Christianity in Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Christianity has been in Hong Kong since 1841. Of about 670,000 Christian
s in Hong Kong
, most of them are Protestants and Roman Catholics.
The Roman Catholic Church
in Hong Kong
was established as a Mission Prefecture in 1841 and as an Apostolic Vicariate
in 1874. It became a diocese
in 1946.
About 353 000 Hongkongers (or Hongkongese) are Catholic
s. They are served by 309 priest
s, 60 brothers and 519 sister
s. There are 52 parish
es, comprising 40 churches, 30 chapel
s and 28 hall
s for religious service. Services are conducted in Cantonese
, with three-fifths of the parishes providing services in English
and in Tagalog
in some cases.
The diocese has established its own administrative structure while maintaining close links with the Pope
and other Catholic communities around the world. It has the same creed
, Scripture, liturgy
and organisation as the other culture communities world wide. The assistant secretary-general of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference has his office in Hong Kong.
Along with its apostolic work, one of the prime concerns of the diocese has been for the well-being of all the Hongkongers. To reach people through the media, the diocese publishes two weekly newspapers, Kung Kao Po
and The Sunday Examiner
. In addition, the Diocesan Audio-Visual Centre produces tapes and films for use in schools and parishes and, overall, the Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office acts as an information and public relations channel for the diocese.
s. Major denominations are Anglican
s, Baptists, Lutherans, Adventist
s, Christian and Missionary Alliance
, Church of Christ in China
, Methodist, Pentecostal and Salvation Army
. With their emphasis on youth work, many congregations have a high proportion of young people
.
Two weekly newspapers are published, The Christian Weekly and The Christian Times. Two ecumenical bodies facilitate co-operative work among the Protestant churches in Hong Kong. The older one, dating from 1915, is the Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union. The second co-operative body is the Hong Kong Christian Council, formed in 1954. Major mainline denominations and ecumenical services constitute the membership core of the council, which is committed to building closer relationships among all churches in Hong Kong as well as with churches overseas, and to stimulating local Christians to play an active part in the development of Hong Kong society. The Chairman of the Council, the Rt Revd Thomas Soo
, represents the Protestant community in the six religions' meetings.
in Hong Kong. It was set up in November 1996 by the decision of the Holy Great Synod of Constantinople. It is now under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has more than 23,000 practitioners in Hong Kong divided into 36 congregations, doubling the number of members from 10 years earlier. The LDS Church first sent missionaries
to Hong Kong in 1853 but did not establish a headquarters
until 1949. In 1996 the Church completed the Hong Kong China Temple
in Kowloon
. In 2005, the Church dedicated the Church Administration Building Hong Kong on Gloucester Road
in Wan Chai
.
The geographical administrative area for the China Hong Kong Mission includes all of China
. There are missionaries in Macau
but as of 2007, there are no LDS Missionaries preaching within mainland China
, although there are some service Missionaries.
community, Caritas
is the official social welfare arm of the Church in Hong Kong. These services are open to all people. Indeed, 95 per cent of those who have benefited from the wide range of services provided by the diocese are not Catholics. "The Catholic French Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres" was one of the first orphanage and elderly home was established in 1848.
In protestant communities, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui has been responsive to social needs, by providing a wide array of social services, aiming at achieving a fair, just and loving society. At present, many social service organizations and social service models in Hong Kong were those initiated and promoted by the Church. Services provided by the Church are multi-faceted, including services for family and child-care, children and youth, the elderly, rehabilitation service, community development service and other supportive services. There are more than 230 units providing social service run by Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui at present.
. The changes would come with the arrival of the British colonialization in 1841. At first Hong Kong's education came from Protestant and Catholic
missionaries who provided social services. Italian missionaries began to provide boy-only education
to British and Chinese youth in 1843.
in 1887; it was formed under Frederick Lugard
, the Governor of Hong Kong
and established by London Missionary Society
, A Christian-based missionary, at the time. The nucleus of the school would later create the foundation for the new and renamed Hong Kong University in 1910..
There are three post-secondary institutions (The Chung Chi College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
, Hong Kong Baptist University
and Lingnan University
) run by the Protestant community in Hong Kong. In addition, they operate 16 theological seminaries and Bible institutes, 16 Christian publishing houses and 57 Christian bookshops. Caritas Francis Hsu College
is a self-financing degree-granting institution, which was established by Caritas Hong Kong.
to assist in this area. The Protestant churches run 144 secondary schools, 192 primary schools, 273 kindergartens and 116 nurseries in which 33 secondary schools and more than 50 primary schools are established by the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui. It is notable that many schools run by the Church has been getting outstanding results in Public Examinations, such as Diocesan Boys' School
, Diocesan Girls' School
and St. Paul's Co-educational College
.
