Religion and Popular Music

Andreas Häger

"Bob Dylan's brief overt involvement in Christianity, his Jewish background, as well as the use of biblical material in his works, have led to a continuing discussion among fans and critics regarding his relation to religion. This relation is here studied in the context of the "rock mass." This is a communion service, which is set to some form of popular music, in this case by Dylan. The material comes from Dylan masses in mainline Protestant churches in Scandinavia and North America. The chapter looks at stated reasons for using Dylan in church, the means through which Dylan's music is adapted to serve as liturgy, and at various non-verbal practices negotiating the balance between understanding the event in question as a divine service or as a concert. Through in-depth case studies, Religion and Popular Music explores encounters between music, fans, and religion. The book examines...