The Christian music scene, particularly pop music, has become a unique laboratory for Catholic-evangelical relations in France, showcasing a remarkable evolution in ecumenical relationships over the past two decades, writes religion journalist Youna Rivallain in the newspaper La Croix, (January 23). Such a level of cooperation would have been unthinkable 20 years ago. There was significant resistance, particularly among evangelical faithful who carried historical prejudices from the Reformation era. Samuel Olivier, an evangelical singer-composer, recalls being invited to a Catholic youth gathering in Lourdes in 2016. Despite initial reservations about Catholic practices like Marian devotions and religious objects, he was deeply moved by the spiritual fervor of 10,000 young Catholics. This experience led him to recognize that while theological differences exist, Catholics and evangelicals share a common mission of spreading the Gospel.
The article highlights how this unity has become increasingly visible in Christian music. Benjamin Pouzin, co-founder of the Catholic praise band Glorious, notes several examples of this collaboration—young Catholics forming bands with evangelicals; musicians working simultaneously with both Catholic and evangelical groups; the MLK megachurch in Créteil (a Paris suburb) inviting Catholic musicians; the Emmanuel Community (Catholic Charismatic Renewal) drawing 3,000 evangelical participants to Paray-le-Monial (a pilgrimage place in France linked to the devotion to the Sacred Heart). In November 2025, Glorious was the guest praise band at the main evangelical yearly gathering in French-speaking Switzerland.
The collaboration has evolved to the point where religious boundaries have become increasingly fluid in musical settings. Grégory Turpin, a Catholic artist, notes that when he started, most professional musicians in Christian music were evangelicals, as there were few Catholic musicians at that level. Today, in groups like Glorious, the religious background of team members has become almost irrelevant to their work together. This unity doesn’t mean erasing differences. Musicians maintain their respective religious identities while learning from each other. Catholics are impressed by evangelicals’ zeal and boldness in faith proclamation. Evangelicals appreciate Catholics’ deep prayer traditions and use of silence. Some evangelical musicians have gained a broader appreciation of Christian history through Catholic traditions. A new, more porous generation of more inclusive Christian musicians seems to be emerging, exemplified by Ecole Pierre, founded in 2019 by two Catholics in Lyon. This creative school for church ministry has an 80 percent evangelical teaching staff and welcomes students from various Christian backgrounds.
