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This presentation by Mr Robin Weber, PhD Candidate and Psychological Researcher at James Cook University (Singapore Campus) examines the place of spirituality among non-religious Singaporeans, drawing on doctoral research exploring how spirituality is understood and practised in an increasingly secular society.
Speaking to a crowded room of 50 at Stranger Conversations (at 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrance), Robin first defined spirituality as “the personal quest for understanding answers to ultimate questions about life,” distinguishing it from organised religion. He describes the growing global interest in nonreligion, noting that although research has expanded rapidly over the past two decades, most studies remain concentrated in Western countries, with relatively little work conducted in the Asia-Pacific region.
Globally, almost one-quarter of the world’s population has no religious affiliation, with most living in Asia-Pacific. Robin says Singapore presents an interesting case because, despite increasing religious disaffiliation, spirituality remains common among the non-religious. Compared with Europe, a much larger proportion of Singapore’s non-religious population identifies as “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR) and holds beliefs in karma, souls, higher powers, or unseen beings. This suggests that spirituality continues to play an important role even within a secular society.
Photo below: Robin speaking to a large crowd.
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The presentation then outlines the speaker’s qualitative study involving 30 participants living in Singapore, interviewed in 2025. Participants represented diverse ages, occupations, educational backgrounds, ethnicities, and religious histories, including lifelong non-believers and former followers of various religions.
The analysis identified six major themes of spirituality:
- Connection with oneself, others, nature, and the wider world.
- Belief in realities beyond the physical world, including higher powers, cosmic principles, and the afterlife.
- Personalised spiritual practices that promote calmness, mindfulness, and inner peace.
- Linking personal wellbeing with helping others, where spirituality encourages compassion and prosocial behaviour.
- Searching for meaning and purpose, with guidance drawn primarily from personal experience rather than religious institutions.
- Freedom to choose one’s own path, emphasising autonomy, rationality, and individual agency.
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An overarching finding is that identity underpins all six themes. Spirituality appears to be an important source of identity for many non-religious Singaporeans, raising questions about how Singapore’s secular landscape shapes spiritual development and whether dedicated communities or spaces are needed.
The presentation concludes by outlining future quantitative studies to validate measures of spirituality in Singapore and examine how spirituality, connectedness, and prosocial behaviour are related.
It was highly interesting presentation by Robin and there was lively discussion among many participants that night.
