Christianity in Singapore
Encyclopedia
Christians in Singapore constitute approximately 17.5% of the population. In the 2000 Census, 4.8% of residents aged 15 years and older, identified as Catholic and 9.8% as 'Other Christians'.

History

Christianity first arrived on Singapore's shores soon after the founding of modern Singapore
Founding of modern Singapore
The founding of modern Singapore in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles paved the way for Singapore to become a modern port and established its status as a gateway between the Western and Eastern markets....

 in 1819. Within half a year, the first Protestant missionary arrived to set up a local ministry. The first Roman Catholic priest came in December 1821 to look into the feasibility of opening a missionary station
Mission (station)
A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International....

, and celebrated the first Mass.

The colonial administration adopted an official policy of neutrality and non-interference regarding religion. Missionaries established churches and Christian ministries on the island. They also set up welfare organisations and many missionary schools which are well regarded for their high quality education today.

Local-born church leaders gradually took over the running of their ministries. Theological colleges were established to produce the next generation of leaders, and more churches and Christian organisations were set up, resulting in an increase in the proportion of Christians in Singapore today. The percentage of Christians among Singaporeans increased from 12.7% in 1990 to 14.6% in 2000. whilst the latest census as of 2010 has showed the Christian population increase from 14.6 % to 17.5%.

Catholic (Roman)

The Roman Catholic population in Singapore generally consists of Eurasians
Eurasian (mixed ancestry)
The word Eurasian refers to people of mixed Asian and European ancestry. It was originally coined in 19th-century British India to refer to Anglo-Indians of mixed British and Indian descent....

, Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...

 (including Peranakans), Filipinos
Filipinos
Filipinos is the brand name for a series of biscuit snacks made by Kraft Foods. In Spain and Portugal they are produced and sold under the Artiach brand name. Under license to United Biscuits, in the Netherlands they are sold and produced locally under the Verkade brand...

 and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

ns. There are 31 Roman Catholic parishes in Singapore, each administering to a particular district in Singapore.

Singapore has a Roman Catholic Archdiocese headed by His Grace Archbishop Nicholas Chia
Nicholas Chia
Most. Rev. Monsignor Nicholas Gerald Chia Yeck Joo D.D., S.T.L. is third and current Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore and the first Singapore-born clergyman to hold the office...

 who presides at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Singapore. It is located in the Museum Planning Area within the Civic District and affords a welcome respite from the city....

. The Holy Mass in Singapore is celebrated in numerous vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...

 tongues, including English, Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew, Tamil, Malayalam, Tagalog and Korean (at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd). Malay is seldom used.

Peranakan Roman Catholics are generally concentrated in the Church of the Holy Family
Church of the Holy Family, Singapore
The Church of the Holy Family, also known as Holy Family Church and Katong Catholic Church, is a Roman Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Singapore. It is located at Chapel Road, Singapore, and has one of the largest parish populations in the archdiocese.-History:The church itself was founded in...

 in Katong
Katong
Katong is a residential area in the east of Singapore near the seafront. Formerly located by the sea, land was reclaimed all the way to East Coast Park to provide more land for housing and recreational purposes due to shortage of land in the late 1960s after Singapore gained independence.Katong was...

; whilst St Joseph's Church along Victoria street is a cultural base for Portuguese Eurasians. Roman Catholic parishes in the 18th to early 19th centuries were initially setup along racial and cultural lines by various Roman Catholic missionary groups from Europe.

Various Roman Catholic parishes in Singapore are actively involved in social services such as welfare homes, the opening of soup kitchens as well as missionary trips to place like Indonesia and the Philippines. There is also the Catholic Medical Guild, and other Roman Catholic lobby groups that are based in the Church of St Peter & Paul parish grounds. They are also currently supporting the creation of Neighbourhood Christian Communities (NCC) in order to organise and gather the Roman Catholic communities within their neighbourhoods.

Eastern Catholics

A fledgling Greek-Catholic community, dependent on the Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...

 Greek-Catholic bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, is also growing and meets in private.

Eastern and Oriental Orthodox

Other Christian churches in Singapore include the old Armenian Church
Armenian Church, Singapore
The Armenian Church is the oldest Christian church in Singapore, located at Hill Street in the Museum Planning Area, within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.-History:George Drumgoole Coleman, overseer of Convicts and Superintendent of Public Works, was the architect of many of...

 which has a church building but has had no resident clergy for many decades, the Coptic Orthodox Church
Coptic Orthodox Church in Asia
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria has many churches and congregations in the continent of Asia.As Egypt is the only Afro-Asiatic country, all of the Coptic Orthodox Eparchies in the peninsula of Sinai are in Asia-El Arish and All North Sinai:...

 which meets in the Armenian Church, and the Syrian Orthodox Church; the latter two churches generally minister to the Copt
Copt
The Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....

ic and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n communities respectively. There is also a small but growing Eastern Orthodox congregation made up of ethnic Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....

