Professor Snapshot: Fellipe do Vale

July 27, 2021

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is blessed with incredible professors who mentor and grow students across all disciplines. Get to know Dr. Fellipe do Vale, our Assistant Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology who has taught at Trinity since 2021 and studies gender.


Dr. do Vale reads a Bible in his office

Dr. Fellipe do Vale, Assistant Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology

Q. What makes you passionate about your field? A. There are so many things that keep me hooked in my field. We as theologians think about all of the things that make life so interesting. We get to ask questions that I find very animating, such as “Who is God?” “What is He like?” “How do we know him?” These are questions that people have been wrestling with for two thousand years. There’s a very rich history you can dig into and so much to be discovered. I’m endlessly curious, so theology is a good place for me! Q. What is a misconception about your field you would like to correct? A. Systematic theology is sometimes thought of as not being concretely grounded. In reality, good systematic theology is grounded in the Bible. The best systematic theologians wrote biblical commentaries and such! We are accountable to Scripture and work off of historical guides who help us read it well. Q. What was your college experience? A. I went to Calvin College, which is now called Calvin University. I majored in Philosophy and minored in Gender Studies there. Then I went to TEDS, where I did two MAs, one in Systematic Theology and one in Church History. Those overlapped a little bit time-wise. After that, I went to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where I did a PhD in Systematic Theology.

"TEDS is a place where we believe the gospel is always sufficient to explore anything with confidence."


Q. What drew you to Trinity? A. Trinity and TEDS specifically are places where I have found the space to explore vitally important questions. I can count on always finding a sound answer from robust Christian sources, because TEDS is a place where we believe the gospel is always sufficient to explore anything with confidence. As someone who studies gender, there are places where that would be taboo. I did my Masters thesis on gender here and never felt that restriction. I was given a sort of constructive freedom, so I was free to ask questions and I was given the tools to find biblical answers. Q. What is your favorite aspect of teaching at Trinity? A. I genuinely love interacting with my students. I find it so fun and interesting to get to know them, to see their aspirations, and hear where they’re going. Being an instrument for their success is a goal and an honor. It’s life-giving. I love being in the classroom! Q. What can you be found doing when you’re not on the job? A. I’m usually with my young daughter, Eliza, who loves reading! I also love playing and watching soccer; I’m a huge Liverpool fan. Fiction novels, especially sci-fi, really interest me, and I’ve been a musician my entire life!
 

Learn more

MA in Theological Studies

MA in Systematic Theology