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Decline of Christianity in Canada Faster than Ever

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
Religiosity in Canada is at an all-time low, with recently released data from Statistics Canada showing only 68 per cent of Canadians 15 or older now report having a religious affiliation. It’s the first time that number has dipped below 70 per cent since StatCan began tracking the data in 1985.

It's important to note that this decline is not across the board; the number of Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindus is increasing, and StatCan predicts the number of Canadians reporting a non-Christian religious affiliation could double by the year 2036.

Christianity, however, is in sharp decline. In 2011, 67.3 per cent (about 22.1 million people) of Canadians said they were affiliated with a Christian religion. In 2019, that number had dropped to 63.2 per cent. Catholicism, Canada’s largest denomination, now accounts for 32 per cent of Canadians over 15, down from 46.9 per cent in 1996.

THe United Church of Canada, the country’s second-largest Canadian Christian denomination, accounted for 14.6 per cent of Canadians in 1985. In 1996, that number had declined to 9.7 per cent and to just 3.8 per cent in 2019. Islam, considered a minority religion, now sits at 3.7 per cent.

Will Christianity be pretty much gone in Canada in 20 years or so? Looks possible.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
As with all of these "revelations" about religiosity, they should be considered very likely unreliable. Like; what did "affiliated with" mean, exactly? What did the responders think it meant? Did the poll differentiate between religion and religious institutions? How? Did the responders understand the difference? My guess is that most of these subtle but very important differentiations were ignored, making the polls mostly useless except as talking points for people with an anti-religious agenda.
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
As with all of these "revelations" about religiosity, they should be considered very likely unreliable. Like; what did "affiliated with" mean, exactly? What did the responders think it meant? Did the poll differentiate between religion and religious institutions? How? Did the responders understand the difference? My guess is that most of these subtle but very important differentiations were ignored, making the polls mostly useless except as talking points for people with an anti-religious agenda.
Statistics Canada found that religion was becoming less important for Canadians on the whole. Those who reported religious or spiritual beliefs were "somewhat important" or "very important" to their lives was 54 per cent in 2019. In the mid-2000s, it was around 70 per cent.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
Statistics Canada found that religion was becoming less important for Canadians on the whole. Those who reported religious or spiritual beliefs were "somewhat important" or "very important" to their lives was 54 per cent in 2019. In the mid-2000s, it was around 70 per cent.
But it all depends on what those responants thought those terms meant. Clearly people are becoming less inclined to participate in organized expressions of religion. But that does not mean they are becoming less religious. Nor does it mean that they are changing their religious beliefs. Or that they are believing any "less strongly".

These kinds of polls need to be very specific and sophisticated to gain any real insight into how people are changing in this regard. And from what to what? That is the real question. I have no doubt that changes are occurring. They almost always are. But from what to what? And according to what metric? Unless these questions are answered in detail, they are not being answered at all, really.
 
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Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Religiosity in Canada is at an all-time low, with recently released data from Statistics Canada showing only 68 per cent of Canadians 15 or older now report having a religious affiliation. It’s the first time that number has dipped below 70 per cent since StatCan began tracking the data in 1985.

It's important to note that this decline is not across the board; the number of Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindus is increasing, and StatCan predicts the number of Canadians reporting a non-Christian religious affiliation could double by the year 2036.

Christianity, however, is in sharp decline. In 2011, 67.3 per cent (about 22.1 million people) of Canadians said they were affiliated with a Christian religion. In 2019, that number had dropped to 63.2 per cent. Catholicism, Canada’s largest denomination, now accounts for 32 per cent of Canadians over 15, down from 46.9 per cent in 1996.

THe United Church of Canada, the country’s second-largest Canadian Christian denomination, accounted for 14.6 per cent of Canadians in 1985. In 1996, that number had declined to 9.7 per cent and to just 3.8 per cent in 2019. Islam, considered a minority religion, now sits at 3.7 per cent.

Will Christianity be pretty much gone in Canada in 20 years or so? Looks possible.

It's certainly struggling. In rural areas once thriving churches sit empty, waiting to be demolished. For them, the rural to urban shift in demographics was a huge factor. Not only were there less people, but the kids who moved to the city often used it as a reason not to bother with church.
 

Sand Dancer

Crazy Cat Lady
Statistics Canada found that religion was becoming less important for Canadians on the whole. Those who reported religious or spiritual beliefs were "somewhat important" or "very important" to their lives was 54 per cent in 2019. In the mid-2000s, it was around 70 per cent.

Canada has always been our smarter, younger brother.
 

Sand Dancer

Crazy Cat Lady
Statistics Canada found that religion was becoming less important for Canadians on the whole. Those who reported religious or spiritual beliefs were "somewhat important" or "very important" to their lives was 54 per cent in 2019. In the mid-2000s, it was around 70 per cent.

Religion is not as important as spirituality anymore, it seems.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Religiosity in Canada is at an all-time low, with recently released data from Statistics Canada showing only 68 per cent of Canadians 15 or older now report having a religious affiliation. It’s the first time that number has dipped below 70 per cent since StatCan began tracking the data in 1985.

