Rowman & Littlefield Publishers The Hong Kong Protests and Political Theology (Religion in the Modern World)

The Hong Kong protests that began in the second half of 2019 captured the world's attention as demonstrations against an extradition bill grew into a larger civil liberties movement. While protests began as peaceful demonstrations, the disproportionate police force with which the government responded escalated the situation to an international crisis. Kwok Pui-lan and Francis Ching-wah Yip bring together an international cohort to discuss the relation between Christianity and Communism and the neoliberal economy, as well as civil disobedience, religion and social movements, and the roles of the churches in social conflict. This interdisciplinary volume showcases theological reflections by many scholars and activists in Hong Kong. Review This book represents public theology at its best. It dispels once and for all the myth that theology is an academic exercise done in an ivory tower, and it invites theologians to defend democracy and the freedom of speech.--Peter C. Phan, Georgetown University A fine example of contextual theology in Asia 2.0 enhanced by postcolonial thinking. A must-read for everybody interested in political theology in intercultural perspective.--Volker Küster, author of The Many Faces of Jesus Christ, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz Political theology is always a living theology attached to particular life experiences. This volume has contributed to a vital political theology developed from the struggles of all types of people in Hong Kong through their life and death witness. It's challenging and full of inspiration.--Huang Po Ho, (Rev. Dr.), director, Academy for Contextual Theologies in Taiwan, moderator, Asian Forum for Theological Movement, Chang Jung Christian University, Taiwan Two distinguished theologians, Kwok Pui-Lan and Francis Ching-wah Yip, give due tribute to the resilience of Hongkongers and the endurance yet precarity of their protests. In collaboration with home and international interlocutors, The Hong Kong Protests and Political Theology is activism in print, in the proud tradition of liberation theologies.--Sharon A. Bong, Monash University Malaysia About the Author KWOK Pui-lan is Dean’s Professor of Systematic Theology at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. She is a past president of the American Academy of Religion. An internationally known theologian, she is author and editor of many books, including Postcolonial Imagination and Feminist Theology and Occupy Religion: Theology of the Multitude (with Joerg Rieger). Her most recent edited volume is Asian and Asian American Women in Theology and Religion. Francis Ching-wah YIP is associate professor and director of the Divinity School of Chung Chi College at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He received his doctorate from Harvard University. His research interests include the theology and social thought of Paul Tillich, Hong Kong Christianity, and Chinese Protestant theology and practices. His publications include Capitalism as Religion? A Study of Paul Tillich’s Interpretation of Modernity and Chinese Theology in State-church Context: A Preliminary Study (in Chinese).