Fernando Berwig Silva

Fernando Berwig Silva is a Ph.D. student in Religion and Culture at Southern Methodist University's Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, while also serving as adjunct faculty in the Musicology Department at the Meadows School of the Arts. A Brazilian composer with extensive musical training, he bridges academic scholarship with creative practice in sacred music composition and performance.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Religion and Culture (in progress), Southern Methodist University
• Master of Sacred Music, Perkins School of Theology
• Bachelor's degree in Composition and Conducting, Paraná State University (Brazil)

Fernando's research brings church music into dialogue with decolonial and Latin American scholarship, examining how the Contemporary Praise and Worship industry shapes Latin American worship practices. His dissertation specifically uses liberation theology to explore how these practices both reinforce and disrupt liturgical coloniality. His scholarly work consistently addresses intersections of ethnoracial identity, religious practice, and musical expression, particularly within Latin American contexts.

His publications reveal a strong focus on hymnology, ethnoracial discourses in worship, and cross-cultural musical practices within Christian contexts. The articles consistently engage with questions of cultural appropriation versus solidarity, decolonial approaches to worship, and the complex interplay between traditional liturgical forms and contemporary musical expressions.

His scientific recognition includes:

• 2025 Royal Brougham Scholarship Award
• 2024 The Hymn Society Emerging Scholar
• Hispanic Theological Initiative En Conjunto Fellowship (2023-2025)
• Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society (2023)
• Roger Daschner Prize in Sacred Music (2022, 2023)

As a composer and performer, Fernando has premiered works internationally including 'A Mass for the Missing' (2023) and 'Three Meditations on Christ's Crucifixion' (2022). He previously served as Coordinator of Arts Ministries at a Lutheran church in Brazil for three years and has led music in diverse cultural contexts. He also serves on the committee for the biennial Christian Congregational Music Conference in Oxford, UK.