Abstract
The songs of Bob Dylan are often used in the worship services of Protestant, and especially Lutheran, churches in Scandinavia. Since the mid-1990s more than 100 so-called Dylan masses have been celebrated in Norway alone. This can be explained partly by the fact that Dylan has been recognized as a major artist in all sections of society, and partly by the fact that the national Lutheran churches have accepted popular music as a natural part of their worship. In this article, I look more closely at the reasons behind the use of Bob Dylan’s music in worship in Scandinavia and examine the discussion around this that has been going on within church communities. My empirical basis consists of interviews with ten ministers and church musicians. The material shows that different types of argumentation are used with regard to the use of Dylan’s music in the church, and that this is related to the respondent’s approach to popular culture in general and the way in which they regard the worship service.
Highlights
Most of Bob Dylan’s songs can be heard in multiple ways
In the past he has conducted more than one Dylan mass as minister. Gradually he has changed his views about these masses. He thinks that such masses are highly problematic, not because the Christian mass cannot tolerate being influenced by popular music, but because the message of the songs does not always match the framework of a mass in the Lutheran church
My material has been taken from so-called Dylan masses being held in Lutheran congregations in Norway and Sweden in recent years
Summary
Like many others living in a post-secular world who believe in a God or some kind of higher power, Dylan clearly does not identify with “religion” On the contrary, he claims that religion is mainly concerned with appearances. The song reflects Dylan’s artistic and personal situation at the time, and fits well in a long trajectory of Dylan songs, from the 1960s to the present, that deal with fundamental human themes related to history, society, social relations, religion, and life in general. Botvar’s chapter bob dylan and religion provides new insight into the internal discourse within the church about the use of Dylan’s music. Arguments forwarded by those opposing such use and by those who embrace it are analysed on the basis of a sociological model about the relationship between religion and popular culture. I believe the songs. (https://www.newsweek.com/dylan-revisited -174056, our italics) bob dylan and religion * Geir and Robert want to extend heartfelt thanks to Oddgeir Synnes (VID Specialized University), who initiated this project along with Geir. *
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