Religion in Canada: Then and Now

Religion in CANADA - Then and Now- Canadian religious space has changed over time Prior to the 1960s there was relatively monolithic view of religion in the country Introduction The Quiet Revolution The rights and freedoms charter Multiculturalism is prevalent in contemporary sense Historical Notes...

Religion in CANADA - Then and Now- Canadian religious space has changed over time Prior to the 1960s there was relatively monolithic view of religion in the country Introduction The Quiet Revolution The rights and freedoms charter Multiculturalism is prevalent in contemporary sense Historical Notes Prior to the incursion of colonial settlers in the 16th century, the aboriginal people had diverse forms of spirituality But the nascent colonial mainstreamed Christianity, especially Catholic and Protestant denominations, in the country for the longest time until the 1960s. Colonial power thrived through a system of conversion (religious conversion inclusive) Up to 1971, 90% of Canadians were Christians As of 2021 census, only 53.3% of Canadians identified as Christians Historical Notes cont'd Findings showed that while many Canadians still believe in God, the impact of region in contemporary Canada has reduced partly because of a push towards multiculturalism and partly due to the Quiet Revolution in Quebec The schism between the Catholics and the Protestants expedited a shift towards secularism Today, the Kantian espousal of moral living as the hallmark of true religion has spurred a plethora of new religions and spiritualities. To quote Daniel Baird and Clayton Ma (2022) “The Women's Christian Temperance Union advocated for women's rights with leaders such as Nellie McClung, and the founders of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (now the New Democratic Party) all stressed the Social Gospel. Consequently, religion typically refers to moral codes, as well as religious practices and creedal affirmations, as equally necessary components of any organized religion.” Secularization, Revitalization, and Polarization in Canadian Context Secularization: Primarily stimulated by the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, a shift away from supposed anachronistic traditionalism/nationalism meant declining of mainstream religion. Thus, religion was no longer a tenable factor for negotiating public discussions – privatization of religion. Revitalization – Based on the findings of Reginald Bibby in his book, Restless Gods (2002), traditional religions are optimistic about the probability of their comebacks. (refer to the module on digitization of religion). This is partly due to the continued role of religion in the lives of many Canadians This fact is acceded to by Peter Berger in his work on re-sacralization Secularization, Revitalization, and Polarization in Canadian Context Polarization: This is a term Bibby used to portray the prevailing demographic pluralism in which people across different faiths, generations, cultures, and those who do not believe in religion coexist in Canada. Religion in Canada – Are We Godless? By CBC News: The National Conclusion Religious diversity in Canada predated colonialism. With colonization came mainstreaming of one popular religion in Canada until its decline post 1960s. While the future of religion does not seem bright for mainstream religions in Canada, new emergencies indicate that religion will continue to play a role in people’s lives at various levels.