Associate membership provides ongoing support for the organization in the form of annual dues, and is open to anyone with an interest in religion.
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.
Westar sponsors "large-scale, collaborative research projects"[8] called seminars on various topics in early Christian history.
The concept of voting on aspects of early Christian life and the accuracy of biblical sayings was not a unique innovation of Westar.
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.
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.
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!