Paper long abstract:

My presentation explores the influences of contemporary Christian music on Hungarian Catholicism. By many contemporary Christian music is considered the most effective instrument for spreading Christianity among younger generations. However, it has been a topic of controversy in various ways as this new genre of church music is rooted in popular culture but at the same time serves religious functions.

Less attention was paid towards the introduction of this relatively new genre of church music. Several features of the inner dynamics of Catholic small communities can be explored by studying one of its conspicuous phenomena. I examine how contemporary Christian music has a complex effect on the listeners' behavior which is articulated in their religious conventions, in their personal religiosity, communal rituals and the dynamics of their religious communities. In this way we get a better understanding of Catholic "vernacular religion"1 (religion as it is lived).

1 L.N. Primiano's term