It's important to note that this decline is not across the board; the number of Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindus is increasing, and StatCan predicts the number of Canadians reporting a non-Christian religious affiliation could double by the year 2036.

Christianity, however, is in sharp decline. In 2011, 67.3 per cent (about 22.1 million people) of Canadians said they were affiliated with a Christian religion. In 2019, that number had dropped to 63.2 per cent. Catholicism, Canada’s largest denomination, now accounts for 32 per cent of Canadians over 15, down from 46.9 per cent in 1996.

THe United Church of Canada, the country’s second-largest Canadian Christian denomination, accounted for 14.6 per cent of Canadians in 1985. In 1996, that number had declined to 9.7 per cent and to just 3.8 per cent in 2019. Islam, considered a minority religion, now sits at 3.7 per cent.

Will Christianity be pretty much gone in Canada in 20 years or so? Looks possible.
I suspect that the decline of Christianity may be even more pronounced - and have started earlier - than the census data might suggest.

There's been a long-standing problem with the wording of the religion question on the Canadian census. Note the bit I've bolded:

What is this person’s religion?
Indicate a specific denomination or religion even if this person is not currently a practising member of that group.
For example, Roman Catholic, United Church, Anglican, Muslim, Baptist, Hindu, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jewish, Greek Orthodox, etc.
For additional examples of denominations and religions, visit www12.statcan.gc.ca/religion-e

Select “No Religion” When You Complete Your 2021 Canadian Census – Centre for Inquiry Canada

For a while, it's been an open question as to how many non-Christians were checking off a Christian denomination on the form because that's what they were raised in.

I wonder if the effect you're describing is because of an increased number of now-adults who weren't raised in religion - i.e. the kids of all the people who left their childhood religions in the 80s and 90s - now being old enough to fill out a census for themselves, and with them not having any religious upbringing at all, they wouldn't ever consider themselves a "non-practising Anglican" (or Catholic or whatever).
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
It's certainly struggling. In rural areas once thriving churches sit empty, waiting to be demolished. For them, the rural to urban shift in demographics was a huge factor. Not only were there less people, but the kids who moved to the city often used it as a reason not to bother with church.
... which certainly points to family and social pressure as being key reasons why religiosity used to be more prevalent than it is now.
 

F1fan

Veteran Member
I suspect that Canada has more overall tolerance and they are free to admit they are not Christian. And are free to join other types of practice.

Freedom tends to build diversity.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Statistics Canada found that religion was becoming less important for Canadians on the whole. Those who reported religious or spiritual beliefs were "somewhat important" or "very important" to their lives was 54 per cent in 2019. In the mid-2000s, it was around 70 per cent.
Change on the scale of decades, reported for the population overall always make me wonder how much of the change is due to individual changes (e.g. Person X used to be devoutly religious, but then had a change of belief) and how much is cohort effects (e.g. Person X's generation has always tended to be less religious than their grandparents', and there aren't as many of the grandparents around any more).
 

F1fan

Veteran Member
I suspect that the decline of Christianity may be even more pronounced - and have started earlier - than the census data might suggest.

There's been a long-standing problem with the wording of the religion question on the Canadian census. Note the bit I've bolded:



Select “No Religion” When You Complete Your 2021 Canadian Census – Centre for Inquiry Canada

For a while, it's been an open question as to how many non-Christians were checking off a Christian denomination on the form because that's what they were raised in.

I wonder if the effect you're describing is because of an increased number of now-adults who weren't raised in religion - i.e. the kids of all the people who left their childhood religions in the 80s and 90s - now being old enough to fill out a census for themselves, and with them not having any religious upbringing at all, they wouldn't ever consider themselves a "non-practising Anglican" (or Catholic or whatever).
Very few of my friends go to church services as most are athletes and compete on Sundays. For the most part they are not religious. But if they were to be asked how they affiliate on a list of religions they would probably check Christian just because this is what most of us are familiar with as Americans. I suspect there is still a big stigma for people to acknowledge they don't believe in God any more than the dogma Christianity claims.

Just yesterday a guy Im working with made a passive statement about not believing in God. People are getting bolder and less fearful about admitting it.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
I suspect that Canada has more overall tolerance and they are free to admit they are not Christian. And are free to join other types of practice.

Freedom tends to build diversity.
I've heard American friends tell me about how the first question they get asked when they meet someone new is "what church do you go to?"

That's never happened to me.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Very few of my friends go to church services as most are athletes and compete on Sundays. For the most part they are not religious. But if they were to be asked how they affiliate on a list of religions they would probably check Christian just because this is what most of us are familiar with as Americans. I suspect there is still a big stigma for people to acknowledge they don't believe in God any more than the dogma Christianity claims.

Just yesterday a guy Im working with made a passive statement about not believing in God. People are getting bolder and less fearful about admitting it.
Yeah. We have that sort of thing too, but a lot of people construe the wording on the census form as "you MUST check off a religion!" so they check off the religion they were raised in even if they would say that they weren't a Christian if someone asked them in a social setting.
 
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