart from earlier, pre-critical methods; from the anti-critical methods of those who oppose criticism-based study; from the post-critical orientation of later scholarship; and from the multiple distinct schools of criticism into which it evolved in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

Rudolf Karl Bultmann was a German Lutheran theologian and professor of the New Testament at the University of Marburg. He was one of the major figures of early 20th-century biblical studies. A prominent critic of liberal theology, Bultmann instead argued for an existentialist interpretation of the New Testament. His hermeneutical approach to the New Testament led him to be a proponent of dialectical theology.

Liberal Christianity, also known as liberal theology and historically as Christian Modernism, is a movement that interprets Christian teaching by taking into consideration modern knowledge, science and ethics. It emphasizes the importance of reason and experience over doctrinal authority. Liberal Christians view their theology as an alternative to both atheistic rationalism and theologies based on traditional interpretations of external authority, such as the Bible or sacred tradition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dominic Crossan</span> Irish-American New Testament scholar

John Dominic Crossan is an Irish-American New Testament scholar, historian of early Christianity, former Catholic priest who was a prominent member of the Jesus Seminar, and emeritus professor at DePaul University. His research has focused on the historical Jesus, the theology of noncanonical Gospels, and the application of postmodern hermeneutical approaches to the Bible. His work is controversial, portraying the Second Coming as a late corruption of Jesus' message and saying that Jesus' divinity is metaphorical. In place of the eschatological message of the Gospels, Crossan emphasizes the historical context of Jesus and of his followers immediately after his death. He describes Jesus' ministry as founded on free healing and communal meals, negating the social hierarchies of Jewish culture and the Roman Empire.

Robert W. Funk was an American biblical scholar, founder of the Jesus Seminar and the nonprofit Westar Institute in Santa Rosa, California. Funk sought to promote research and education on what he called biblical literacy. His approach to hermeneutics was historical-critical, with a strongly skeptical view of orthodox Christian belief, particularly concerning the historical Jesus. He and his associates described Jesus' parables as containing shocking messages that contradicted established religious attitudes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parables of Jesus</span> Parables taught by Jesus of Nazareth according to Christian gospels

The parables of Jesus are found in the Synoptic Gospels and some of the non-canonical gospels. They form approximately one third of his recorded teachings. Christians place great emphasis on these parables, which they generally regard as the words of Jesus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza</span> German-American Roman Catholic theologian

Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza is a Romanian-born German, Roman Catholic feminist theologian, who is currently the Krister Stendahl Research Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School.

Harold William Attridge is an American New Testament scholar and historian of Christianity known for his work in New Testament exegesis, especially the Epistle to the Hebrews, the study of Hellenistic Judaism, and the history of early Christianity. He is a Sterling Professor of Divinity at Yale University, where he served as Dean of the Divinity School from 2002 to 2012, the first Roman Catholic to head that historically Protestant school.

William A. Beardslee was a professional theologian who made major contributions to the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. As a member of the National Council of Churches, Professor Beardslee spent 16 years helping translate ancient texts to update the Bible. The groups work resulted in the New Revised Standard Version, published in 1990, which replaced the 1952 Revised Standard Version. He was professor of religion at Emory University until his retirement in 1984. After his retirement, he spent his last 16 years as a voluntary director of the Process and Faith Program at the Claremont School of Theology.

Kenneth Schenck is a New Testament scholar whose primary focus has been the book of Hebrews, although he has also published on Paul, Philo, philosophy, and the New Testament in general. His New Testament Survey has sold over 10,000 copies, and his “brief guide” to Philo has been translated into Russian, Korean, and Hungarian. He has also written a philosophy textbook. His blog also engages heavily with issues in hermeneutics, ecclesiology, and philosophy on both a popular and scholarly level.

E. C. John was an Indian Old Testament scholar and a member of the Society for Biblical Studies in India. He was also a member of the George Bell Institute at the University of Chichester, Chichester and the Society for Old Testament Study, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L source</span> Inferred oral tradition behind Lukes gospel

In textual criticism of the New Testament, the L source is a hypothetical oral or textual tradition which the author of Luke–Acts may have used when composing the Gospel of Luke.

Pheme Perkins is a Professor of Theology at Boston College, where she has been teaching since 1972. She is a nationally recognized expert on the Greco-Roman cultural setting of early Christianity, as well as the Pauline Epistles and Gnosticism.

