One of the oldest churches in Germany is not the place we would associate with a Taylor Swift concert, or rather, with a musical performance based only on covers (six, to be precise) by the American artist. Well, Vincenzo Petracca, pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Heidelberg (of Protestant denomination), in southern Germany, thinks differently. And he decided to bring the words (and music) of Swift, who has always defined herself as Christian and who was born and raised in the so-called Bible Belt of the United States, the area of the country most linked to the Christian faith, to the house of the Lord .
It happened last Sunday, when around 1200 faithful gathered in the building, which boasts 600 years of history, for a double function dedicated to the pop star's songs. The name of the event? Anti-Hero – Taylor Swift Church Service. The pop star was naturally not present, but, to put it in religious terms, her spirit hovered over the faithful. And you managed to attract young people to the services, or people who otherwise would not have shown up at church that day.
On the other hand, as the pastor himself underlined, it is not strange to introduce Swift's lyrics into a religious service: Swift's songs deal with many of the themes dear to the Christian Church, for example acceptance, anti- racism and gender equality.
«From a theological point of view, Taylor Swift reminds us that God is just. For her, faith and action are inseparable.” Thus commented Petracca, also recalling that the artist has repeatedly supported a faith lived sincerely and starting from people, without hypocrisy and extremism. Her faith, Petracca continued, knows “doubt and internal conflict”.
Swift's songs were sung by Tine Weichmann, a singer from Hamburg and professor of church music in Heidelberg, accompanied by her backing band. Behind them, on the stage set up in the pulpit area, a rainbow sign stood out: “Everyone is welcome!”.
The Taylor Swift event was just the latest in the active 2015 City Church Rock'n'Pop event series, which aims to bring old and new churchgoers closer to Church activities through music.