(co-managed with Hospital Authority
), Hong Kong Baptist Hospital
(private hospital), United Christian Hospital
(co-managed with Hospital Authority
), Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
(co-managed with Hospital Authority
), Evangel Hospital
(private hospital), Haven of Hope Hospital (co-managed with Hospital Authority
).
Some of these hospitals have served Hong Kong for a long period of time. Tsan Yuk Hospital
was set up by London Missionary Society
in 1922 and become a government hospital in 1934.Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
and Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital
are other Christian-based hospitals.
Six hospitals are managed by Catholic community in Hong Kong.
Three hospitials in Hong Kong are managed by Caritas-Hong Kong
, a Catholic based carity organization; they are Caritas Medical Centre
, Canossa Hospital
and Precious Blood Hospital
. St Paul's Hospital
and St Teresa's Hospital
are managed by the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres Order, another Catholic based organization. Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital
is founded in 1961 by the Maryknoll Sisters
.
the Establishment of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
Before the establishment of the Hospital, there were only 3 government clinics but no hospitals in the Eastern District, a district with population of 440 thousand in 1980s. The injuries of the Eastern District shared 40% of the death of the Hong Kong Island's injuries who was reaching the hospitals by ambulance, according to a report by a Christian-based charity organization. In August 1982, several churches in the District form an organization to force the then Colonial Government to establish a hospital, leading to the establishment of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital. The organization also urged the Government to improve the medical service provided in the District.
In early 2000s, Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China (the owner of Ho Fuk Tong Centre) submitted an application of a redevelopment scheme for the centre, proposing a demolition of all the historical buildings on the site, to the Buildings Department. The two adjoining schools, namely, But San School and Hoh Fuk Tong College, were also proposed to be demolished in the redevelopment scheme.
To protect the historic building from demolition, Morrison House was declared as proposed Monument on 11 April 2003; it was later declared as monument on 26 March 2004.
Kom Tong Hall
In 1960, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the building. The Church used the Hall for worship services and other local Church activities as well as for administration of its Asia-area humanitarian, building and other programs. As a result of Church growth, locally and throughout Asia over the last four decades, the Church’s headquarters were moved out of Kom Tong Hall and into a much larger new 14-story building in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
The Church no longer had need for the building and was looking to sell the property. It soon became apparent that a vacant lot would yield a far higher amount than if the property were sold intact, and the Church considered demolishing the building. In October 2002, the Church actually submitted an application for a demolition permit to the Building Authority. However, after hearing concerns raised by friends in the community, and a series of negotiations with the Hong Kong Government, Church officials reached a consensus in selling the property intact and preserving the building.
school-based management (SBM) governance framework to all aided schools in the city, was introduced in November 2002 and passed in July 2004..
The Hong Kong Catholic Diocese, as one of the major schools sponsoring bodies, worried that the Diocese may not run schools according to its vision and mission as representatives of parents, teachers and principals are allowed to sit in the School Management Committee (SMC), causing the politicized atmosphere in SMC. Bishop Zen published his articles to express his opinions on the Bill. According to an article, he had previously said that "we will reconsider our commitment to education" if the Bill had been passed, leading to the worries of the parents and teachers;later he clarified that it didn't mean that the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese would stop running the Catholic school after the Bill had been passed.
University Grant Committee statistics, as of school year 2010/2011, there are about one quarter (24.3%) of Universities student are Christian, including 21.4% are Protestant Christian and 2.9% are Catholic Christian. Compared with the general public (10% are Christian), university students are 2.5 times more likely to be a Christian than the general public.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, most of them are Protestants and Roman Catholics.
Catholicism
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
was established as a Mission Prefecture in 1841 and as an Apostolic Vicariate
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
in 1874. It became a diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
in 1946.
About 353 000 Hongkongers (or Hongkongese) are Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s. They are served by 309 priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s, 60 brothers and 519 sister
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s. There are 52 parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es, comprising 40 churches, 30 chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s and 28 hall
Hall
In architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...
s for religious service. Services are conducted in Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
, with three-fifths of the parishes providing services in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and in Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
in some cases.
