Canadian churches face major decline

-08/12/05

Churches


Canadian churches face major decline

-08/12/05

Churches in the UK and other parts of Europe are not the only ones facing decline, as African and Asian Christianity continues to expand and the centre of gravity of the global faith migrates south. In Canada some denominations may soon disappear completely, a report presented to the Anglican Church of Canada’s House of Bishops suggests.

Can West News Agency and Ecumenical News International report that Mr Keith McKerracher, a retired marketing expert who serves as a church advisor, has published data which shows that between 1961 and 2001, Anglican numbers plunged from 1.36 million to 642,000, a decline of 53 per cent.

In fact Canadaís Anglican Church is losing some 13,000 members each year. At this rate, says the report, it is ìfacing extinction by the middle of this centuryî.

McKerracher says that membership in the United Church of Canada also fell from 1.04 million to 638,000 during the same period – a loss of 39 per cent.

Meanwhile Presbyterian Church in Canada membership dropped during the same period by 35 per cent, the Baptists 7 per cent and Lutherans 4 per cent. Roman Catholic membership figures are not available.

Analysts say that personal and eclectic religion is of much more interest to many people in the Western world than the historic and institutional faiths. There is also a rise in non-religious humanism.

In addition, Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (OCRT) claims that “[s]mall non-Christian faith groups are increasing in number and popularity in Canada”, and people of no religious adherence are increasing significantly.

Others point to the decline in the birth rate among the Anglicans’ traditional constituency – white Anglo-Americans and Anglo-Canadians – as one of the root causes of decline.

OCRT says that the fall away in church institutions is also marked among the more conservative religious groups. For example, Pentecostals have declined by around 15 per cent.

[Also on Ekklesia: Canadian churches back action against small arms; Churches in US and Canada told Palm Sunday is not environmentally sustainable; US and Canadians kicked off Anglican body in gay row]


Canadian churches face major decline

-08/12/05

Churches in the UK and other parts of Europe are not the only ones facing decline, as African and Asian Christianity continues to expand and the centre of gravity of the global faith migrates south. In Canada some denominations may soon disappear completely, a report presented to the Anglican Church of Canada’s House of Bishops suggests.

Can West News Agency and Ecumenical News International report that Mr Keith McKerracher, a retired marketing expert who serves as a church advisor, has published data which shows that between 1961 and 2001, Anglican numbers plunged from 1.36 million to 642,000, a decline of 53 per cent.

In fact Canada’s Anglican Church is losing some 13,000 members each year. At this rate, says the report, it is ‘facing extinction by the middle of this century’.

McKerracher says that membership in the United Church of Canada also fell from 1.04 million to 638,000 during the same period – a loss of 39 per cent.

Meanwhile Presbyterian Church in Canada membership dropped during the same period by 35 per cent, the Baptists 7 per cent and Lutherans 4 per cent. Roman Catholic membership figures are not available.

Analysts say that personal and eclectic religion is of much more interest to many people in the Western world than the historic and institutional faiths. There is also a rise in non-religious humanism.

In addition, Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (OCRT) claims that “[s]mall non-Christian faith groups are increasing in number and popularity in Canada”, and people of no religious adherence are increasing significantly.

Others point to the decline in the birth rate among the Anglicans’ traditional constituency – white Anglo-Americans and Anglo-Canadians – as one of the root causes of decline.

OCRT says that the fall away in church institutions is also marked among the more conservative religious groups. For example, Pentecostals have declined by around 15 per cent.

[Also on Ekklesia: Canadian churches back action against small arms; Churches in US and Canada told Palm Sunday is not environmentally sustainable; US and Canadians kicked off Anglican body in gay row]