Dn. Matthew Vest, PhD is Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary and Assistant Professor with the Center for Bioethics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. He grew up in the foothills of the southern Appalachian mountains and now resides with his wife and two boys in Bozeman MT, where he serves as a deacon at St Anthony's Orthodox Church (OCA). He has taught "great books" and moral philosophy courses on the secondary and post-secondary since 2001, including helping launch New College Franklin (2007-2012).

 

Current Projects and Research Interests

The Humility of Right: Reconsidering Rights Language for Orthodox Christians (ed. book project, 2025).
 

Selected Publications

MONOGRAPH

 Ethics Lost in Modernity: Reflections on Wittgenstein and Bioethics (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2023). 

 JOURNAL ARTICLES/CHAPTERS

 “The Limits and Possibilities of Language: Attending to Our ‘Ways with Words’ in Medicine and Bioethics,” accepted and under review with Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, 2025.

 “Bioethics as a Language Game: Probing the Quality of Moral Guidance in Principlism,” accepted and under review for Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, 2025.

 “Educating Unto the Eternal Mystery: Reflections on Ascesis and the Annunciation” in Orthodoxy and Classical Education, David Hicks and Galen Gilbert, eds., accepted and forthcoming with St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2025.

 “Fetal Tissues Research: An Orthodox Perspective,” in Fetal Tissue and Christian Bioethics: A Review of the Scientific Developments, Policy Landscape, and Ethical Considerations (2022 Edition), Edward R. Grant, Heather Zeiger, & Michael J. Sleasman, eds., Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity Special Report(May, 2022).

 “Beyond Re-Enchantment: Christian Materialism and Modern Medicine,” Christian Bioethics 25, no. 3 (Nov., 2019): 266–282.

 “Embodied Knowledge and Moral Knowledge: Felix Ravaisson & Biomedical Ethics” in Treating the Body in Medicine and Religion: Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Perspectives, John Fitzgerald & Ashley Moyse, eds., Routledge Press (2019): 29–43.

 “Understanding Modern, Technological Medicine: Enchanted, Disenchanted, or Other?” with Ashley Moyse. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics: Philosophy of Medical Research and Practice 39, no. 6 (Dec., 2018): 407–417. 

 “Decision Making With Older Minors: An Ethical Dilemma,” with Elmahdi Elkhammas, Britton Rink, Ryan Nash. Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences 7, no. 1 (Feb., 2015): 27–30. 

 

Recent Conference Presentations and Activities 

“Escaping the Ethical Fly Bottle.” Collegium Lecture Series, New College Franklin (December, 2024). 

 “AI and the Legitimization of Violence? Identity, Gnosticism, and Language in the Technological Society.” Conference on Posthumanism and Artificial Intelligence | International Scientific Committee: PHAICON24, Athens, Greece (Nov. 2024).

“Ethics Lost in Modernity.” Presentation for ASBH Christian Theology and Bioethics Affinity Group. Respondents to the presentation: Kyle Karches and Tyler Tate (October, 2023).

“The Coherence of Language? Attending Practically to our “Ways with Words” in Medicine and Bioethics.” Lead proposer; panel presentation with Abraham Brummett, Martin Fitzgerald, Tyler Tate. Conference on Med and Religion, Indiana University (April, 2024).

 “Prophetic Voice Amidst (Scientistic) Individual Rights: Reading Yannaras on Rights with Wittgenstein and Weil.” Conference on Yannaras’ The Inhumanity of Right, St. Gregory of Nyssa OCA (March, 2023).

 “Orthodox Christianity and Medicine.” Workshop presentation with Jeffrey Bishop, Ryan Nash, and Bruce Folz. Pre–Conference Workshop, Conference on Med and Religion, OSU (March, 2023).

 “Engaging the Contours of Medicine’s Ethos and Human Rights: By the Power to Choose or the Person Who Chooses?” Lead proposer; panel presentation with Ryan Nash and Jeffery Bishop. Conference on Med and Religion, OSU (March, 2023).

“And the Infant Leapt in Her Womb: Abortion and the Gift of Life.” Co–presentation with Ana Iltis. St. Vladimir’s Education Day Conference (August, 2022).

