Singapore, 11 June 2026 – The Alliance of Pentecostal & Charismatic Churches of Singapore (APCCS)

The Alliance of Pentecostal & Charismatic Churches of Singapore (APCCS), notes the decision by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to allow the staging of Jesus Christ Superstar with an Advisory 16 rating.

The Alliance shares the concern, alongside the National Council of Churches of Singapore, and LoveSingapore, that the production presents Jesus Christ in a manner many Christians regard as inaccurate, irreverent, and diminishing. For Christians, Jesus Christ is not a mere historical figure but the central and divine person in the faith. Creative licence may have a place in the arts, but where sacred religious figures are concerned, such licence must be exercised with restraint and contextual sensitivity.

Careful handling of sacred matters

Singapore’s social compact rests on mutual respect among communities that do not share the same religious beliefs, and this requires more than legal permission or audience advisories. It requires an ethic of care in how sacred matters are handled in public life.

The same standards of care, respect, and caution applied to the sacred figures and symbols of other faiths should be extended equally to the Christian faith. If public depictions of the central figures of other religions would be treated with great caution, the same principle should apply to depictions of Jesus Christ.

Rev Yang Tuck Yoong, Chairman of APCCS, said, “Singapore cannot import wholesale the more permissive cultural assumptions of some Western societies, where religious figures are often treated as ordinary material for artistic provocation, satire, or commercial reinterpretation.”

He continued, “Singapore is a small, multi-religious society, and our public norms must reflect the care required to preserve trust among communities. Artistic expression has an important place in our society, but it should not come at the expense of religious respect and social cohesion.”

Proactive and timely engagement

Moving forward, APCCS calls on its member churches to respond with restraint and wisdom. The Alliance does not seek to aggravate tensions, but to contribute constructively to the preservation of Singapore’s hard-earned religious harmony.

At the same time, APCCS welcomes early engagement with the relevant authorities on future decisions involving sacred religious subjects. Such consultation is a necessary safeguard in a society where religious harmony depends on trust and mutual respect.

APCCS remains committed to working with the government authorities and fellow faith communities to uphold a shared public space marked by fairness, prudence, and equal respect for all.

Ends