ENG-2012 — Page 381

Christianity

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Religion and Custom

The Christian community comprising mainly Protestants and Roman Catholics - numbers about 843,000 followers. In addition to Protestants and Roman Catholics, the Greek, Russian and Coptic Orthodox Church all have their presence in Hong Kong.

Protestant Community

The Protestant movement in Hong Kong began in 1841 and has a current registered membership of about 480,000 followers. The Protestant community is composed of more than 70 denominations with at least 1,450 congregations. Most of the major internationa! denominations and former mission agencies have ecclesial branches in Hong Kong, such as the Adventist, Anglican, Baptist, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Evangelical Free, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, and Salvation Army. There are also many indigenous denominations such as The Church of Christ in China (representing Presbyterian and Congregational traditions), the True Jesus Church and the Local Church (commonly known as the Little Flock) in Hong Kong.

The Protestant community runs three post-secondary institutions: the Chung Chi College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University and Lingnan University. It also runs more than 630 schools (260 kindergartens, 199 primary schools and 180 secondary schools) and 127 nurseries. In addition, it operates more than 35 theological schools, 81 Christian publishing houses and 114 Christian bookstores. There are 53 media, audio-visual production and art groups, including two Christian weekly newspapers, the Christian Times and Christian Weekly, which present news and comments from a Christian perspective, Christian media agencies which broadcast Christian TV programmes regularly and four weekly Christian radio programmes on Radio Television Hong Kong.

More than 725 para-church agencies and different Christian action groups attend to the needs of the Protestant community, respond to issues that affect Hong Kong society and support emergency relief and development projects in the mainland of China and developing countries. There are currently at least 440 missionaries from Hong Kong serving overseas.

The Protestant community runs seven hospitals and 17 clinics. A total of 107 multi-social centres provide a wide range of services at more than 100 community (family/youth) service centres, 11 children's homes, 169 elderly services centres and nursing homes, and 59 rehabilitation centres for mentally handicapped, disabled and drug addicts. There are at least 50 hospital chaplaincies, one airport chaplaincy and three prison chaplaincies, and also 23 campsites. The Chinese Young Men's Christian Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association together manage five international hotel-style guesthouses.

Two ecumenical bodies, the Hong Kong Christian Council and the Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union, facilitate co-operative work among the Protestant churches in Hong Kong. The Chinese Christian Churches Union was established in 1915 and has a current membership of more than 340 congregations. The Hong Kong Christian Council was formed in 1954 and is a member of the World Council of Churches. Its members major denominations, ecumenical service agencies and the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia are committed to building a closer relationship among all churches in Hong Kong, the

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