John G. West

Senior Fellow, Managing Director, and Vice President of Discovery Institute

Dr. John G. West is Vice President of the Seattle-based Discovery Institute and Managing Director of its Center for Science and Culture, which he co-founded with philosopher of science Stephen Meyer in 1996. He also serves as the Distinguished Scholar of American Government and Christian Civic Engagement at Cornerstone University. His current research and work examines the impact of “scientism” on public policy and culture and the relationship between Christianity and America’s founding principles.

Dr. West was previously an Associate Professor of Political Science at Seattle Pacific University where he chaired the Department of Political Science and Geography, and he has taught political science and history courses at California State University, San Bernardino and Azusa Pacific University. From 1986-1989, Dr. West served as Managing Editor of Public Research, Syndicated, which distributed essays on public affairs to more than 700 daily and weekly newspapers.

Dr. West has written or edited fourteen books, including Endowed by Our Creator: The Bible, Science, and the Battle for America’s Soul, Stockholm Syndrome Christianity, Darwin Day in America: How Our Politics and Culture Have Been Dehumanized in the Name of Science, The Magician's Twin: C.S. Lewis on Science, Scientism, and Society, and Walt Disney and Live Action. Other books include:

Additionally, Dr. West has directed and written several documentaries, including Revolutionary, Privileged Species, the award-winning Biology of the Second Reich and Human Zoos, Darwin’s Heretic, The War on Humans, The Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis and the Case Against Scientism, and The Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis and Intelligent Design. He also helped produce the popular YouTube series, Science Uprising. Listed in Who’s Who in America, he has been interviewed by Time, Newsweek, USA Today, The Washington Post, and The New York Times, and he has appeared on CNN, FoxNews, and C-SPAN.

Dr. West holds a PhD in Government from Claremont Graduate University and a B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington. He is a recipient of several academic fellowships, including a Haynes Foundation Dissertation Grant, an Earhart Foundation Fellowship, a Richard Weaver Fellowship, and a Chevron Journalism/Economics Scholarship. Dr. West is a member of Pi Sigma Alpha (the national political science honor society) and Phi Beta Kappa.

Archives

The Makings of Americans

John G. West
June 20, 2026
As America approaches its 250th birthday on July 4, a debate is growing about what it means to be an American. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch waded into the conversation last month by asserting in an interview that America is “a creedal nation.” According to Gorsuch, “what unites us is not a religion, it’s not a race, it’s a belief” in the ideals of the Declaration of Independence.

Created Equal with Dr. Ben Carson

John G. West and Ben Carson
May 25, 2026
In conversation with John G. West, renowned surgeon Dr. Ben Carson shares his view that faith and science are not in conflict, and that believing in evolution requires more faith than believing in God as creator.

Is America a Creedal Nation? The Real Meaning of the Declaration of Independence

John G. West
May 11, 2026
America is unique in being founded on a shared set of ideas — especially the Declaration of Independence — which asserts human equality, natural rights, and government by consent. John G. West argues that the founders grounded these principles in both biblical belief and reason, believing humans to be equal in seven key ways, despite obvious differences.

Justice Clarence Thomas just issued a warning every American needs to hear

John G. West
April 22, 2026
Just in time for America’s 250th birthday, Justice Clarence Thomas has ignited a national conversation about America’s founding principles. Christians in America should pay special attention because a lot is at stake. Many of the principles under discussion reflect a biblical worldview. Whether we revive or reject them may determine America’s future.

Evolving Rights? Darwinism’s Impact on American Life and Government

John G. West
April 8, 2026
The Declaration of Independence is our nation’s founding creed, reminding us time and again that “we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.” But for too long now, science has been misused to overturn the ideas found in our nation’s founding principles. Is there hope for recovering these truths anew? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid is joined again by Dr. John West to conclude a discussion about West's latest book Endowed By Our Creator: The Bible, Science, and the Battle for America’s Soul. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation.

How Science Affirms America’s Founding Creed

John G. West
April 6, 2026
For generations, the hallowed words of the Declaration of Independence that we are endowed by a Creator with certain unalienable rights has inspired not only Americans, but millions around the globe. Yet today, many Americans are skeptical or confused about the Declaration’s key claims. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. John West to the podcast to begin a discussion about his latest book Endowed By Our Creator: The Bible, Science, and the Battle for America’s Soul. In Part 1, West reviews key words and phrases from the Declaration of Independence to reveal what the founders really meant by them and how they the words were shaped by the philosophical, theological, and scientific consensus of the day.

Endowed by Our Creator

The Bible, Science, and the Battle for America's Soul
John G. West
March 3, 2026
In this timely book, political scientist John G. West explores the original meaning of the Declaration and shows how its propositions drew support from both the Bible and early modern science. He then documents how science was later misused to overturn the Declaration’s teaching on equality, subvert its understanding of liberty, and justify the creation of a technocratic state that regulates us from cradle to grave. Finally, he reveals new scientific discoveries that are pointing us back to the truths expressed in the Declaration — and he explains why it is urgent that our culture recover them.

Are the Gospels like Hollywood movies that fictionalize history?

A New Testament scholar urges evangelicals to embrace a new view of the Bible. Here’s why I think that’s a bad idea.
John G. West
June 19, 2025
In my book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity, I critically examine the views of evangelical New Testament scholar Michael Licona on the historical accuracy of the gospels. I think some of his proposals are at variance with the historic Christian view of the Bible from the early church until the rise of modernism.

From Christianity Today to Christianity Astray?

A recent controversy over a Christianity Today article ends in an apology. But the outcome doesn’t resolve broader problems at the once respected Christian outlet.
John G. West
May 2, 2025
Co-founded by evangelist Billy Graham, Christianity Today (CT) has long been regarded as the voice of mainstream evangelical Christianity in America. But in recent years, its status as a paragon of evangelicalism has become increasingly suspect. So much so that theologian Bill Roach now dubs the publication “Christianity Astray.”