The church in Germany held two services under the title of Taylor Swift

Aiming to attract young worshipers to the pews, a Protestant church in Germany held two Taylor Swift-themed services. The American pop star was chosen to inspire religious debate and reflection.

At the 600-year-old Church of the Holy Spirit (Heiliggeistkirche) in Heidelberg, 423 seats were quickly booked by people who were excited about the “experimental” event titled “Anti-Hero – Church Service Taylor Swift.”

The demand is huge

The demand was so great that the priests of the Church of the Holy Spirit decided to hold a second service to receive as many hopeful believers as possible.

Let us remember that Swift grew up in the “Bible Belt” of the American South, in Tennessee. The southeastern and southcentral states are known as socially conservative and theologically evangelical.

“The Church of the Holy Spirit has always been a place of meeting and exchange,” the church’s pastor, Christoph Elscheben, told the German edition of Deutsche Welle. That is why a pop music religious service is a perfect fit.” He added, “In doing so we give space to questions and issues that concern the new generation.”

What songs were heard during the service?

Swift’s most famous song “Shake It Off” and the most religious “There’s Gotta Be Something More” were heard at the service.

According to Deutsche Welle, parish priest Vincenzo Petracca acknowledged that Taylor Swift’s songs are open to interpretation, but emphasized the strong Christian messages she incorporates into her songs, as well as her choice to address political and social issues.

In the past decade, the American singer in her songs refers to issues of women’s rights, racism and gender equality.

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— The Swift Society (@TheSwiftSociety) May 14, 2024