'Organized religion' alive and well, says new Order of Canada inductee Bibby

By David F. Dawes

Reginald Bibby

But according to the country's best known chronicler of faith-related trends, rumours of the established church's death have been greatly exaggerated -- and, Reginald Bibby maintains, many Canadians alienated from 'organized religion' are becoming more aware of the need for a spiritual anchor in their lives.

Bibby, a widely respected sociologist at the University of Lethbridge, is the author of books such as Restless Gods and The Emerging Generation. He has been conducting surveys of Canadian social and spiritual attitudes for more than three decades. His next book, The Boomer Factor, will be released in late August.

Bibby's work has frequently been cited in mainstream publications -- one of the more recent examples being a feature in Macleans in early July. More significantly, he was just named an Officer in the Order of Canada.

Bibby said he appreciates the honour primarily because it draws further attention to the results of his research. At one time, he said, "one of my greatest fears was that, being at a small university, I would disappear. I always wanted to take my material beyond the academic community. The Order of Canada is saying, in effect, that the work has been recognized as having value to Canadians."

Bibby has more than an academic stake in his work, as a person of faith. He grew up a Baptist, and obtained a degree in theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky. He has since gone beyond denominational bounds -- thanks, in part, to his marriage to a Catholic. He and his family attend both Baptist and Catholic churches. "I wouldn't describe myself as actively in the Baptist denomination, but I have affinities for it."

Christian faith, he emphasized, "has always been important to me." He cited an incident just after his 1987 book, Fragmented Gods, was released. "I met a man who told me he had heard that I'd become a Christian as a result of writing this book. I told him, 'I've been a Christian all along.'"

The likely reason for the man's false assumption, Bibby said, was the fact that he had originally endeavoured to present himself as a detached observer. "At first, I just wanted to be a good sociologist. But over time, I've developed more passion for this work."

This passion makes him less reticent to express potentially controversial opinions. While he noted that evangelicals have contributed much to the religious life of Canada -- especially in the areas of music, youth ministry and family programs -- he said he believes too many church officials are looking for spiritual success in all the wrong places.

"I really tire of evangelicals looking for magical solutions that will give them the key to growing churches," he said, adding that the result of that mindset is that some church leaders depend excessively upon high-profile phenomena -- such as the Willow Creek 'seeker sensitive' approach, or the 'emerging church' trend exemplified by Brian McLaren -- for inspiration and guidance. Bibby suggested another solution. "If churches are really serious, they need to engage with people who are in need of ministry."

In Bibby's view, many in this society are yearning for spiritual substance. Canadians, he said, "are indicating that they are more receptive to greater involvement in churches." He cited one of his most recent national surveys, completed late last year. "Out of 2,400 people sampled, 62 percent would want to be more involved if they found it was worthwhile, and relevant to their lives."

Specifically, he said, many are experiencing spiritual and relational needs, and dealing with personal problems. "A lot of people are hurting, and need a little help in living. They're not in the market for a church; rather, they need to have an experience of ministry. They're saying they have very real interests and needs. There's a tremendous opportunity for the church."

His upcoming book, he said, "is taking a good look at the extent to which Canadians are saying they should be getting more out of life. A surprisingly high number of boomers -- one out of three -- are saying this."

Unlike the popular stereotype of baby boomers as self-satisfied success stories, he said, many of that generation are expressing spiritual needs. "They're the worse for wear, for having bypassed organized religion."

Over a 25-year period, he said, there has been a well-publicized decline in attendance at some Canadian mainstream churches. There has been an especially significant loss of attendance in Quebec's Catholic churches. The latter factor, Bibby said, has often skewed perceptions of the country as a whole.

Overall, however, "the situation -- outside Quebec -- is not disastrous at all. If you measure by monthly attendance, mainstream Protestant congregations haven't declined as much as is believed. Also, evangelical gains have offset mainstream losses."

Further, he said, a 2003 Statistics Canada study on the subject of 'Social Engagement' indicated that "involvement in religion is neck-and-neck with sports and leisure activities. There is no area where more groups are active than the religious sphere."

Too many pundits and social observers, he said, "have been assuming religion is going down, because they've listened to social science theorists -- especially the big three: Marx, Freud and Emile Durkheim. These men were positing secularization, and applying it to Europe. And the problem is, we brought it over here."

Many Canadians, he said, need to "take off the glasses of secularization. It's absurd to say that there is not a lot of vitality in organized religion."

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77 named to Order of Canada
Fiddler Natalie MacMaster, retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie, former newspaper columnist Michele Landsberg and sociologist Reginald Bibby are among 77 people named to the Order of Canada.
Canadian Press, July 24

July 27/2006