Westar Institute

Dr. SimonMary Asese Aihiokhai was born in Nigeria. He received his undergraduate education in philosophy at the Spiritan School of Philosophy, Nigeria (1997). He began his initial studies in theology at the Spiritan International School of Theology before migrating to the United States to continue it at Saint John Seminary, Camarillo, California, where he earned a graduate degree in theology with a focus in medical ethics (2007). He obtained his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Duquesne University (2013).Dr. Aihiokhai is currently an associate professor of systematic theology at the University of Portland. He is the coordinator of the university’s Theology Thursday Lecture Series. He is the recipient of the University of Portland Outstanding Scholar Award for 2021. He is also a Fellow at the Westar Institute. Dr. Aihiokhai has worked extensively with communities at the margins in Nigeria and in the United States of America. He has held academic positions at Loyola Marymount University; Valparaiso University; and Saint Leo University. As a product of multiple contexts, he is intentional at creating spaces for multiple perspectives in his research and teaching. His research focuses on Religion and Identity; African approaches to ethics; African philosophies, cultures, and theologies; religion and violence; comparative theology; themes in systematic theology; and interfaith studies.Dr. Aihiokhai will gladly tell you that at the heart of all that he does as a theologian is to create space for God’s life to be experienced by all in our world.