The diocese has established its own administrative structure while maintaining close links with the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and other Catholic communities around the world. It has the same creed
Creed
A creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...
, Scripture, liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
and organisation as the other culture communities world wide. The assistant secretary-general of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference has his office in Hong Kong.
Along with its apostolic work, one of the prime concerns of the diocese has been for the well-being of all the Hongkongers. To reach people through the media, the diocese publishes two weekly newspapers, Kung Kao Po
Kung Kao Po
Kung Kao Po — literally “Catholic newspaper” — is a Chinese language newspaper in Hong Kong. Launched on August 1, 1928, it is owned and published by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong....
and The Sunday Examiner
The Sunday Examiner
The Sunday Examiner is a newspaper owned by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. The newspaper is published weekly and is available every Sunday at the Catholic churches in Hong Kong...
. In addition, the Diocesan Audio-Visual Centre produces tapes and films for use in schools and parishes and, overall, the Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office acts as an information and public relations channel for the diocese.
Protestanism
The presence of the Protestant community dates back to 1841. About 300,000 Protestant Christians live in Hong Kong. The Protestant Church is made up of over 1,300 congregations in more than 50 denominationChristian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
s. Major denominations are Anglican
Sheng Kung Hui
The Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui , also known as the Hong Kong Anglican Church , is the Anglican Church in Hong Kong and Macau. It is the 38th Province of the Anglican Communion...
s, Baptists, Lutherans, Adventist
Adventist
Adventism is a Christian movement which began in the 19th century, in the context of the Second Great Awakening revival in the United States. The name refers to belief in the imminent Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It was started by William Miller, whose followers became known as Millerites...
s, Christian and Missionary Alliance
Christian and Missionary Alliance
The Christian and Missionary Alliance is an evangelical Protestant denomination within Christianity.Founded by Rev. Albert Benjamin Simpson in 1887, the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not start off as a denomination, but rather began as two distinct parachurch organizations: The Christian...
, Church of Christ in China
Church of Christ in China
The Church of Christ in China was the largest Protestant organization in Nanjing. The church's history goes back to 1922, when several Protestant denominations in China decided to unite...
, Methodist, Pentecostal and Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
. With their emphasis on youth work, many congregations have a high proportion of young people
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
.
Two weekly newspapers are published, The Christian Weekly and The Christian Times. Two ecumenical bodies facilitate co-operative work among the Protestant churches in Hong Kong. The older one, dating from 1915, is the Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union. The second co-operative body is the Hong Kong Christian Council, formed in 1954. Major mainline denominations and ecumenical services constitute the membership core of the council, which is committed to building closer relationships among all churches in Hong Kong as well as with churches overseas, and to stimulating local Christians to play an active part in the development of Hong Kong society. The Chairman of the Council, the Rt Revd Thomas Soo
Soo Yee Po
Thomas Soo Yee-Po, JP is the current Bishop of the Diocese of Western Kowloon in the Hong Kong Anglican Church. He was the chairman of the Hong Kong Christian Council until 2010....
, represents the Protestant community in the six religions' meetings.
Eastern Orthodoxy
Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia is the only church of Eastern ChristianityEastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
in Hong Kong. It was set up in November 1996 by the decision of the Holy Great Synod of Constantinople. It is now under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople , part of the wider Orthodox Church, is one of the fourteen autocephalous churches within the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
.
Mormonism
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has more than 23,000 practitioners in Hong Kong divided into 36 congregations, doubling the number of members from 10 years earlier. The LDS Church first sent missionaries
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to Hong Kong in 1853 but did not establish a headquarters
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
until 1949. In 1996 the Church completed the Hong Kong China Temple
Hong Kong China Temple
The Hong Kong China Temple is the 48th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....
in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
. In 2005, the Church dedicated the Church Administration Building Hong Kong on Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
Gloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
in Wan Chai
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
.
The geographical administrative area for the China Hong Kong Mission includes all of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. There are missionaries in Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
but as of 2007, there are no LDS Missionaries preaching within mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, although there are some service Missionaries.
Welfare and social services
In the CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
community, Caritas
Caritas Hong Kong
Caritas Hong Kong is a charitable organisation of Caritas founded by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong in July 1953. It started with relief and rehabilitation services to the poor and the distressed after the Second World War. It nowaday expands to involve social service, education service,...
is the official social welfare arm of the Church in Hong Kong. These services are open to all people. Indeed, 95 per cent of those who have benefited from the wide range of services provided by the diocese are not Catholics. "The Catholic French Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres" was one of the first orphanage and elderly home was established in 1848.
