However, the Alliance welcomes assurances to uphold families as the building blocks of societies 

Singapore, 21 August 2022 – The Alliance of Pentecostal & Charismatic Churches of Singapore (APCCS), representing over 80 local churches, today expressed disappointment with the government’s decision to repeal Section 377A, while welcoming the move to amend the Constitution to protect the definition of marriage. 

The decision to remove a moral marker as weighty as S377A signals a rewriting of acceptable sexual relationships, and celebrates homosexuality as being characteristic of a mainstream social environment.

At the same time, APCCS welcomes Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s assurances that the government will continue to uphold families as the basic building blocks of society, and keep its policies on family and marriage unchanged in an effort to maintain prevailing norms and social values of society.

“The repeal is an extremely regrettable decision which will have a profound impact on the culture that our children and future generations of Singapore will live in. However, we also recognise that the government seeks to bring about a balance among many differing viewpoints on this matter,” said Rev Yang Tuck Yoong, Chairman of APCCS.

Following the decision to repeal S377A, the Alliance reiterates its call for the government to consider carefully the extensive downstream impact the repeal brings upon policies touching on marriage, families, education, housing and more. 

“In particular, we strongly urge the government to entrench the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman in the Singapore Constitution. That would be the most prudent way forward,” Rev Yang continued.

It also reiterates that should the matter be put to a parliamentary vote, the party whip should be lifted as part of due democratic process in multi-religious Singapore, so that MPs will be able to represent the voice of all people, including the religious, and vote according to the feedback they have received from the ground.

The repeal of S377A contributes yet another layer of moral complexity to an already sexualised world – a world that prematurely exposes young children to ideas which require higher levels of physical and emotional maturity to handle.

Against this backdrop, the Alliance expects that its pastors may have to care for an increasing number of people who seek help in understanding and dealing with same-sex attraction within their churches. In this area, the Alliance will continue to tap on available resources to equip member pastors to minister compassionately.

On a wider perspective, APCCS continues to equip member pastors to effectively care for people, not just in matters of sexuality but in other areas such as marriage, family, mental and emotion wellbeing, and spiritual life.

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