Christian Leaders Petition China to Allow Protestant Chaplains at Olympics

June 1, 2008

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Ecumenical News International

[anglicanjournal.com/issues/2008/134/jun/06/article/christian-leaders-petition-china-to-allow-protestant-chaplains-at-olympics/]

A Hong Kong Christian leader who works in a sports ministry says Chinese authorities should allow foreign Protestant clergy and faithful to serve as volunteer chaplains at the Olympic Village, to ensure the quality of the August games in Beijing.

“We have applied to send [Protestant] foreigners to serve as chaplains at the Olympic Village, but until now there has been no positive response,” Johnny Yiu Yuk Hing said. “At the last Olympic Games [in Athens], there were about 30 Protestant chaplains from different countries to serve, but we understand there are no foreign volunteers being admitted at the Beijing Olympics in August,” the general secretary of the Hong Kong Sports Ministry Coalition said. “Until now there have been only three local Chinese admitted as chaplains.”