Home as a Space of Worship

Worshipping at home is an important expression of religious adherence. The practice of home worship is not only a private endeavour but also a socially significant undertaking that defines an individual's relationship with his/her community and the space that he/she lives in. The home and the f...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kong, Lily, Nair, S.
Format: text
Language:English
Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/1783
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Institution: Singapore Management University
Language: English
Description
Summary:Worshipping at home is an important expression of religious adherence. The practice of home worship is not only a private endeavour but also a socially significant undertaking that defines an individual's relationship with his/her community and the space that he/she lives in. The home and the family is a space for the cultural practice and reproduction of religious beliefs. This article elaborates on some of the sociocultural issues surrounding home worship: the various reasons for home worship; the various ways in which worship at home is carried out; the rituals undertaken to sanctify the home and the processes that demarcate sacred spaces in the domestic sphere; the material dimensions of home worship, such as the transference of religious inspiration onto the physical structures of dwelling places and the belief in and adherence to sacred geometry; and the significance of home worship in asserting one's religious identity both individually and communally.