Elisabeth Vasko

Elisabeth T. Vasko, Ph.D., is an associate professor of theology at Duquesne University. Dr. Vasko is a passionate educator who empowers young people to think critically about their capacity for social change. Her teaching and research examines the intersection of Christian tradition and racialized and gender violence. 

Before pursuing a Ph.D., Elisabeth worked as a program coordinator at Amate House, a post-graduate service and leadership program for young adults in Chicago. Previously, she also served as a youth minister and religious educator at Holy Family Parish in the greater Chicago area. 

Elisabeth is an accomplished author. She has written several books, including True Crime and Justice of God: Ethics, Media, and Forensic Science (co-authored with Lyndsie Ferrara). This book explores the impact of true crime media on the Christian moral imagination concerning anti-blackness and sexual violence. She has also written the book Beyond Apathy: A Theology for Bystanders, which examines the role of bystanders in perpetuating and resisting violence. She is also the co-editor with Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos and Tracy Sayuki Tiemeier of “Why We Can’t Wait”: Racism and the Church.

She has published several articles in various scholarly journals, including Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Feminist Theology, Journal of Religion, Journal for the Society of Christian Ethics, and Teaching Theology and Religion.

She has a Ph.D. from the Loyola University of Chicago, an M.A. from Boston College, and a B.S. in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Elisabeth enjoys distance running and spending time outside with her family in her spare time.  

• Ph.D., Theology, Loyola University Chicago
• M.A., Pastoral Ministry, Boston College
• B.S., Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Feminist ethics
• Justice
• Constructive Theologies
• Theologies of suffering