Religious competition and creative innovation among protestant groups in Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement

The Umbrella Movement in 2014 was an important event in the history of democratic movements in Hong Kong. Christians were an integral part of the Occupy Central with Love and Peace Movement and the subsequent Umbrella Movement. Using the model of religious competition and creative innovation, this paper examines the innovative practices employed by Protestant groups competing for Christian representation and the language of social justice in response to church leaders who disputed the movement. The refutations by the Protestant groups were also acts of opposition in reaction to the Chinese Government’s control of universal suffrage. The case of Protestant groups in the Umbrella Movement is a good example in exploring the new research direction of religious competition and creative innovation in the context of Asian cities and countries.