The sacred and the secular : a study of contemporary meanings and values for religious buildings in Singapore
Broadly, this thesis is concerned with the symbolic meanings and values of places. In particular, my primary concern is to find out the meanings and values of religious buildings for different groups of people and I have chosen to examine this using multi-religious but officially secular Singapore as a case study. Specifically, my study objectives are as follows: first, to find out the symbolic meanings and values of religious buildings for individuals of the major religious groups in Singapore, namely the Muslims, Christians, Hindus and ~Chinese religionists~; second, to analyse the state's conceptions of religious buildings in Singapore and the roles it plays in shaping religious landscapes; and third, to examine the extent to which the state's conceptions of religious places coincide, complement or conflict with the meanings invested by religious individuals and groups, and with what effect. The central argument of my thesis is that individuals invest a multitude of meanings in their religious buildings which are intensely sacred, personal and social in nature. Conversely, there are two levels at which the state deals with religious buildings. They are political symbols in that they are used to endorse
Kong, Lily Lee Lee
Philosophy
The sacred and the secular : a study of contemporary meanings and values for religious buildings in Singapore. Broadly, this thesis is concerned with the symbolic meanings and values of places. In particular, my primary concern is to find out the meanings and values of religious buildings for different groups of people and I have chosen to examine this using multi-religious but officially secular Singapore as a case study. Specifically, my study objectives are as follows: first, to find out the symbolic meanings and values of religious buildings for individuals of the major religious groups in Singapore, namely the Muslims, Christians, Hindus and ~Chinese religionists~; second, to analyse the state's conceptions of religious buildings in Singapore and the roles it plays in shaping religious landscapes; and third, to examine the extent to which the state's conceptions of religious places coincide, complement or conflict with the meanings invested by religious individuals and groups, and with what effect. The central argument of my thesis is that individuals invest a multitude of meanings in their religious buildings which are intensely sacred, personal and social in nature. Conversely, there are two levels at which the state deals with religious buildings. They are political symbols in that they are used to endorse
sacred_secular study contemporary meaning_value religious_building singapore broadly concerned symbolic_meaning value place particular primary_concern meaning_value religious_building different_group people choose examine use multi religious officially secular singapore case_study specifically study objective follow first symbolic_meaning value religious_building individual major religious group singapore namely muslims_christians hindus chinese second analyse state conception religious_building singapore role_play shape religious landscape third examine_extent state conception religious place coincide complement conflict meaning invest religious individual_group effect central_argument individual invest multitude meaning religious_building intensely sacred personal_social nature conversely two_level state deal religious_building political symbol use endorse