, Egyptians
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...

, Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....

, Indians and Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....

, constituting a small minority in the local Christian population.

Protestant

The majority of Christian churches are under the umbrella of the National Council of Churches of Singapore. Most belong to Protestant traditions which consist of an array of denominations. The more prominent ones include the Anglican, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...

, Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...

, Lutheran, Methodist
Methodist Church in Singapore
The Methodist Church in Singapore is the church that Methodists in Singapore belong to. The Church has 44 churches island-wide with more than 38,000 members, making it one of the largest Protestant denominations in Singapore. Its current bishop and head of the Church is Bishop Dr Robert M...

 and Presbyterian churches. In recent years, independent non-denominational megachurch
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...

es have sprung up and been successful in reaching out to new members.

Anglicanism is represented in Singapore by the Church of the Province of South East Asia
Church of the Province of South East Asia
The Church of the Province of South East Asia, a member church of the Anglican Communion, was created in 1996, comprising the four dioceses of Kuching, Sabah, Singapore and West Malaysia...

, of which the Diocese of Singapore
Anglican Diocese of Singapore
The Anglican Diocese of Singapore consists of 26 Anglican parishes in Singapore to date and 6 deaneries throughout the Asia region. It has an established history of church-planting as well as providing educational, medical and social services in Singapore and the neighbouring region. The Diocese...

 is responsible for 26 parishes within Singapore as well as six deaneries in other Southeast Asian countries.

Although the churches seem divided along denomination lines, many Christian ministries and congregations often come together and co-ordinate activities and good works for both the Christian community and society at large. In addition, Singapore is considered a key base for missionary and humanitarian activities in the Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...

 region and beyond.

Beyond the churches, there are many Christian organisations engaging in activities such as fund raising, healthcare for the needy, establishing homes for the elderly, providing family services and youth development. These organisations include the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....

, Fei Yue Family Centres, Teen Challenge
Teen Challenge
Teen Challenge is a Pentecostal Christian recovery program and a network of Christian social and evangelizing work centers. It is a 12-18 month program that serves drug addicts, alcoholics, gang members, prostitutes and people with other characteristics that the program considers to be...

 and various community hospitals. The Christian community also comes together for fund-raising events like the LoveSingapore movement which organises walkathons and prayer sessions for those in need.

Megachurches

Recently, megachurches such as City Harvest Church
City Harvest Church
City Harvest Church or CHC is a non-denominational megachurch in Singapore with an average of 23,256 attendees in the month of December 2010....

, Faith Community Baptist Church and New Creation Church have been very successful in attracting large numbers of youths and working adults to convert to their versions of Christianity. These churches usually have services in which songs are performed in contemporary style, which are seen as trendy by many youths. Nevertheless, they are not without controversy and some older Christians consider the practices of such churches to be contrary to the traditions of Christianity.

Inter-faith

Singapore is a society of diverse religious traditions. The Declaration of Religious Harmony, which was published in 2003, is a seminal document, which the National Council of Churches of Singapore supported and helped create. On September 3, 2008, the sociologist and Pentecostal pastor, Mathew Mathews, who was named a visiting fellow of the Sociology department at the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....

, interviewed 183 Singaporean clergy. From these interviews he formed the opinion that the Christian clergy in many parts of Singapore were wary of inter-faith dialogue. He claimed that nearly 50% of clergy believe that inter-faith dialogue compromises their own religious convictions. He presented his paper to the Institute of Public Studies (Singapore) in a forum they organised on September 2, 2008.

Anglican schools

  • Anglican High School
    Anglican High School
    Anglican High School is an autonomous, Special Assistance Plan and Government-aided co-educational secondary school in Tanah Merah, Singapore.- History :...

  • Christ Church Secondary School
    Christ Church Secondary School
    Christ Church Secondary School is a government-aided secondary school located in Woodlands, Singapore, beside Singapore Sports School. Christ Church Secondary School has affiliations with Saint Andrew's Junior College...

  • Saint Andrew's Junior School
    Saint Andrew's Junior School
    Saint Andrew's Junior School is a government-aided boys' primary school in Potong Pasir, Singapore. The school started as the Lower School of St Andrew's School after World War II. St Andrew’s Junior School is part of the family of Anglican schools in Singapore...

