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needy various types of social service such as General Assembly and therefore it was
education, medicine, social welfare etc. null and void. In the case of the latter, on
Recently, new Christian concern groups have the one hand, neither the international
emerged, playing an even more active role in headquarters of the Seventh Day Adven
social concern. For instance, they have studied tists, nor any of its regional members, have
public policies closely, and voiced their joined the World Council of Churches or
criticisms and worked together with other civic similar ecumenical organizations as of
groups on a number of occasions, for the ficial members. On the other hand, they
benefit of Hong Kong. Their efforts have met declared that there was a widening gulf
with the attention and resentment of those in between them and the Council in the
power, to the extent that some people even understanding of Biblical principles and
raised the theory of "separation of Church and theological positions, so much so that they
State . But, the Church's concern for social could not support some of the public
affairs grows purely out of its concern for all the statements, political involvement, and
people in the community. Since Old Testament religious and social actions of the Coun
times, the Church has existed not as a political cil. I personally regret the withdrawal of
party, and therefore it will not psoe a threat as these two member churches, and sincere
such to any government. However, the Church ly hope that in the future we will improve
is a body and, like other social bodies, is our communication and mutual
entitled to the right to participate in politics. As understanding with our members.
for the question of whether the Church will
exercise this right, it is entirely up to the Church iii) Thirty three years have passed since the
to decide for herself. The government should founding of the Council, during which
not decide for the Church. time the political and social conditions in
Hong Kong have undergone enormous
changes. The Council has always felt the
need to review the direction of its mission
3. The Role of the Council
and its priorities, particularly in view of the
The Council has experienced great changes changes to be brought about by the 1997
in many respects during the past year. issue. On 25th February 1987 the
i) Due to the lack of resources, the Council Executive Committee held a two and a
decided to suspend long term direct half hour discussion on the future role and
services as far as possible and concen direction of the Council. Two diametrically
trate on pioneering work in the realm of opposed views were brought up in the
theological reflection. As a result, the meeting:
Communications Centre, which had been
under the direct control of the Council, a) The Council is the Servant to all its
members. Its agenda should therefore be
was transferred to Hong Kong Christian
Service on 1st April 1987. set by its members. The community of
Hong Kong is becoming increasingly
politicized and it would be difficult for
ii) The Pentecostal Holiness Church and the
members of the Council to reach con
Hong Kong-Macau Conference of
Seventh Day Adventists decided to sensus over some sensitive political
withdraw their membership. The former's questions. Consequently, the Council
withdrawal was due to the fact that its should keep away from these areas.
decision to join the Council in 1982 had
b) The Council is entrusted by all its
never been formally approved by its members with the task of caring for our
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