Taylor Swift: University offers theology course on “pop goddess”.

In the eyes of her Swifties, Taylor Swift (35) is already a goddess. Now the pop phenomenon is also becoming part of a theology course: the Catholic Theological Faculty at the University of Vienna is taking a close look at the singer.

In the two-day young talent workshop, which started on Thursday afternoon (January 9th), Swift’s influence beyond the boundaries of the music scene will be examined from a theological perspective. , theologians from different disciplines want to discuss which religious elements can be found in Taylor Swift’s music and appearance.

“The singer is revered by her fans as a kind of everyday saint and she obviously satisfies spiritual needs,” the event organizer is quoted as saying. The singer is a “symbol of an inclusive society”, especially for women and the LGBTQIA+ community. Swift doesn’t make overtly religious statements herself, but she represents Christian values ​​such as charity and respect in her songs. From a theological point of view, the question is interesting as to whether it also has a “religious impact” on people.

The workshop will also cover the effects of the concert cancellations in Vienna in the summer of 2024, when three shows on “The Eras Tour” were canceled due to a threatened terrorist attack. The images of Swifties consoling each other and singing in downtown Vienna then went around the world. A church also opened its doors to fans to comfort them. There will now be a lecture on the topic of “Taylor Swift services”.

In addition, we want to look at Taylor Swift’s song lyrics from a biblical exegesis perspective and analyze whether her lyrics are “more profound than they seem at first glance and whether they provide impulses for contemporary thinking about God.” The results of the workshop will then be published as scientific papers.

This is not the first time that academics have dealt with the Taylor Swift phenomenon. Renowned universities such as Harvard University have already offered courses on the topic.