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Epilogue THIS volum e ha s discusse d variou s aspect s o f th e Protestan t Church i n Hon g Kon g i n th e nineteent h century . Th e develop ments since then an d a look a t the future ca n only be briefl y sug gested . Before the Second World War, Pentecostal and Holiness groups had lon g bee n establishe d i n Hong Kong . Missionarie s wer e sen t out b y othe r fundamentalis t an d fait h groups , mostl y American . There were also several congregations unrelated to any missionary body. After th e establishment of the People's Republic of China, some of th e main-lin e denomination s tha t ha d no t previousl y ha d con gregations in Hong Kong, such as the Lutherans and the American Methodists, organized congregations . The great influx o f refugee s in th e 1950 s directed world-wid e attentio n t o th e need s o f thes e people. During this period, th e sectarian-fundamentalist presenc e was strengthened . Th e longer-establishe d main-lin e denomina tions were independen t o f foreign contro l but were dependen t o n foreign fund s fo r educationa l an d relie f work an d th e financing o f major buildin g projects . Th e lan d boo m o f th e lat e 1970 s free d main-line group s fro m a nee d fo r foreig n fund s t o suppor t thei r large programmes. Th e Churc h a s a whole has reached maturity , though i n some group s ther e is still a relatively strong missionar y presence. The fac t tha t Hon g Kon g wa s a Britis h colon y resulte d i n it s own particula r characteristic s which distinguishe d i t from citie s in China, thoug h ther e wa s alway s a reciproca l influenc e betwee n them. Wha t is true of the colony is also true of the Churches . The relationshi p betwee n th e Churche s i n Hon g Kon g an d o n the mainlan d wa s altere d afte r th e establishmen t o f th e People' s Republic, and durin g the cultural revolution o f the 1960 s the con tact betwee n th e tw o was virtuall y broken . I n recen t years , con tacts hav e bee n re-established . Ther e ha s bee n increasin g inter change , thoug h neithe r th e Churc h i n Chin a no r th e ecumenica l Churches in Hong Kong wish to return to pre-liberation patterns . The Protestan t Churc h i n China operate s withi n th e contex t o f the nationa l policie s of th e People' s Republic . I t i s still explorin g EPILOGUE 211 the best method s to participate i n China's reconstruction an d to assume its proper role in a new social order. There have been some misgivings about the possible position of the Hong Kong Church in the period after 1997, but many of these doubts have been assuaged by the terms of the Joint Declaration of 1984, which ensures the Church its freedom o f operation. The details will have to be worked out within the context of a developing situation. The histories of the Church in China and of the Church in Hong Kong have been different. Thi s difference ha s influenced attitude s and policies. In the future, there should be a sharing of the uniqueness of each group, a searching for the most effective way for the Church to contribute to the national life of China and to assume a positive role in the life of its own particular community, yet also to participate in a universal community of faith. ...

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