Hong Kong churches and the national security law: pastors censor sermons, online posts as anxiety settles over congregations
- Strained relations and debate over new law at some churches, as clerics vow to stay clear of politics
- Some worry law will affect what they say from the pulpit or in messages to their flocks
This week Hong Kong marked 100 days since the passing of the national security law on June 30. In the second of a series, Danny Mok looks at the impact of the Beijing-imposed legislation on churches and their congregations. You can read part one here.
Reverend Jayson Tam was upset when a remark he made about mainland China in an online sermon in early June drew a four-page letter of complaint.
He had mentioned the mainland policy that banned children under 18 from going to church, but the complainant said it was not fair to single out the mainland when the United States also had rules regarding religious activities in public schools.
Tam took to Facebook to express astonishment at the complaint, saying he feared that worship gatherings were being monitored by mainland authorities.
He was among a number of clerics from the more than 70 Protestant denominations and about 400 independent churches in the city who told the Post they were worried the new law would affect what they said from the pulpit or in messages to their flocks. The churches have a total of about 800,000 members.