  • Saint Andrew's Secondary School
    Saint Andrew's Secondary School
    Saint Andrew's Secondary School is a government-aided Anglican boys' secondary school in Potong Pasir, Singapore. It was established in the 19th century and still operates along traditional British lines.-History:...

  • Saint Andrew's Junior College
    Saint Andrew's Junior College
    Saint Andrew's Junior College is a junior college in Singapore, offering a two-year course for pre-university students leading up to GCE 'A' Level examinations....

  • Saint Hilda's Primary School
  • Saint Hilda's Secondary School
    Saint Hilda's Secondary School
    Saint. Hilda's Secondary School is a government-aided secondary school in Tampines, Singapore, which offers a four to five year course leading to a GCE 'O' Level or a GCE 'N' Level certificate and to a Centralised Institute, Junior College, Polytechnic or the Institute of Technical...

  • Saint Margaret's Primary School
  • Saint Margaret's Secondary School

Methodist schools

  • Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)
    Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)
    Anglo-Chinese School is one of the two ACS primary schools in Singapore. Established in 1951 at the old Coleman Street campus, it moved to its previous premises at 25 Peck Hay Road in 1985. In December 2008, it moved to its current premises at 16 Winstedt Road where Monk's Hill Secondary School...

  • Anglo-Chinese School (Primary)
    Anglo-Chinese School (Primary)
    Anglo-Chinese School in Singapore, is the original primary school of the [ACS] family, located at the Barker Road campus adjacent to the ACS block. It opened in 1887 with the secondary school at Coleman Street, moving to a newly upgraded Coleman Street campus in 1961, leaving the Barker Road...

  • Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)
    Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)
    Anglo-Chinese School is a secondary school of the Anglo-Chinese School family located at the Barker Road campus, Singapore. It offers the GCE 'O' Level Course for its students from Sec 1 to Sec 4/5. Students may then move on to Anglo-Chinese Junior College with affiliation favours...

  • Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
    Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
    The Anglo-Chinese School is a Methodist secondary school in Singapore. It is a descendant of a school established in 1886 by Rev William Fitzjames Oldham at 70 Amoy Street, Singapore, and one of a group of educational institutions collectively known as the Anglo-Chinese School...

  • Anglo-Chinese Junior College
    Anglo-Chinese Junior College
    Anglo-Chinese Junior College in Singapore opened in 1977 and is the junior college arm of the Anglo-Chinese School family of Methodist schools. ACJC offers the standard two-year pre-university programme, with students taking the GCE 'A' Levels in their second year...

  • Anglo-Chinese School (International)
  • Fairfield Methodist Primary School
    Fairfield Methodist Primary School
    Fairfield Methodist School is a government-aided primary school in Dover Road, western Singapore.It is affiliated with Fairfield Methodist School .- Early years :...

  • Fairfield Methodist Secondary School
    Fairfield Methodist Secondary School
    Fairfield Methodist School is an autonomous co-educational Methodist secondary school in Dover, Singapore. It covers Secondary 1 to Secondary 5 inclusive .-History:...

  • Geylang Methodist Primary School
  • Geylang Methodist Secondary School
    Geylang Methodist Secondary School
    Geylang Methodist School is a co-ed school located in Aljunied, Singapore. It was formerly known as Geylang Methodist Girls' School until 1984 when it started to take in boys. The school offers the express, normal academic and technical streams...

  • Methodist Girls' School (Primary)
  • Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
  • Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Primary)
    Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Primary)
    Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Primary) Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Primary) (Abbreviation: PLMGS (Primary); is a Methodist girls' primary school in Hougang, Singapore. It offers the four main languages of Singapore, namely English, Mandarin, Malay...

  • Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
    Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
    Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School is an all-girls school located in Hougang, Singapore, running on a single session catering to pupils in the Special, Express, Normal Academic and Normal Technical streams. Since 1995, PLMGSS has been offering Higher Chinese to her pupils. There are 61 teachers,...


Presbyterian schools

  • Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School
    Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School
    Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School is a government-aided co-educational primary school in Bishan, Singapore. Students here are known as 'KCPians'...

  • Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School
    Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School
    Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School is a co-educational government-aided secondary school located in Bishan St 13, Singapore.-Brief history:* 1924 - Two Christian Ministers founded Katong Girls' School...

  • Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School
    Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School
    Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary is a co-educational, SAP and government-aided primary school located at Pei Wah Avenue in Bukit Timah, Singapore....

  • Presbyterian High School
    Presbyterian High School
    Presbyterian High School is a government-aided co-ed missionary secondary school in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore. It has affiliations with Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School, Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School, Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School, Saint Andrew's Junior College, Ang Mo Kio...


