Worship Theology
Join Dr. Jeremy Perigo and guest theologians, scholars, musicians, and Christian leaders as we bridge faith and ministry praxis. WorshipTheology is a podcast to fuel and nurture vital discussions on worship, music, and theology. Join us as we think deeply about Christian worship.
Episodes

Tuesday Jan 02, 2024
Tuesday Jan 02, 2024
Two Dordt University Professors, Dr. Justin Bailey and Prof. David Platter, are joining Dr. Jeremy Perigo on this episode. Drawing from Bailey's academic work in beauty and culture and Platter's experience as a working studio artist and educator, they reflect on the challenges and opportunities of visual art in corporate worship. They grapple with questions such as why Catholics have all the good art, why did some Reformers reject art, and what makes visual art Christian.
The discussion invites Christians to consider how best to engage with art and worship leaders to curate a vision for the arts in their churches. The podcast was recorded live at Dordt University in a Worship Arts class.

Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Perigo hosts Revd. Associate Professor Dr. Daniel Thornton of Alphacrucis University College in Australia. Dr. Thornton is an ordained minister, worship leader, musician, educator, and theologian with significant experience in production, theater, and composition.
Together, they discuss Thornton’s scholarly research into modern Christian worship songs, which utilizes music semiology focused on texts, writers, and the audience to analyze congregational songs. Beyond the lyrical theology, hear them unpack topics such as what makes a song popular, meaning making, the influence of the industry and the local church, the future of the genre, trends in novelty and traditionalism, and how YouTube influences Christian worship. The discussion concludes with pastoral guidance and encouragement for those serving in local churches.

Wednesday Nov 08, 2023
Wednesday Nov 08, 2023
How has worship music shifted in the last ten years in the USA?
Join Dr. Jeremy Perigo as he hosts Dr. Shannan Baker, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Music and Digital Humanities at Baylor University. Their discussion focuses on the musical, theological, and market shifts of CCLI's Top 25 songs from 2010-2020.
Topics include lyrical theology, Trinitarian worship, the rise of collaborations, different types of adlibs, increases in repetitive bridges and tags, and a few rounds of “Which CCLI song would you use.”

Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
On this second episode of season two, Dr. Jeremy Perigo hosts worship historian Dr. Adam Perez of Belmont University.
Together they discuss how the history of contemporary worship song impacts local churches today. With a specific focus on worship in the 1980s and 1990s, Perez shares how studying the history of Christian worship gives us important tools and skills to shape how we lead today. Discussions include tracing the networks of dissemination of worship, research on the marketing and distribution of worship songs, Reformed perspectives on contemporary worship, and much more. Also, join them as they play a few rounds of which CCLI song would you use.
This episode specifically explores the complexities of the history of worship alongside the potential flexibilities of leading in contemporary contexts.

Wednesday Sep 27, 2023
Wednesday Sep 27, 2023
In the first episode of season two, Dr. Jeremy Perigo sits down with Dr. Matthew Kaemingk, a public theologian based at Fuller Seminary. Together, they discuss Reformed worship, public theology, the need to become vocationally conversant as ministry leaders, and how to bridge the vast chasm between our worship and worship. Those who listen to the end will also hear theological ties between workplace theology, 30 Rock, and a Neocalvinist perspective.

Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
In the final episode of the first season, join Dr. Jeremy Perigo as he welcomes back Geraldine Latty and Carey Luce as they discuss the practice of creativity and emotional breadth in worship. Hear topics such as the use of gospel choirs, planning time for creativity, utilizing musical tensions, emotional and musical manipulation, the theology of the Spirituals, building community through singing, and learning from other cultural expressions of worship.
Geraldine and Carey are London-based worship artists with a massive amount of experience in music, songwriting, theology, education, and worship leadership.

Monday Feb 13, 2023
Monday Feb 13, 2023
Join Dr. Jeremy Perigo with guests Kenny & Claire Hilliard as they examine the importance of lyrical theology. Kenny and Claire are Nashville-based songwriters with a passion for serving the local church. This podcast was recorded live at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa during a worship arts and theology class.

Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Perigo sits down with Rich and Lydia di Castiglione, UK-based worship leaders and songwriters, to discuss writing worship songs that simultaneously acknowledge pain, suffering, grief, and hope. They explore how worship songs can express empathy and the entire emotive bandwidth of the Christian life. Hear the stories and theology behind their worship songwriting, which embodies the “already and not yet” of the kingdom expressed in the writings of George Ladd.
Rich and Lydia are a part of KXC (Kings Cross Church) and are passionate about seeing the most broken and abused come into freedom and fullness of life.

Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Join Dr. Jeremy Perigo as he sits down with London-based musician and educator Carey Luce as they explore creativity in church music. Carey is a lecturer at London School of Theology and recently served as visiting worship artist in residence at Dordt University.
Their discussion topics include curating musical creativity, education models for improvisation, Stevie Wonder & Bela Fleck, church music pedagogy, playing in different church contexts, pushing into new genres, competency vs. character, exploring your unique sounds and the sounds of others, rehearsal as worship, and much more.

Wednesday Oct 26, 2022
Wednesday Oct 26, 2022
Join Dr. Jeremy Perigo as he hosts New Testament scholar Dr. Conrad Gempf as they discuss worship in the New Testament. Dr. Gempf has taught at London School of Theology for years and is a creative voice bridging the academy and the Church. Discussion topics include the Lord’s Supper, biblical interpretation, worshipping Jesus, the cultural backgrounds of the first Christians, worship in Corinth, worship in Galatia, and much more.

Rev. Dr. Jeremy Perigo
Jeremy was based in the Middle East for over six years catalyzing indigenous gatherings of worship and prayer and researching issues of worship and contextualization. He has a Doctorate of Worship Studies from the Institute of Worship Studies and is Professor of Theology and Worship Arts at Dordt University . He previously taught at London School of Theology for six years, where he was the head of theology, music, and worship department. In addition, he is a visiting lecturer at Regent University and Northern University. He is an accomplished saxophonist and travels internationally as a worship leader and speaker.