“Ethics Lost in Modernity: Wittgenstein, Bioethics, and the Secular.” Faculty Seminar Lecture for St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary (December, 2021).

 “An Orthodox Response to Secularism: How Orthodox Christians respond to matters of bioethics in a culture After God.” Co–presentation with Ana Iltis. St. Vladimir’s Education Day Conference (July, 2021).

“The Great Ambiguity of ‘Medicine’: Science? Art? Magic? Technique? Mechanics? Guild? Profession? Other?...or All?!” Lead sponsor for panel presentation with Autumn Ridenour, Nicole Shirilla, and Ethan Schimmoeller. Conference on Med and Religion, OSU (April, 2021).

 “Performance Enhancing Drugs and Ultrarunning: What the Seriousness of PEDs Tells Us About Ourselves.” Presentation for OSU Medical Ethics Conference, Columbus, OH (Oct. 2019).

 “Is Suffering the Kiss of Jesus?” Lead sponsor for panel presentation including Ryan Nash, Kimbell Kornu, and Mark Wells (moderator). Conference on Med and Religion, Duke University (April, 2019).

 “Ethics Amidst Personal Knowledge: Guiding Theological Bioethics.” Junior Faculty Workshop Presentation, Conference on Med and Religion, Duke University (April, 2019).

 “Cultural and A–cultural Foundations: Surveying the ‘Question of Foundations’ through Engelhardt, Wittgenstein, and St. Gregory Palamas.” Conference on Med and Religion, St. Louis, MO (April, 2018).

 “Wittgenstein and the Foundations of Bioethics: Religious and Scientific Thinking in Modernity.” Junior Faculty Workshop Presentation, Conference on Med and Religion, St. Louis, MO (April, 2018).

 “The Value of Thinking About Your Thinking.” OSU Innovate 2017: Impact Conference, OH (May, 2017).

 “Bioethics: When Life is the Classroom.” OSU Innovate 2017: Impact Conference, OH (May, 2017).

 “Seeing the Body: Noesis and Modern Medicine.” Conference on Medicine and Religion, Houston, TX (March, 2017).

 “Religion & the Medicine of the Future: An Orthodox Critique of Scientific Theology & Ecumenism.” Respondent panelist with Ryan Nash, Farr Curlin, & Ashley Moyse, Conference on Med and Religion, Houston, TX (March, 2016). 

 “The Teleological Suspension of Medicine: Fundamentally Scientific or Fundamentally Religious?” Conference on Medicine and Religion, Houston, TX (March, 2016).

 “Why Bioethics Has Failed Savulescu: Challenging ‘Slavish Moralism’ With a New Language Game.” Society of Orthodox Philosophers in America, Blanco, TX (February, 2016).

 “Moral Norms & Bioethics: By Theory or Therapy?” American Society of Bioethics andHumanities, Houston, TX (Oct., 2015).

 “Wittgenstein & Bioethics.” Lecture to Bioethics Fellowship, Center for Bioethics, OSU (May, 2015).

 “Integrity of Being: Therapy, Theories, and Truth.” Conference on Med and Religion, Boston (March, 2015). 

 “An Ethic of Life: Bioethical Theory, Practices, and the Search for Unity.” Society of Orthodox Philosophers in America, Blanco, TX (February, 2015).

 “Embodied Knowledge and Moral Knowledge: Felix Ravaisson & Biomedical Ethics.” Conference on Med and Religion, Chicago (March, 2014).

 “Embodied Soul, Ensouled Body: Theological Method and Scientific Knowledge.” Society of Orthodox Philosophy in America, Blanco, TX (February, 2014).

 “Narrative Medicine and the Ontology of Modern Healthcare.” Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity 20th Conference, Chicago (July, 2013).

 “Rituals Forming The Soul: Corpse Impurity, Asceticism, and the Body as Relic.” Center of Theology and Philosophy 5th Conference, Oxford, UK (June, 2013).

 “Beauty Will Save the Soul: Formation & Theanthropic Education,” Edith Stein Project, Notre Dame University (Feb., 2013).

 “The Mercy of Ritual Cleanliness and Uncleanness,” Society of Orthodoxy Philosophy in America, Blanco, TX (Feb., 2013).