Hong Kong Christianities and Civic Life

Overview & Synopsis

This book explores Protestant Christianity in Hong Kong through an ethnographic study of Hong Kong Christians at a time of societal change (2013-2014 and 2019-2020). Revealing how selected published theologians and average lay Christians in Hong Kong understand ideas of democracy, human rights, civic identity, and civil disobedience, this book draws on the works of Hong Kong theologians, alongside the lay theologies of Hong Kong Christian interview participants and, by extension, those in the diaspora. It provides a critical examination of how pro-democracy and pro-establishment Christians understand and negotiate the relationship between national identity, democratic values, and Christian convictions. The book also explores the concept of the ‘third way’ for Hong Kong Christians, an alternative space than either pro-establishment or pro-democracy Christians, ultimately revealing that human rights and democracy concepts cannot be understood in the same way in Hong Kong as in Western contexts. This book will be a valuable resource to students and scholars of Hong Kong studies, World Christianity, theological ethics, and practical theology.