Converts to Civil Society: Christianity and Political Culture in Contemporary Hong Kong

Introduction

1 Introduction Distance affects perception. That which appears as one thing turns out upon closer proximity and scrutiny to be quite different. Sir David Attenborough, English broadcaster and naturalist, has remarked on this tendency in the natural world. In his intimate investigation of the microcosmos of insects, “Life in the Undergrowth,” what appears to be a cloud of smoke is instead a swarm of midges moved by the actions of every single one.1 This thrill of discovery not only has fueled scientific investigation but also has inspired Attenborough’s particular style of communicating those discoveries to a wider public. When viewers venture to follow Sir David’s lead through his rich documentary films, they enjoy a similar sense of wonder and appreciation for the fine details evident in nature if they only get close enough to see exactly what is in front of them. In the social world as in the natural world, scholars provide the chance to appreciate and discover alongside them. Perhaps the first thrilling view of ourselves is recognition that we are not unique and alone in our experience of the social world. Instead, with the help of sociologists and political scientists, people appear as stable members of groups. Institutions such as religion, education, family, and polity contain people as if in vessels working to form them into comparable and predictable persons. Seeing the world in terms of groups shouldn’t mean we fall into the trap of ascribing to them a staying power and control that is in fact 1 David Attenborough, “Life in the Undergrowth,” series producer Mike Salisbury , 2/Entertain, BBC video, London, 2006. 2 — Converts to Civil Society negotiated in modern society by their individual members. And yet, in enjoying the work of scholars of religion, for instance, we may come to confuse faith tradition, church, or congregation with the believers whose choices infuse the collective with purpose and consequence. In appreciating what scholars of democratic politics write, we may confuse voting rights with the varied practices of politically competent citizens whose everyday actions guard against tyranny. And in wondering about the involvement of religious people in politics and public life, we may assume that particular religious traditions beget particular political traditions . Converts to Civil Society, in seeking to account for the development of civil society in Hong Kong at the turn of the twenty-first century, restores attention to the personal and seemingly unique. Breaking away from the vessel approach to studying religion and politics, it focuses on the often overlooked individuals whose commitment to personal development structures society. In Hong Kong’s free market culture, membership options and purveyors of religious development are available in abundance. Converts to Civil Society draws us deeply into this rich social marketplace. Our journey of discovery begins with the stories of individuals involved at the intersections of church and state. From 1997 to 2008, from anticipating Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty to experiencing it, I have followed and documented in over eighty interviews these individuals’ development. Whether born into Catholic or Protestant families, religious or secular households, these Hong Kong people share an important common narrative: they tell the story of choosing faith. Conversion is a common occurrence, and with it comes an array of memberships. Across their lives, and across the spheres of family, fellowship, church, organizational membership, and workplace, individuals break and forge bonds, enter and exit commitments, and enable others to choose for themselves as well. In following the movements of individuals, Converts to Civil Society provides the necessary vantage to see that what appears to be a stable, steady minority of 10 percent Christian faithful is instead a moving, individuated mass of converts not totally unlike Attenborough’s midges. These independent movements not only invigorate and shape religious community in Hong Kong but also, taken together, establish a common experience of religious engagement that enlivens wider public life. While private commitments to fellowship, church, organization, workplace, and family each predictably challenge the individual convert Introduction — 3 to develop within faith, Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty threatens the entire project with unpredictability. Political development joins religious development as an essential quest. Membership choices on offer through organizations and churches, courses and careers must satisfy this political need, too. Consequently, the movement that comes with breaking and forging still more social bonds becomes normal, unremarkable , and, for some, unnoticeable. Much as Attenborough’s midges appear as...