Colonialism…what good does it bring?
As I was reading Steve Tsang’s book A Modern History of Hong Kong, one thing kept bothering me. What right did Great Britain have to demand what they did from China? I read statements like “The prestige, dignity and honour of the British Empire were now at stake, but this important development received no recognition from the Chinese” [1], and the fact China had a ban on opium but because it was legal in both British controlled India and Britain, they smuggled it into China to balance the trade iniquity they had with China, “Once the export of opium from British India to China is included in the trade, the British side enjoyed a healthy balance of payments. In other words, the British export of opium from India would more than pay for the British import of tea and silk from China.”[2] I then read about the second World War and the loss of Hong Kong to the Japanese and the end of the war and the British insistence on receiving back all of their territories “By seeking to pre-empt the prospect of having to ask a Chinese liberation force for the return of Honk Kong, The British provoked a major diplomatic dispute over its liberation.” [3]
These things paint a picture of an Empire, more concerned with its own interests, than what is probably right. Even when it hurt their “ally” Chiang Kai-shek it did not matter. “The obvious point, that Chiang was being publicly humiliated by an ally, did not catch anyone’s imagination. British officials felt a sense of righteousness in their hardline approach” [4] I do understand wanting to get one’s way, but when it comes at the expense of others that is where the line should be drawn. Peyman Amanolahi Baharvand writes “Orientalist discourse depicted non-western people as savage and primitive. It was at the service of the western powers to justify their presence in the East. European colonizers referred to their occupation of the East as a civilizing mission.” [5] There has always been the idea that Western Civilization is far more advanced in morals and other ideals than those in the East and in the Southern Hemisphere. The result has been what Baharvand points out as “The degradation and subsequent eradication of native cultures were prerequisites for the accomplishment of imperial policies” So, from the point of view of someone from a country that was subject to colonialism, the feelings were not so good. I do understand wanting to take the gospel to the world, but in doing so if one country subjugates another to its desires then have you really done good?
Colonial rule is for the good of the ruler. The ruling country or empire will always put their own needs above that of the indigenous peoples. We saw this last year in our two weeks in South Africa. Even though apartheid is a policy from the past, in reality the difference in life for indigenous people live a life far below those who are the product of colonialism. You see the same thing in the United States. Our history in dealing with first peoples is horrific. The idea of taking a group and moving them from their Ancestral homes and placing them in a Reservation as a trade off never was a good thing. If you look at the history of this policy, it never worked out for the indigenous people.
One has to wonder, if the British insistence on keeping Hong Kong was a hinderance to Chaing keeping control in China, and thus is colonialism partly to blame for the deaths caused by Mao and the revolution in China. When you look at other European Colonies such as the Middle East, the history of treatment as lower caste still has repercussions. One has to ponder the idea of a world where countries did not subjugate each other and would there still be the problems we face today?
So how do we as Christians take the Great Commission and not take it into a new culture and try to completely change that culture while giving the good news. Missionaries used to plant churches, make them look just like their home church and when they left the church died. The newer way of taking the gospel is to contextualize the gospel without watering down the message so that the church that is planted is vibrant. Let’s be honest, our churches in the west look nothing like the churches Paul and Peter and Barnabas planted. When the gospel reached Rome, the churches looked nothing like the churches in Jerusalem. We need to keep that in mind.
I look forward to seeing how Hong Kong is a mix of British influence and Chinese mainland influence. How do the people there still feel about the British time spent in control? These are things I cannot wait to see.
[1] Tsang, Steve Yui-Sang. A Modern History of Hong Kong. London: I.B. Tauris, 2011. 7.
[2] Ibid. 6.
[3] Ibid. 134.
[4] Ibid. 136.
[5] Baharvand, Peyman Amanolahi. “Victims of Colonialism in Tayeb Salih’s Season of Migration to the North.” Forum for World Literature Studies 10, no. 1 (2018): 137-153.
About the Author
Jason Turbeville
A pastor, husband and father who loves to be around others. These are the things that describe me. I was a youth minister for 15 years but God changed the calling on my life. I love to travel and see where God takes me in my life.6 responses to “Colonialism…what good does it bring?”
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Jason,
Loved your reflection on colonialism.
“Our churches in the west look nothing like the churches Paul and Peter and Barnabas planted. When the gospel reached Rome, the churches looked nothing like the churches in Jerusalem.” And yet we seem to persist in replicating what we know, rather than empowering people to create as God’s Spirit moves them.
Mark,
We most certainly do, the best church plants I have seen overseas have been solely in conjunction with local believers with them making all the decisions and the missionaries just supporting and coming along side of the work.
Jason
Jason,
Good introduction and call-out of the British sponsored opium trade initiative to fund their colonial expansion. I see this is just another grand scheme and well devised “wiles of the devil” to create the division, destruction, and devastation during those times.
Great “how” question on the Great Commission that should be examined before any ministry-mission goes anywhere. I agree with “contextualizing” within the limits of sound Biblical doctrines. We must be careful not to contextualize into rituals and practices, which under the surface, are evil and cultish practices. I know, because I saw and experienced these scenarios in the bush of Botswana and Zambia.
Great Post sir.
立场坚定
Mike,
I have seen the same type of contextualizing go wrong in South America. As long as we keep to scripture it speaks in any context. We just have to work to understand the culture where we are. Paul was the perfect example to follow when going into a new city.
Jason
Very great question. I wonder if there is some people who have a frustration against the British and a sort of spiteful attitude toward them. I especially wonder this from the HK’ers who want independence from China, do they equally lean away from Britain?
Manifest Destiny Brother. When it becomes a way of life one can justify any action that is deemed what God has ordained. We ourselves in our own ministries have learned what to justify in the name of the Lord as well. Of the things empires do this is pretty passive. For the British to be as culturally insensitive tells us how they felt about their own culture in comparison to others. When the civilized come to help the uncivilized no concern is given to the culture that needs to be changed. I hope I am one of those things you can’t wait to see :-). I do appreciate the growth and journey we are all taking.