Faith in flux: How young people in a Singaporean Pentecostal megachurch are reconstructing Christian identity in a digital world

Abstract

French

This study examines how digitalization shapes religious beliefs, practices, and identity formation of young people within the context of a Pentecostal megachurch in Singapore (‘SG Church’). Employing ethnographic methods, it investigates how young individuals engage with digital platforms and social media in their religious lives. Findings reveal that digital technologies mediate religious experience, broaden access to resources, reshape beliefs, and transform practices like prayer and evangelism. The study highlights the rise of hyper-autonomous and additive Christian identities, where individuals actively construct their religious selves by integrating online and offline sources. Framed within liquid modernity, it underscores the enduring role of community and discernment in navigating the digital religious landscape. This research contributes to Southeast Asian digital religion scholarship by illuminating the interplay of technology, faith, and identity among Singaporean Christian youth.

Keywords

additive Christianity (syncretism)digital religion liquid modernity Pentecostalism religious identity formation youth and Christianity

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