In protestant communities, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui has been responsive to social needs, by providing a wide array of social services, aiming at achieving a fair, just and loving society. At present, many social service organizations and social service models in Hong Kong were those initiated and promoted by the Church. Services provided by the Church are multi-faceted, including services for family and child-care, children and youth, the elderly, rehabilitation service, community development service and other supportive services. There are more than 230 units providing social service run by Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui at present.
Education
Prior to 1841, the territory we know today as Hong Kong was an extension of Imperial China for many centuriesCentury
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...
. The changes would come with the arrival of the British colonialization in 1841. At first Hong Kong's education came from Protestant and Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
missionaries who provided social services. Italian missionaries began to provide boy-only education
Single-sex education
Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools. The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century, particularly in secondary education and...
to British and Chinese youth in 1843.
Post-secondary institutions
The first school to open western medical practice to the Far East was the Hong Kong College of Medicine for ChineseHong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese
The Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese was the first college in Hong Kong to fully adopt and accept Western medical science practices...
in 1887; it was formed under Frederick Lugard
Frederick Lugard
Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard GCMG, CB, DSO, PC , known as Sir Frederick Lugard between 1901 and 1928, was a British soldier, mercenary, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator, who was Governor of Hong Kong and Governor-General of Nigeria .-Early life and education:Lugard...
, the Governor of Hong Kong
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
and established by London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
, A Christian-based missionary, at the time. The nucleus of the school would later create the foundation for the new and renamed Hong Kong University in 1910..
There are three post-secondary institutions (The Chung Chi College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a research-led university in Hong Kong.CUHK is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao...
, Hong Kong Baptist University
Hong Kong Baptist University
Hong Kong Baptist University is a publicly-funded tertiary institution with a Christian education heritage. It is the sole surviving institution of 13 major Christian universities that once operated on the Chinese mainland,...
and Lingnan University
Lingnan University
Lingnan University can refer to two separate establishments:*Lingnan University - a university in Hong Kong*Lingnan University - a university in Guangzhou, Guangdong province in China...
) run by the Protestant community in Hong Kong. In addition, they operate 16 theological seminaries and Bible institutes, 16 Christian publishing houses and 57 Christian bookshops. Caritas Francis Hsu College
Caritas Francis Hsu College
Caritas Institute of Higher Education is an Approved Post Secondary College in Hong Kong, located at Caine Road, Hong Kong Island and Tseung Kwan O, New Territories respectively. The Institute is able to award Bachelor degree or below...
is a self-financing degree-granting institution, which was established by Caritas Hong Kong.
Kindergarten, primary and secondary schools
In education, there are 320 Catholic schools and kindergartens which have about 286,000 pupils. There is the Catholic Board of EducationCatholic Board of Education
The Catholic Board of Education is the arm of the Roman Catholic Church in Pakistan responsible for education. Each diocese has its own board. Collectively the Catholic Church runs 534 schools, 8 colleges, and 7 technical institutes in its 2 archdioceses, 4 dioceses, and one Apostolic...
to assist in this area. The Protestant churches run 144 secondary schools, 192 primary schools, 273 kindergartens and 116 nurseries in which 33 secondary schools and more than 50 primary schools are established by the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui. It is notable that many schools run by the Church has been getting outstanding results in Public Examinations, such as Diocesan Boys' School
Diocesan Boys' School
Diocesan Boys' School is a boys' school located at 131 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1869, making it one of the oldest secondary schools in Hong Kong....
, Diocesan Girls' School
Diocesan Girls' School
Diocesan Girls' School, founded in 1860, is one of the oldest Anglican girls' schools in Hong Kong. DGS is located at 1 Jordan Road in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is administered under the Grant Code and uses English as the medium of instruction. It has always been ranked as the top secondary school in...
and St. Paul's Co-educational College
St. Paul's Co-educational College
St. Paul's Co-educational College , is located at 33 MacDonnell Road, Mid-levels, Hong Kong....
.
Medical services
The Protestant community in Hong Kong runs seven hospitals. The hospitals includes Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern HospitalPamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital is an acute care hospital in Hong Kong.The hospital opened in 1993 with 1829 beds and staff of over 3000. It replaced the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in Mid-Levels in Hong Kong Island and moved to Chai Wan...
