2 - Singapore’s Confucian Society in Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue

Presentation Abstract
Interreligious dialogue is recognized worldwide as a significant form of exchange in culturally diverse societies in order to build trust across communities. In Singapore, while 40 per cent of the population fall under the classification of Buddhism and Taoism in religious affiliation, such identities also overlap with Chinese communities organised around clan associations and temples, with norms and rituals founded on virtues of Confucian ethics. Though Confucian ethics as taught under the school subject of Religious Knowledge in the 1980s have proved to be a short-lived experiment for the state in Singapore, therein lies its relevance at a community level. Given the precedence in past efforts of the Chinese community engaging in dialogue between Confucian and other religious perspectives, this paper will further explore the potential in intercultural dialogue adopting broader interpretations of Confucianism for promotion of social harmony.