Vernon Kay Robbins is an American New Testament scholar and historian of early Christianity. He is currently Winship Distinguished Research Professor of New Testament and Comparative Sacred Texts at Emory University, as well as visiting professor of New Testament at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. He is a major figure in Markan scholarship and is the creator and a prominent proponent of socio-rhetorical criticism in New Testament studies.

Annette Brigitte Merz is a German Protestant theologian and biblical scholar, on the faculty of the University of Utrecht. Merz has conducted vigorous research into the historicity of Jesus and is best known for her 1996 book with Gerd Theissen, The Historical Jesus, a widely used textbook translated into six languages. In the book, Merz and Theissen "assert that the Christian sources portray both positive and negative assessments of temple sacrifice and that Jesus, near the end of his life, deliberately created a rite to displace such sacrifices" and argue that "significant sayings of Jesus indicate a critical attitude towards the temple cult." They also argue that "God's kingdom is the establishment of his ethical will, the kingdom is to be understood dynamically as rule. But the "kingdom of God" is not an end in itself", and also examine "five of the most important differences” between Jesus and John. In the 16th and final chapter they examine the historical Jesus and the beginnings of Christology.

Richard A. Horsley was the Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts and the Study of Religion at the University of Massachusetts Boston until his retirement in 2007.

North India Institute of Post Graduate Theological Studies (NIIPGTS) is an academic institution of higher learning promoted by the Bishop’s College, Calcutta and the Serampore College, Serampore comprising faculty from both the institutions affiliated to the nation's first University, the Senate of Serampore College (University).

Melanie Johnson-DeBaufre is the Associate Dean of the Theology School at Drew University. She is known for her research into early Christianity, its relationship to the Roman Empire, and modern feminist interpretation.

Mary Ann Beavis is a professor emerita, St. Thomas More College, the University of Saskatchewan. She co-founded the peer-reviewed academic journal, S/HE: An International Journal of Goddess Studies, together with Helen Hye-Sook Hwang in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 "About Westar". Westar Institute. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
  2. ↑ "Westar Magazines" . Retrieved 2013-07-16.
  3. ↑ "Board of Directors". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "Staff". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "Associate Members". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Westar Fellows". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Fellows Ethos & Protocol". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "Westar Projects". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  9. ↑ Bessler, Joseph (2013). A Scandalous Jesus: How Three Historic Quests Changed Theology for the Better. Salem, OR: Polebridge Press. p. 195. ISBN   978-1-59815-122-0.
  10. ↑ Miller, Robert J. (1999). The Jesus Seminar and Its Critics. Santa Rosa, CA: Polebridge Press. p. 65. ISBN   978-0944344781.
  11. ↑ "Birth of Democracy". American School of Classical Studies. Retrieved 25 July 2013.[ dead link ]
  12. ↑ Tyson, Joseph (2013). Acts and Christian beginnings : the acts seminar report. Salem, OR: Polebridge Press. p. Introduction. ISBN   978-1-59815-135-0.
  13. ↑ "Voting". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  14. ↑ Funk, Robert (1996). The Five Gospels. HarperOne. pp.  194–96. ISBN   978-0060630409.
  15. 1 2 "Critics of the Jesus Seminar FAQ". AllAboutReligion.org. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Westar Ethos & Protocols". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  17. ↑ House, H. Wayne (2011). Reasons for Our Hope: An Introduction to Christian Apologetics. B&H Academic. pp. 319–20. ISBN   978-0805444810.
  18. ↑ "Directory of Westar Fellows". Westar Institute. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  19. ↑ "SBL Obituary for Robert W. Funk". Society of Biblical Literature. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  20. ↑ "SBL obituary for Daryl D. Schmidt". Society of Biblical Literature. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Biblical Research Findings for the Public". John Dart. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  22. 1 2 Bessler, Joseph (2013). A Scandalous Jesus: How Three Historic Quests Changed Theology for the Better. Salem, OR: Polebridge Press. ISBN   978-1598151220.
  23. 1 2 Johnson, Luke Timothy (1997). The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels. HarperOne. ISBN   978-0060641665.
  24. 1 2 Schüssler Fiorenza, Elisabeth (October 1997). "Jesus and the Politics of Interpretation". Harvard Theological Review. 90 (4): 345. doi:10.1017/s001781600003090x. S2CID   153688021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.