Religion and Social Action in the City: A Comparative Perspective

3 credits · Divinity School

This travel course will enable students to gain a social and historical understanding of actions that organized groups of people have taken to achieve social justice in the context of Hong Kong. The focus will include human rights, neighborhood organization, community development, electoral campaigns, and labor movements. The role of faith based organizations will be considered in depth. Students also will gain an understanding of the political economy of cities. We shall use the context of Hong Kong Christianity and its social, cultural, and religious contexts to develop a deeper understanding of religion and society through comparative study. The study tour will explore the multiple faces of Hong Kong Christianity and the Hong Kong context. Topics will include: a large variety of denominational traditions, from spiritually progressive Christians to conservative evangelicals and Pentecostals; neglected parts of the larger Christian family: Catholics, Orthodox, and other Christians; social and educational ministries of Christians and how they have shaped society; people of other faith: major religions in Hong Kong ; local and international Christianity; rural and city Christians. The class will be offered jointly with the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Registrants must have a current passport and supplement the travel fees with $750.00. Housing for Divinity School students is included. The course also requires approval by University's Office of Global Safety. [3]