(co-managed with Hospital Authority
Hospital Authority
The Hospital Authority is a statutory body managing all the public hospitals and institutes in Hong Kong. It is managed by the Hospital Authority Board and is under the monitor of the Secretary for Food and Health of the Hong Kong Government. Its chairman is Mr...
), Hong Kong Baptist Hospital
Hong Kong Baptist Hospital
Hong Kong Baptist Hospital is an 800-bed private hospital located in the Kowloon area of Hong Kong. Founded in 1963, it was the first private hospital in Hong Kong. It does not provide Accident & Emergency services....
(private hospital), United Christian Hospital
United Christian Hospital
United Christian Hospital is an acute care hospital in Kwun Tong of New Kowloon in Hong Kong, operated by the Hospital Authority. The hospital has 1,174 beds and staff of 3,000, serving East Kowloon in Hong Kong....
(co-managed with Hospital Authority
Hospital Authority
The Hospital Authority is a statutory body managing all the public hospitals and institutes in Hong Kong. It is managed by the Hospital Authority Board and is under the monitor of the Secretary for Food and Health of the Hong Kong Government. Its chairman is Mr...
), Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital is a hospital in Tai Po of the New Territories of Hong Kong.- History :The Alice Memorial Hospital was originally founded by missionaries in 1887. The hospital structure was built by a donation from Dr. Ho Kai in memory of this wife Alice. She died of typhoid...
(co-managed with Hospital Authority
Hospital Authority
The Hospital Authority is a statutory body managing all the public hospitals and institutes in Hong Kong. It is managed by the Hospital Authority Board and is under the monitor of the Secretary for Food and Health of the Hong Kong Government. Its chairman is Mr...
), Evangel Hospital
Evangel Hospital Hong Kong
Evangel Hospital in Hong Kong is a private hospital established in 1965. It was founded jointly by the Evangelical Free Church of America and the Evangelical Free Church of China.Evangel Hospital is particularly strong in the primary care field of medicine....
(private hospital), Haven of Hope Hospital (co-managed with Hospital Authority
Hospital Authority
The Hospital Authority is a statutory body managing all the public hospitals and institutes in Hong Kong. It is managed by the Hospital Authority Board and is under the monitor of the Secretary for Food and Health of the Hong Kong Government. Its chairman is Mr...
).
Some of these hospitals have served Hong Kong for a long period of time. Tsan Yuk Hospital
Tsan Yuk Hospital
Tsan Yuk Hospital , located on 30 Hospital Road, Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island, is a public hospital in Hong Kong specializing in obstetrics and gynaecology...
was set up by London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
in 1922 and become a government hospital in 1934.Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital is one of two Adventist Hospitals in Hong Kong, the other being Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital. It is a private sector hospital, and is located on Hong Kong Island...
and Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital
Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital
Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital is one of two Adventist Hospitals in Hong Kong, the other being Hong Kong Adventist Hospital.It is a private sector hospital, and is located in the New Territories...
are other Christian-based hospitals.
Six hospitals are managed by Catholic community in Hong Kong.
Three hospitials in Hong Kong are managed by Caritas-Hong Kong
Caritas Hong Kong
Caritas Hong Kong is a charitable organisation of Caritas founded by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong in July 1953. It started with relief and rehabilitation services to the poor and the distressed after the Second World War. It nowaday expands to involve social service, education service,...
, a Catholic based carity organization; they are Caritas Medical Centre
Caritas Medical Centre
Caritas Medical Centre is a hospital in Cheung Sha Wan, New Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is the major hospital in Sham Shui Po District and managed by the Hospital Authority and Caritas Hong Kong.-History:...
, Canossa Hospital
Canossa Hospital, Hong Kong
-Overview and history:Canossa Hospital was founded by the Canossian Daughters of Charity in 1929. The original building with 16 beds was destroyed during World War II. The present building was opened in 1960. It is an acute non-profit general hospital with 146 beds at mid-level.The management of...
and Precious Blood Hospital
Precious Blood Hospital
Precious Blood Hospital is a private hospital in Hong Kong, located at No. 113 Castle Peak Road in the Sham Shui Po area of West Kowloon. It is a Roman Catholic Christian hospital, run by the Caritas group, as is Canossa Hospital. Patients of all faith and backgrounds are cared for.-History:The...
