Christian activism and political participation in Hong Kong’s occupy movement

This article examines the role of Christian activism in facilitating political participation in the Occupy Movement from March 2013 to September 2014. Using Doug McAdam, John McCarthy, and Mayer Zald’s integrated model of social movement theory, this article argues that the political opportunity for constitutional reform, the framing of civil disobedience for the Occupy Central with Love and Peace Movement, and the social mobilization efforts generated by two organizing committees of the movement, together with the support of a number of formal and informal Christian groups, partially accounted for Christians’ political participation and the emergence of collective action. The case of the Occupy Movement shows that Christian culture is a valuable resource in promoting social progress in East Asian society.