For the first time, there are more non-religious than religious people in British Columbia.

Statistics Canada released 2021 census data last week examining religion, and the percentage of B.C. residents who have no religious affiliation is now 52.1, an increase from 44 per cent in 2011. B.C. is Canada香蕉视频直播檚 least religious province 香蕉视频直播� nationally, 34.6 per cent of Canadians have no religious affiliation.

In B.C., 34.3 per cent of residents are Christian: 12 per cent of British Columbians are Catholic, 8.8 are not-otherwise-specified Christian, 2.8 are Anglican, and 2.6 are affiliated with the United Church. Among non-Christian religions, 5.9 per cent of British Columbians are Sikh and 2.6 per cent are Muslim.

Canada香蕉视频直播檚 six most non-religious census metropolitan areas are all in British Columbia. Nanaimo is the most non-religious metro area at 62.9 per cent, Kamloops is next at 60.8 per cent, then Victoria (60.5), Kelowna (54.4), Chilliwack (49.4), and Vancouver (47.1). Rounding out the top 10 are Red Deer, Alta., Belleville, Ont., Peterborough, Ont., and Kingston, Ont. The only B.C. census metropolitan area outside Canada香蕉视频直播檚 top 10 is Abbotsford-Mission at 37 per cent.

Outside of census metropolitan areas, Canada香蕉视频直播檚 most non-religious community is Squamish at 70.1 per cent.

Father Harrison Ayre of St. Peter香蕉视频直播檚 Roman Catholic Church in Nanaimo said when considering the data, the terms 香蕉视频直播榓ffiliation香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播榬eligion香蕉视频直播� can be problematic. Someone is Catholic by virtue of their baptism, for example, but someone who attests to being Catholic 香蕉视频直播� or any religion for that matter 香蕉视频直播� might not necessarily be 香蕉视频直播渁ttempting to live what they believe,香蕉视频直播� he pointed out.

The B.C. Humanist Association, a non-profit that seeks to provide a community and voice for humanists, atheists, agnostics and other non-religious people, is also keenly interested in what the numbers represent. Ian Bushfield, executive director, said while the census data is accurate, the question about religious affiliation is open to interpretation.

香蕉视频直播淲e do think it undercounts the number of non-religious and it paints a picture that shows people as being more actively religious than is necessarily the case,香蕉视频直播� he said.

A StatsCan study from last year found that 18 per cent of Canadians say they have a religious affiliation but don香蕉视频直播檛 participate in religious or spiritual activities and consider their religious or spiritual beliefs 香蕉视频直播渢o be of little or no importance to how they live their lives.香蕉视频直播�

Bushfield said it香蕉视频直播檚 important to have the best available data because of 香蕉视频直播済overnment entanglement with religion香蕉视频直播� with funding for religious private schools, health-care facilities and homeless shelters, for example.

香蕉视频直播淭hey may be more open to funding religious ones on a perception that there are lots of religious people who would be able to access that, but in reality, those can often discriminate or be barriers for people who are non-religious or of minority faith communities,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Bushfield said British Columbia surpassing the 50-per cent non-religious threshold is 香蕉视频直播渧ery symbolic香蕉视频直播� and worthy of attention, but stressed that the majority shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 necessarily direct government policy because even small minority beliefs should have their place.

香蕉视频直播淲e should be taking a secular approach because it香蕉视频直播檚 the best way to make sure we香蕉视频直播檙e reflecting a neutrality that makes space for everyone and doesn香蕉视频直播檛 privilege one viewpoint over another,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Morality and meaning found in churches and secular society

If Nanaimo is Canada香蕉视频直播檚 most non-religious metro area, it isn香蕉视频直播檛 evident in the pews at St. Peter香蕉视频直播檚, where there is a sort of 香蕉视频直播渃ounter trend香蕉视频直播� to the census data香蕉视频直播檚 trajectory. Ayre said church attendance is at pre-pandemic levels and there is 香蕉视频直播渁 spectrum of ages and cultures香蕉视频直播� that he attributes in part to Vancouver Island University attracting young adults from around the world.

Broadly, there has 香蕉视频直播渙bviously香蕉视频直播� been a decline in church participation over the years that has been discussed and studied by church leaders at various levels.

香蕉视频直播淧eople think it is a pragmatic question and thus deal with it in a pragmatic way 香蕉视频直播� rather, it is the question of culture and human nature,香蕉视频直播� Ayre said.

He suggested the 香蕉视频直播渟ecular culture香蕉视频直播� is itself a sort of religion, as 香蕉视频直播渢here is no such thing as a culture that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 attempt to answer the questions of human existence香蕉视频直播� such as 香蕉视频直播渨hy am I here? Who am I? Is there a purpose to existence? Is there something more to life?香蕉视频直播�

Ayre said truth has a universal hold on people, so if Christians aren香蕉视频直播檛 making the claim that what they believe is the truth, that香蕉视频直播檚 a failing of the churches. However, he added that they can only propose, never impose.

香蕉视频直播淚f the 香蕉视频直播榬eligious question香蕉视频直播� is really a public question, if religion is really a universal human phenomenon 香蕉视频直播� then it is also the fault of culture and society to refuse to take these questions seriously,香蕉视频直播� he said.

He thinks the decreased rate of people who are religious has brought with it some decrease in 香蕉视频直播渕oral reason or moral truth.香蕉视频直播� If human beings are soulless products of chance, the priest said, then they lose worth.

香蕉视频直播淚f humanity has no value, then living itself becomes meaningless. So why should I treat others well? At best, we do it because it is politically or socially expedient, but even that crumbles over time,香蕉视频直播� Ayre said.

Bushfield argued that cultures develop in different ways, and in places where traditional religions aren香蕉视频直播檛 for most people, residents look elsewhere for their morality and their sense of community. He noted that in B.C., environmental groups are 香蕉视频直播渇oundational香蕉视频直播� and the province also the home of important civil liberties and human rights work.

香蕉视频直播淲e can easily see that people can be good without God in British Columbia. Lots of people care deeply about the state of the world香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈�� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭here is a deep commitment that香蕉视频直播檚 not necessarily tied to religion but is tied to creating a better world.香蕉视频直播�

RELATED:

editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Like us on and follow us on