Matt Leighton

Visiting Professor of Historical Theology

Matt is a Colorado native, born and raised in Georgetown. He came to faith in Christ at Brown University through Athletes in Action. Shortly after graduating, he joined the AIA staff full-time and served in Spain. There, Matt met and married his wife, Nuria, a Barcelona native. They are blessed with five children.

During his initial phase of ministry in Spain, Matt saw the need for more theological training for pastors in the country. He also realized he needed to get trained himself. He and Nuria moved to Escondido, where Matt attended Westminster Seminary California. In 2002, Matt graduated with an MDiv, and the Leightons returned to Spain. Soon after, Matt became an elder in l’Església Evangèlica de Vilassar de Mar and began to teach at the Facultad de Teología IBSTE. He finished his ThD in Biblical Theology in 2016 at the Universidad de Salamanca. He continues to serve as an elder in their church and teaches Hermeneutics, Paul’s Letters, Greek Exegesis, and some Systematic Theology classes at the seminary. He has published several academic articles, book chapters, and two books in Spanish.

Living more than 25 years in Spain has helped Matt learn to enjoy fútbol (soccer). He watches plenty of Barça games with his kids but enjoys watching his kids’ own games even more. He still loves the mountains and tries to get the family up to the Pyrenees as often as possible to hike, cycle, and ski. He and Núria enjoy Catalan cuisine and taking long walks together around Cabrils (Barcelona), where they live.