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College of Arts and Sciences

Theology and Religious Studies

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Biography

Matthew Vega, PhD

Matthew Vega
Phone: (619) 260-4067
Office: MH-294
Assistant:

Izabel Solis
izabelsolis@SanDiego.edu
(619) 260-4132

Assistant Professor, Theology and Religious Studies

  • PHD, University of Chicago; Theology/Religion
  • MA, University of Chicago, Religion
  • BA, Wheaton College, Biblical and Theological Studies

Dr. Vega earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, where his dissertation, "A Blaxican Theology: Mestizaje, Blackness and Theology as Meaning-Making," was awarded the Susan Colver-Rosenberger Educational Prize. He also holds a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical & Theological Studies from Wheaton College.

His current research explores liberation theology and racial capitalism, a topic central to his forthcoming book project, Racial Mammon: Liberation Theology and Racial Capitalism. His scholarly interests are expansive, covering Systematic Theology, American Pragmatism, Existentialism, and contemporary theologies from 1960 to the present.

Professional Experience

Dr. Matthew Vega is a scholar of race and religion whose teaching and research explores the dynamics of race and class in Black (USA), Latin American, and majority world theologies of liberation. His work has been published in a wide variety of mediums such as The Journal of Ecumenical Studies and more public-facing digital mediums such as Sojourners and The Political Theology Network. He is also a co-author of a chapter in the Theology and Pop Culture series put out by Fortress Press and Lexington Books, which compares the emergence of Black (USA) theology in the 1960s with the emergence of the Miles Morales Spider-Man. Dr. Vega’s scholarship has been funded by the Hispanic Theological Initiative, the Forum for Theological Exploration, and the Anthony C. Yu Fellowship in Comparative Religion. Dr. Vega is an affiliated faculty member with the Africana Studies Department and Ethnic Studies.

Podcast Interviews:

Selected Essays:
“Racial Capitalism” in the Critical Theory for Political Theology 2.0 Series (Political Theology Network).
“Cedric Robinson" in the Critical Theory for Political Theology 2.0 Series (Political Theology Network).

Awards

  • Forum for Theological Exploration Doctoral Fellow
  • Hispanic Theological Initiative/Lilly Dissertation Fellowship
  • William Randolph Hearst Doctoral Fellow

Scholarly Work

Dr. Vega is a dedicated public intellectual whose work reaches beyond the classroom. He has authored popular articles for outlets such as Sojourners and the Christian Century, and has been featured on the HTI Open Plaza Podcast, discussing "A Blaxican Theology" and "Race, Theology and Capitalism."

His scholarship has been published in the Journal of Ecumenical Studies, the Black Theology Papers Project, and The University of Chicago’s Journal of Religion. He has also contributed chapters to volumes such as Theology and Spider-Man and Open Coffin: Philosophical Meditations on the Lynching of Emmett Till.

Areas of Interest

At the University of San Diego, Dr. Vega teaches a diverse range of courses, including: Jesus and Justice, Liberation Theology, Black and Womanist Theologies, Exploring Religious Meaning and Fundamentals of Africana Studies II.

Office Hours

Section 06
1/28 - 3/27 M 9:00 am - 11:00 amMaher 294
1/28 - 3/27 W 8:00 am - 11:00 amMaher 294
Section 04
1/28 - 3/27 M 9:00 am - 11:00 amMaher 294
1/28 - 3/27 W 8:00 am - 11:00 amMaher 294
Section 05
1/28 - 3/27 M 9:00 am - 11:00 amMaher 294
1/28 - 3/27 W 8:00 am - 11:00 amMaher 294
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