The State of the Canadian Church

Part I: A nation of believers?
Church attendance in Canada is declining rapidly. Atheism is rising. Christian moral values are being replaced by secular ones. Canada is no longer a Christian nation, and Canadian Christians will soon be a persecuted minority. These are among some of the understandings -- and, in some cases, misunderstandings -- prevalent among Canadians.
• Church attendance
• Other measures - monthly attendance
• Belief is a different question - comparing Europe, US & Canada
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/071206state

Part II: Shifting traditions
One of the problems with the census data is that it is still using categories from a century ago, which do not reflect current categories. In particular, the older categories do not reflect the current divide between evangelical and mainline Protestant churches. Over the past quarter-century, there has been a massive shift within 'Protestantism.'
• A clearer picture
• Roman Catholic strength
• A massive evangelical shift - Mainline Protestant vs Evangelicals
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/071213state

Part III: Are Christians in danger of becoming a persecuted minority?
• Is it becoming harder to be a Christian in Canada?
• 'Strict moralists' vs approval of abortion and homosexuality?
• Pendulum of secularism swinging back?
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/071220state

Part IV: The impact of immigration on the church
• A changing society - 2006 Census results
• A varied impact
• Potential for conversion - evangelism among immigrants
• Serious questions - mono-cultural churches
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/080103state

Part V: The growth of evangelicalism
EARLIER ARTICLES in this series pointed out three main streams in the Canadian church: Roman Catholics are holding their own, in numbers but not in attendance. Mainline Protestant denominations are shrinking significantly. Evangelicals are growing.
• Not just an academic exercise - EFCÊ & research
• A significant evangelical culture
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/080110state

Part VI: Those pesky moral, social issues
cc.com conducted a number of phone interviews, consulted a number of published studies, and did an email survey of a variety of church leaders from across Canada. One of the topics we covered in our survey was social/moral issues.
• Abortion and homosexuality
• Poverty, homelessness and the environment
• Approach as important as the issues - affirmation & challenge
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/080117state

Part VII: Strengths, weaknesses and challenges
One of the issues that emerged is whether it is even possible to talk about the Canadian church as a whole. Many of those surveyed observed that some churches are doing well and others are not, and there is no clear pattern for this. Nevertheless, those surveyed were able to make some general statements about the Canadian church. Subjects covered include:
Stability • Innovation • Witness • Prayer • Holistic • Numerical Decline • Urban Weakness • Disunity • Leadership • Consumerism • A pleasant mediocrity
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/080124state

Comments

THESE LINKS DON'T WORK!
#1 - 03/04/2008 - 12:46

Questions I think need to be asked in order to more fully 'diagnose' the state of the Canadian church are:

-Does church attendance merely reflect the number of people in an evangelical sanctuary on Sunday morning?

-What is the bible's definition of church? Are we making the NT description of the church impotent by a Sunday am attendance bias?

-How many Jesus-followers gather regularly with other Jesus followers? How many Jesus-followers are involved in ministries to the poor, the oppressed, and issues of injustice? Because if we're really concerned about the state of the church then it seems to me that those would have to be leading questions.

-What's wrong with persecution? History has shown that the greatest growth in Jesus' Body has been during seasons of persecution. Constantine, despite the traditional evangelical view that he was a hero, did nore, in my opinion, to stunt and erode the church.

-Since when is poverty, homelessness and the environment 'social issues'? Were they not Jesus' issues?

#2 Shaun Dyer - 03/13/2008 - 09:44

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