Matt is a PhD student studying theology in the Divinity School.

What is a favorite course you’ve taken at the Divinity School and what made it a favorite?

There are so many amazing courses I’ve taken at the Divinity School, but one that stands out is ‘Contemporary Models of Theology,’ offered by Professor Dwight N. Hopkins. I’ve always appreciated the variety of approaches people take to theology — what they perceive its task to be, how one defines it, and how they go about constructing one. I’ve never really cared about proving to anyone the significance of theology; I’ve always assumed it to be meaningful to practitioners, seekers, and those who’ve disavowed any formal attachment to religion. Professor Hopkins’ course covered liberal, postliberal, feminist, liberationist, and womanist models of theology. What made this course especially wonderful was not simply the course material, but the people as well. I learned so much from my colleague’s presentations who all gave 10,000% to their work when they led discussions. 

Who or what inspires you or your work? 

I’m inspired by histories and traditions of resistance to dehumanizing situations. In the Christian tradition, I’m inspired by liberationist, abolitionist and Black prophetic traditions. I’m also inspired by the individual lives of people like Rigoberta Menchú, Simone Weil, Oscar Romero, Malcolm X, and Ida B. Wells. Each one of them embodies a sacrificial love and commitment to the least of these that is waning in culture driven by status, popularity, and ’smartness.’ My academic work always has them (and more so those they call our attention to) in mind. 

What is your favorite part of campus?

My favorite part of campus is the waiting area of the ministry suite on the fourth floor. The environment feels so friendly, there’s always candy available when I’ve got a sweet tooth, and I’ve had so many impromptu conversations with strangers who I’d never talk to had it not been for the warmth that floats in that space. 

How did you come to study at the Divinity School?

I’ve been in Chicagoland my entire life. My mother went to high school in South Shore (just south of Hyde Park) and both sides of my family are from Chicago’s south side. I had always heard of the University of Chicago — it was the place where all the smart people went, so I never really thought I’d make it. I completed my BA in Theology at a liberal arts college in a suburb of Chicago, and began really taking UChicago seriously after a friend of mine completed his PhD in Religious Ethics here. I applied to two schools for my MA and Chicago was my first-choice. When I decided I wanted to continue doctoral work, I decided it would be UChicago or bust. It was the only doctoral program I applied to.