. St Paul's Hospital
St. Paul's Hospital, Hong Kong
St. Paul's Hospital is a private hospital in Hong Kong.The hospital grew out of the caring activities undertaken by the Sisters of the Roman Catholic Christian order St...
and St Teresa's Hospital
St Teresa's Hospital, Hong Kong
St. Teresa's Hospital is a private hospital in Hong Kong.St Paul's Hospital had grown out of the caring activities undertaken by the Sisters of the Roman Catholic Christian order St...
are managed by the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres Order, another Catholic based organization. Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital
Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital
Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital is one of two hospitals in the Wong Tai Sin area in New Kowloon of Hong Kong.Founded in 1961 by the Maryknoll Sisters and became a public hospital in 1991....
is founded in 1961 by the Maryknoll Sisters
Maryknoll Sisters
The Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, or simply Maryknoll Sisters, are a group of Roman Catholic women religious founded in the Village of Ossining, Westchester County, New York, in 1912, six months after the 1911 creation of the Maryknoll community of missionary brothers and fathers...
.
the Establishment of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital is an acute care hospital in Hong Kong.The hospital opened in 1993 with 1829 beds and staff of over 3000. It replaced the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in Mid-Levels in Hong Kong Island and moved to Chai Wan...
Before the establishment of the Hospital, there were only 3 government clinics but no hospitals in the Eastern District, a district with population of 440 thousand in 1980s. The injuries of the Eastern District shared 40% of the death of the Hong Kong Island's injuries who was reaching the hospitals by ambulance, according to a report by a Christian-based charity organization. In August 1982, several churches in the District form an organization to force the then Colonial Government to establish a hospital, leading to the establishment of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital. The organization also urged the Government to improve the medical service provided in the District.
Preservation of heritage buildings
Hoh Fuk Tong CentreHoh Fuk Tong Centre
Hoh Fuk Tong Centre is located at 28 Castle Peak Road, San Hui, Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong. Morrison Building is a declared monument of Hong Kong.The Centre was named after Rev...
In early 2000s, Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China (the owner of Ho Fuk Tong Centre) submitted an application of a redevelopment scheme for the centre, proposing a demolition of all the historical buildings on the site, to the Buildings Department. The two adjoining schools, namely, But San School and Hoh Fuk Tong College, were also proposed to be demolished in the redevelopment scheme.
To protect the historic building from demolition, Morrison House was declared as proposed Monument on 11 April 2003; it was later declared as monument on 26 March 2004.
Kom Tong Hall
In 1960, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the building. The Church used the Hall for worship services and other local Church activities as well as for administration of its Asia-area humanitarian, building and other programs. As a result of Church growth, locally and throughout Asia over the last four decades, the Church’s headquarters were moved out of Kom Tong Hall and into a much larger new 14-story building in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
The Church no longer had need for the building and was looking to sell the property. It soon became apparent that a vacant lot would yield a far higher amount than if the property were sold intact, and the Church considered demolishing the building. In October 2002, the Church actually submitted an application for a demolition permit to the Building Authority. However, after hearing concerns raised by friends in the community, and a series of negotiations with the Hong Kong Government, Church officials reached a consensus in selling the property intact and preserving the building.
School-based management reform
The Education (Amendment) Bill 2002, which was to introduce theschool-based management (SBM) governance framework to all aided schools in the city, was introduced in November 2002 and passed in July 2004..
The Hong Kong Catholic Diocese, as one of the major schools sponsoring bodies, worried that the Diocese may not run schools according to its vision and mission as representatives of parents, teachers and principals are allowed to sit in the School Management Committee (SMC), causing the politicized atmosphere in SMC. Bishop Zen published his articles to express his opinions on the Bill. According to an article, he had previously said that "we will reconsider our commitment to education" if the Bill had been passed, leading to the worries of the parents and teachers;later he clarified that it didn't mean that the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese would stop running the Catholic school after the Bill had been passed.
Christianity among Hong Kong Universities students
According to the Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
University Grant Committee statistics, as of school year 2010/2011, there are about one quarter (24.3%) of Universities student are Christian, including 21.4% are Protestant Christian and 2.9% are Catholic Christian. Compared with the general public (10% are Christian), university students are 2.5 times more likely to be a Christian than the general public.
See also
- Religion in Hong KongReligion in Hong KongReligion in Hong Kong is part of the culture of Hong Kong. Religious freedom is one of the fundamental rights enjoyed by Hong Kong residents. It is protected by the Basic Law and relevant legislation. There is a large variety of religious groups in Hong Kong, including Buddhism, Taoism,...
- List of Christian Churches in Hong Kong (Chinese Wikipedia)