Maria Monteiro, PhD

Education

Ph.D. Church Music, Baylor University
Certificate of Graduate Studies in Musicology, Duke University
M.M. Music History & Literature, Baylor University
B.M. Music History & Literature, Baylor University

Biography

Originally from Recife, Brazil, Dr. Maria Monteiro is a scholar of church music, congregational song, and Christian worship whose research explores how music shapes Christian identity across cultures, languages, and historical contexts. Her work brings together perspectives from hymnology, ethnomusicology, worship studies, and World Christianity to examine the relationship between music, mission, and faith formation.

Dr. Monteiro’s research focuses particularly on Brazilian Baptist hymnody and the role of congregational song in the development of religious and cultural identity. She has published and presented widely on the history and influence of the Brazilian Baptist hymnal Cantor Cristão, the connections between music and Christian missions, and the ways worship practices travel, adapt, and take root across global contexts.

A second area of specialization is bilingual and multicultural worship, especially within Hispanic and Latin American Protestant communities. Through both scholarship and practical ministry engagement, she examines how congregational song fosters belonging, theological formation, and cross-cultural understanding.

Her recent work has expanded to include children’s worship and music ministry through the Lilly Endowment-funded project Shaping Young Worshipers through Transformative Music Ministry. As Co-Principal Investigator, she helps lead this $1.25 million grant-funded initiative (2022-2026), which investigates the transformative role of music in the spiritual formation of children and seeks to equip churches to cultivate lifelong practices of worship.

Research Interests

Congregational Song and Hymnody, Christian Worship, Brazilian Protestantism, Music and Missions, World Christianity, Bilingual and Multicultural Worship, Ethnomusicology of Religion, and Children's Music Ministry and Worship Formation

Selected Publications

"Conquering 'The Vast, Immense World for Christ': Brazilian Baptists Sing about Their Mission” in Baptist Missions Worldwide: History, Music, and Theopolitics (Baylor University Press, forthcoming).

"Music in Missions and Music as Missions." Oxford Handbook of Music and Christian Theology (Oxford University Press, forthcoming).

"Singing the 'Wondrous Story' in Portuguese: The First Official Brazilian Baptist Hymnal, Cantor Cristão." Religions 13, no. 1 (2022).

"Igrejas bilíngues no contexto multicultural: México/Estados Unidos." Reflexão e Fé 12 (2020): 186-208.

"'This Is My Song': Profile of a Bilingual Congregation in the Heart of San Antonio." Reformed Worship 127 (2018): 17-19.

"Bilingual Song." In Crafting Songs and Hymns: A Collection of Short Essays to Inspire and Challenge Church Musicians (2017).

Selected Presentations

"Sacred Soundscapes: Music, Missions, and the Shaping of a Brazilian Baptist Identity." World Christianity Conference, Recife, Brazil (2026).

"A Portrait of Transformative Children's Music Ministry." Calvin Symposium on Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan (2025).

"Considering the Intersection of Worship and Culture." GKI Church, Jakarta, Indonesia (2024).

"Feitos, palavras e cantos: Salomão Ginsburg, o Cantor Cristão e a história dos batistas em Pernambuco." Seminário Teológico Batista do Norte do Brasil, Recife, Brazil (2022).

"The Contributions of Henry Maxwell Wright (1849-1931) and Solomon L. Ginsburg (1867-1927) to Portuguese-Language Hymnody." Yale-Edinburgh Conference on World Christianity and Mission (2021).

"Worshiping in Yellow: Singing in the Cult of Oxum." World Christianity Conference, Princeton Theological Seminary (2021, Online).

Selected Courses Taught at Baylor

Worship in the Church
Worship in Global Perspective
Research in Christian Worship
Song of the Church
Congregational Song in Global Perspective
Congregational Song in Historical Perspective
Professional Development and Teaching Practicum
The Church Musician as Educator in the Church
Engaging with Music

Honors and Awards

Faculty Fellowship Award, Institute for Oral History, Baylor University (2021–2022)
HTI/Lilly Fellowship, Hispanic Theological Initiative, Princeton Theological Seminary (2020–2021
Dissertation Scholar, Hispanic Theological Initiative, Princeton Theological Seminary (2020–2021)     

Professional Service

Dr. Monteiro is Music Director at First Mexican Baptist Church in San Antonio, where she plans and leads worship services in English and Spanish. She is a member of the Governing Board of Polyphony Music Resources and has served in the Executive Council of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada.