The complexity of Cuba's history, politics, and cultural makeup is surpassed only by the religious intricacies that animate its contemporary landscape. Spanish Catholicism and West African Lucumi religions, as well as their syncretized offspring, have long dominated religious scholarship. However, there is an escalating force that has the possibility to change Cuba's spiritual scene in the coming decades. Protestantism, brought to the country by American missionaries after the Spanish-American war in 1898, has been increasing in popularity in recent years. Many contemporary Cuban Protestant denominations have embraced 21^st century modernity by incorporating popular styles into church music, using technology to increase interaction during services, and allowing charismatic worship practices to enter the church. All of these changes have made Protestantism a magnet for new believers.

This dissertation examines the culture of Cuban evangelical churches and takes specific notice of an emergent genre of music that is appearing in several denominations. Alabanza y adoración (praise and worship) music, though not novel to the United States, has taken on new meaning in the worship services of Havana's metropolitan congregations. This music is significant because it marks a shift from the traditionalism of hymnody to the progressivism multi-influenced praise and worship. Popular music styles of Cuba such as salsa and son along with the global sounds of praise and worship music from the United States and Latin America have been adopted to fit the needs of Cuban congregations.

I explore the world of Havana's evangelical subculture through field data gathered from interviews and observation of church services. I consider what it means to be a "Christian" in Cuba as well as what it means to be a member of an evangelical denomination, two sources of identity in tension with one another. The Iglesia Metodista Unida (United Methodist Church), Iglesia Evangélica Pentecostal Asambleas de Dios (Assemblies of God Pentecostal Evangelical Church), and the Fraternidad Bautista (Baptist Fraternity) are the main field sites that provide case studies for this dissertation. Additionally, I examine the layered experiences within the subculture, particularly those of youth and Afro-Cuban participants.