UNOFFICIALLY SACRED SPACES IN CONTEMPORARY CHURCH ARCHITECTURE: SOCIAL & CULTURAL POLITICS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SACRED SPACE IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

The nature of religious sacred spaces is constantly evolving, as evident from the many structural and ideological changes in church architecture over the years. This ongoing shift away from traditional sacred spaces has also manifested itself in Singapore. In recent years, we have seen the rise in the use of “unofficially sacred” spaces for religious purposes. As a secular and multi-religious state, our religious spaces are inevitably exposed to multiple influences and shaping factors. This dissertation will focus on Protestant churches, exploring the social, cultural and also political forces that shape the construction of these sacred spaces in Singapore today. The prominence of the mega-church in recent years has further blurred the distinctions between the secular and the sacred, attesting to a need to examine the malleability of such spaces in our context. Has the malleability of sacred spaces led to the rise of the “unofficially sacred” in contemporary churches today? By closely examining the different conditions of this malleability, as well as studying their impacts in three Protestant churches in Singapore, this dissertation seeks to bring new insights and perspectives on the conception of sacred spaces in this urban and secular state.