Roman Catholic schools

  • Assumption English School
  • Assumption Vocational Institute
  • Canossa Convent Primary School
  • Canossian Convent Kindergarten
  • Canossian School For The Hearing-Impaired
  • Catholic High School
    Catholic High School (Singapore)
    Catholic High School ' is an all-boys Catholic school in Singapore offering a six-year primary, a four-year GCE 'O' Level education and a six-year GCE 'A' Level education starting from 2013. The primary school offers the Gifted Education Program in addition to the standard PSLE curriculum. The...

  • Catholic Junior College
    Catholic Junior College
    Catholic Junior College is a junior college in Singapore, offering a two-year course for pre-university students leading up to GCE 'A' Level examination. Founded in 1975, CJC was the third junior college established in Singapore...

  • CHIJ Katong (Primary)
  • CHIJ Katong Convent
    CHIJ Katong Convent
    CHIJ Katong Convent is an autonomous all-girls Catholic secondary school in Singapore. The school is one of 11 Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools in Singapore. Katong Convent is known for its niche area, speech and drama...

  • CHIJ Kellock Primary
  • CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel
  • CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace
  • CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity
  • CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh)
    CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh)
    CHIJ Primary is an all-girls' Catholic primary school in Singapore. Founded in 1854, the school is the oldest of the 11 Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools in Singapore...

  • CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls' School
  • CHIJ Saint Joseph's Convent
    CHIJ Saint Joseph's Convent
    CHIJ Saint Joseph's Convent is an all-girls Catholic secondary school in Sengkang, Singapore. The school is one of 11 Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools in Singapore.- History :...

  • CHIJ Saint Theresa's Convent
    CHIJ Saint Theresa's Convent
    CHIJ Saint Theresa's Convent is an all-girls Catholic secondary school in Singapore. The school is one of 11 Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools in Singapore.-History:...

  • CHIJ Secondary School (Toa Payoh)
    CHIJ Secondary School (Toa Payoh)
    CHIJ Secondary is an autonomous all-girls Catholic school in Singapore. Founded in 1854, the school is the oldest of the 11 Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus schools in Singapore. The school was first housed in Victoria Street before it moved to 626 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 and classes started in 1984...

  • De La Salle School
    De La Salle School
    De La Salle School is a Roman Catholic voluntary aided school located in Ghyllgrove, Basildon, Essex. Formerly named St. Anselms, the school is now named after Jean-Baptiste de la Salle who is the patron saint of those who care for others. The headteacher of Basildon's De La Salle school is Dr....

  • Good Shepherd Kindergarten
  • Hai Sing Catholic School
    Hai Sing Catholic School
    Hai Sing Catholic School is a secondary school in Singapore founded in 1959 by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary sisters.The then Hai Sing Girls' High School grew out of a need to provide secondary school education to girls in the rural area of Upper Serangoon...

  • Holy Innocents' High School
    Holy Innocents' High School
    Holy Innocents' High School is one of the earliest catholic schools in Singapore...

  • Holy Innocents' Primary School
    Holy Innocents' Primary School
    Holy Innocents' Primary School is a catholic school located in Lorong Low Koon, Hougang, Singapore. It was the primary school section of Holy Innocents' High School, which was established in 1892...

  • Magdalene's Kindergarten
  • Maris Stella Kindergarten
  • Maris Stella High School
    Maris Stella High School
    Maris Stella High School is an autonomous, SAP, Government-aided, all-boys Catholic secondary and primary school run by the international Marist Brothers at Mount Vernon Road in Singapore. It was headed by Bro. Anthony Tan from 1984 to 2009. Mr Joseph Lim Choon Kiat, the former Vice Principal,...

  • Marymount Convent School
  • Montfort Junior School
  • Montfort Secondary School
    Montfort Secondary School
    Montfort Secondary School is a Catholic school in Singapore, founded in 1916. Originally named Holy Innocents' English School, it was renamed to its current one in 1959 in honour of the Founder of the Gabrielite Brothers, St Louis Marie Grignion De Montfort...

  • Nazareth Centre Kindergarten
  • St Anthony's Canossian Primary School
  • St Anthony's Canossian Secondary School
  • St Anthony's Primary School
  • St Gabriel's Primary School
  • St Gabriel's Secondary School
  • Saint Joseph's Institution (International)
  • Saint Joseph's Institution
  • Saint Joseph's Institution Junior
    Saint Joseph's Institution Junior
    Saint Joseph's Institution Junior is a Catholic primary school for male students in Singapore. Prior to 2007, the school was known as St Michael's School.-History:...

  • Saint Patrick's School

External links

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