Page 185 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

Social Concerns Committee

The Church's Social Concerns at the Crossroads

Rev. Dr. Lo Lung-kwong

s
W hile the m ain purpose o f the H K C C has In the 9 0 ’, the situation has changed rapidly due to
historically been church unity and co-operation, the the approach of 1997. N early all social issues are
Council has also seen the need to take action if politicized and the influence o f the B eijing
necessary on social issues that affect the social, governm ent grow s stronger day by day. W hat
m oral and religious life o f the H ong K ong people. should be the role of the H ong K ong church in
W ith this objective, H K C C has been a leader am ong social concerns?
church organizations in addressing social issues.
Betw een 1986 and 1987, there w as a divergence in
s
T his w as especially true from the 5 0 ’ to th e 7 0 ’ thinking and philosophy betw een the C om m ission
s
w hen the H ong K ong churches in general w ere on Public Policy o f the Council and the E xecutive
under the influence o f a refugee m entality and Com m ittee. T he m em bers o f the C om m ission on
colonialism . W hile they w ere very conservative and Public Policy collectively resigned. T his w as
could not care less about social problem s, H K CC another turn ing point for the H K C C on social
had already been a voice speaking out on social concerns.
issues and pushing the church into action. D uring
the 6 0 5s there w as the creation of the H ong K ong Since then, the role o f the H ong K ong C hristian
C hristian Industrial C om m ittee and the united Council on social concerns has becom e blurred.
effort o f establishing the U nited C hristian H ospital H K CC not only shies aw ay from controversial
in K w un Tong. T hough not all the churches in social and political issues but also from som e o f the
H ong K ong identified w ith these efforts, there w as non-political and less controversial issues such as
no doubt that H K C C played the role o f pioneer in the V ietnam refugee situation. A proposal on the
social concerns. refugees w as put forw ard by the Social C oncerns
Com m ittee (a new com m ittee to replace the
D uring the 8 0 5s, the H ong K ong church w as C om m ission on Public Policy in the revised
aw akened to the role they had to play in social C onstitution of 1988) but w as stuck in the
issues. T he turn ing point cam e at the M ission Executive C om m ittee and finally vetoed.
C onsultation o f the 8 0 ’ held by H K CC. C hurch
s
people from different traditions and denom inations Since H ong K ong entered the 9 0 ' s, the society has
cam e together and identified tw o m ission priorities: been changing rapidly. H ong K ong and C hina are
(1) the influencing o f public policies and (2) the becom ing closer day by day. T he relationship
evangelization o f low er incom e people. D uring that betw een C hina and H ong K ong is becom ing m ore
tim e the bus fare issue cam e up and the H K C C w as sensitive and tense. In the past, H K CC has been a
s
driving force to prom ote the ch u rch ’ concern on
given the m andate to take action. T he protest
against a bus fare increase soon becam e a city-w ide social issues, som etim es even supporting the setting
m ovem ent. T his not only united the H ong K ong up of pressure groups and helping prom ote the
churches in social concerns efforts, but also pushed developm ent of dem ocracy in H ong K ong.
them into entering into an alliance w ith trade
unions, university students unions and com m unity Today, how can w e continue our cause in the area
organizations. B ecause o f the ch u rch ’ of social concern? W hat is the role o f H K C C ?
s
involvem ent, it created an opportunity for W hat is our agenda on social concerns? W hat kind
C hristians and non-C hristians to w ork together and of relationship should w e have in relation to
break dow n the barriers o f m utual isolation. political parties and pressure groups? W ill we

181