Archbishop's sermon on Occupy Central was 'taken out of context': church
Church says controversial remarks on Occupy were meant as humour, not a public statement
The Hong Kong Anglican Church has spoken for the second time in two days in defence of its top cleric, saying a controversial sermon he delivered on the city's democracy movement was taken out of context.
The archbishop was merely trying to remind fellow Christians of the church's role as a "facilitator of peace", said Reverend Peter Koon, provincial secretary general of the Sheng Kung Hui, or Anglican Church.
It was common for the Most Reverend Dr Paul Kwong to deliver his sermons with a "humorous and witty" flare, Koon told reporters yesterday.
"This sometimes causes laughter in the audience; it may have caused some residents listening to the sermon to become unhappy," he said. "I hope everyone can empathise.
Watch: Church defends Reverend Paul Kwong