Tobias Brandner

Christians in the City of Hong Kong tells the story of a multi-faceted, constantly evolving Christianity in a vibrant metropolis that has always been China’s gateway to the wider world. Having served in Hong Kong for over 25 years in contexts from prison ministry to theological education, Tobias Brandner offers an interplay of local and global perspectives assessing the growth, variation, and present course of Hong Kong’s diverse Christian communities. These range from spiritually progressive Christians to conservative evangelicals and Pentecostals; Christians at the grassroots and at the higher echelons of wealth and power; social and educational ministries of Christians and their impact on society; and, finally, the important role of Hong Kong Christians in their outreach to mainland China. Tracing how Christianity has extended into all parts of society, including arts, politics, and academia, Brandner presents key theological insights into the dynamics of a community at the cultural intersection of China and the West.

Christians in the City of Hong Kong tells the story of a multi-faceted, constantly evolving Christianity in a vibrant metropolis that has always been China’s gateway to the wider world. Having served in Hong Kong for over 25 years in contexts from prison ministry to theological education, Tobias Brandner offers an interplay of local and global perspectives assessing the growth, variation, and present course of Hong Kong’s diverse Christian communities. These range from spiritually progressive Christians to conservative evangelicals and Pentecostals; Christians at the grassroots and at the higher echelons of wealth and power; social and educational ministries of Christians and their impact on society; and, finally, the important role of Hong Kong Christians in their outreach to mainland China. Tracing how Christianity has extended into all parts of society, including arts, politics, and academia, Brandner presents key theological insights into the dynamics of a community at the cultural intersection of China and the West.

Pilgrims and Popes introduces the foundational fifteen hundred years of the history of Christianity, from Jesus to the eve of the Reformation. The crucial decisions of the first centuries have indelibly shaped the subsequent journey of the Christian faith movement. The book tells how the Christian faith story unfolded in dialectic movements: hegemony and emancipation; institutionalization and protest; petrification and renewal; missionary involvement in the world and separation from the world. The book bridges the gap between the present and the seemingly remote world of the first fifteen hundred years of Christianity in the West by engaging with present-day readers' cultures and contexts. The rich material is presented in an easily readable way, combined with charts and with questions for discussion and deepening reflection. This study book will be a welcome learning tool in classrooms and in churches, particularly in the context of the Global South.

Pilgrims and Popes introduces the foundational fifteen hundred years of the history of Christianity, from Jesus to the eve of the Reformation. The crucial decisions of the first centuries have indelibly shaped the subsequent journey of the Christian faith movement. The book tells how the Christian faith story unfolded in dialectic movements: hegemony and emancipation; institutionalization and protest; petrification and renewal; missionary involvement in the world and separation from the world. The book bridges the gap between the present and the seemingly remote world of the first fifteen hundred years of Christianity in the West by engaging with present-day readers' cultures and contexts. The rich material is presented in an easily readable way, combined with charts and with questions for discussion and deepening reflection. This study book will be a welcome learning tool in classrooms and in churches, particularly in the context of the Global South.