(RNS) — When pop icon Taylor Swift disclosed her religion in the 2020 Netflix documentary “Miss Americana,” she was unambiguous.“I live in Tennessee. I’m a Christian. That’s not what we stand for,” she said in 2018 in response to Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn’s opposition to the Violence Against Women Act and LGBTQ rights.
But these days, Swift’s faith appears more fluid. Her religious references are as eclectic as a Brooklyn thrift shop — well-worn Christian metaphors sit alongside a more bohemian mishmash of witchcraft, divination and paganism. Her newest release, “The Tortured Poets Department,” is a patchwork of religious allusions, from good Samaritans and Jehovah’s Witnesses to altar sacrifices and prophecies.
Whatever her personal beliefs, the syncretism displayed in the sprawling 31-song double album — which racked up 300 million listens in 24 hours, making it Spotify’s most streamed album in one day — is emblematic of the religious mishmash of millennial and Generation Z religion writ large. These days, roughly 28% of U.S. adults identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” and a 2021 survey from Springtide Research Institute showed that 51% of its sample population of 13- to 25-year-olds use tarot cards or engage in fortunetelling.
Swift knows her audience, and she knows they’re dabbling in everything from spells to astrology. Her genius has always been to make common cause with the curiosities, heartbreaks and longings of her listeners. And, no doubt, the inherent feminism of Wicca appeals to Swift and Swifties alike.
Christianity may no longer be the primary faith framework for her songs, but Swift’s strict moral system remains in TTPD, punishing bad boy …
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But these days, Swift’s faith appears more fluid. Her religious references are as eclectic as a Brooklyn thrift shop — well-worn Christian metaphors sit alongside a more bohemian mishmash of witchcraft, divination and paganism. Her newest release, “The Tortured Poets Department,” is a patchwork of religious allusions, from good Samaritans and Jehovah’s Witnesses to altar sacrifices and prophecies.
Whatever her personal beliefs, the syncretism displayed in the sprawling 31-song double album — which racked up 300 million listens in 24 hours, making it Spotify’s most streamed album in one day — is emblematic of the religious mishmash of millennial and Generation Z religion writ large. These days, roughly 28% of U.S. adults identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” and a 2021 survey from Springtide Research Institute showed that 51% of its sample population of 13- to 25-year-olds use tarot cards or engage in fortunetelling.
Swift knows her audience, and she knows they’re dabbling in everything from spells to astrology. Her genius has always been to make common cause with the curiosities, heartbreaks and longings of her listeners. And, no doubt, the inherent feminism of Wicca appeals to Swift and Swifties alike.
Christianity may no longer be the primary faith framework for her songs, but Swift’s strict moral system remains in TTPD, punishing bad boy …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]