Since 2014’s short-lived Umbrella Movement, young people have left Hong Kong churches in droves—many out of frustration that political talk is absent. To try to reach that youth demographic, Flow Church ensures that sermons and prayers tackle tough issues. Its pastor, John Chan, once compared Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, to the unjust judge in Jesus’ parable. When protests recently disrupted transportation near the church, worship services were moved to a Facebook livestream.
Mainland media have criticized Hong Kong churches for harboring “violent rioters.” At some congregations, strangers have shown up to take photos of protesters seeking shelter there. Such intimidation led the Catholic Diocese to decide that its 40 churches could no longer help demonstrators that way.
The Baptist Convention, which has 80,000 members in Hong Kong, called the extradition bill “evil” and has held forums about church-state relations. Its president, the Rev. Lo Hing Choi, joined two other Protestant-group leaders earlier this fall to meet with Lam. One goal, Lo says, has been to understand the protesters rather than rushing to condemn them. A willingness to listen “does not mean we are encouraging them to use violence,” he adds.
Other Christian pastors in Hong Kong strive for reconciliation through small groups and listening sessions. The Rev. Timothy Au, a theology professor, tries to nurture relationships between protesters and police. “If you’re not Christian,” he says, “this rift would be even more difficult to bridge because—with such different political views—it’s impossible. But Christians never got together because of politics. We get together because of our faith, because of Christ—so it’s not right to separate due to different political viewpoints.”
In the groups he leads, Au encourages participants to listen to one another before revealing their identities. Fellow pastors have borrowed that technique, resulting in gradual headway toward unity. “Every beginning is a small beginning,” Au says.
