Westar Institute

Roy W. Hoover taught courses in ancient Greek, biblical history and literature, capitalism and socialism in theological perspective, and world religions. Roy was a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar from 1986 until its conclusion in 1998, and he was instrumental in its proceedings, writing several papers that served as the basis of discussion and providing editorial leadership in key publications. Roy was the author of Prospect of a New Humanity (2024) and co-author of The Authentic Letters of Paul (with Arthur Dewey, Lane McGaughy, and Daryl Schmidt). He also edited Profiles of Jesus and The Five Gospels (with Robert Funk). He published several articles with the Harvard Theological Review, Forum, The Fourth R, and Bible Review. In 1992, he received the Whitman College Award for Faculty Achievement. In 2018, he was inducted into the Westar Order of David Friedrich Strauss.

• Westar Inductee into the Order of David Friedrich Strauss, 2018
• Whitman College’s Faculty Achievement Award, 1992

• Weyerhaeuser Professor of Biblical Literature, 1985–1999, and Professor of Religion, Whitman College, 1983–1999
• Associate Professor of Religion, Whitman College, 1972–1977, 1979–1982
• Acting Dean of the Faculty, Whitman College, 1978–1979
• Associate Dean of the Faculty, Whitman College, 1976–1977
• Assistant Professor of Religion and Religious Counselor, Whitman College, 1967–1972

• Presidential Search Committee, Whitman College, 1993
• Citizen Ambassador Delegation of Religious Educators to Russia and Uzbekistan, October, 1992
• Chair, Department of Religion, Whitman College, 1980–1985 (and in rotation thereafter)
• Danforth Graduate Fellowship Reading Committee, 1979, 1980
• Chair, Division of Humanities and Arts, Whitman College, 1972–1974