Faculty Profile

Education: BA, Huntingdon College, 2001; MA, Asbury Seminary, 2007; PhD, Boston University, 2015. At SPU since 2015.

Matthew Sigler holds a PhD in liturgical studies from Boston University, where his work focused on Methodist identity and liturgical praxis. Prior to becoming a professor, Dr. Sigler served for 12 years as a music minister in the church, and has written on contemporary worship as well as lyrical theology. He is a provisional elder in the United Methodist Church and is particularly interested in how the faith practices of communities of the past can serve as resources for renewal in the church today.

At SPU, Dr. Sigler teaches Wesleyan theology and history, liturgical studies, and University Foundations courses in Christian doctrine and Christian formation.

Books

Methodist Worship: Mediating the Wesleyan Liturgical Heritage

New York, NY: Routledge, 2019

What makes Methodist worship "Methodist" or "Wesleyan?" How do Methodists evaluate emerging forms of worship in light of their own liturgical heritage? This book considers these questions by bringing to light the work and significance of three Methodist liturgists who have until now received precious little scholarly focus: Thomas O. Summers (1812-1882), Nolan B. Harmon (1892-1993), and James F. White (1932-2004). Exploring each one’s contribution to the Methodist movement, it evaluates their continuing legacies as scholars and practitioners of Methodist worship.

Selected Publications

• “Incorporating ‘Contemporary’ Into a Liturgical Framework.” Worship Arts (May-June 2015): 25-26.
• “‘Our Hearts Reply’: Charles Wesley’s Lyrical Technique as a Prescription for Rooted Emotion.” Liturgy 28.2 (April 2013): 39-47.
• “New Traditions and Old Apostasies.” Liturgy 31.1 (forthcoming, Fall 2015).
• “Not Your Mother’s Contemporary Worship: Exploring CCLI’s ‘Top 25’ List for Changes in Evangelical Contemporary Worship.” Worship 87.5 (September 2013): 445-463.

Please view Dr. Sigler’s CV (PDF) for additional publications.