Nice, Tolerant, Indifferent Canadians: Religious Nones North of the 49th

Overview

Abstract (English)

Those who say they have no religion are the fastest growing ?religious? group in Canada. Who are these religious nones, and how and why are they different in Canada than religious nones in other nations, such as the United States? In this article we draw on sociological theories, concepts, and data to address these questions. We show that one?s social environment plays a critical role for the perceptions, behaviors, and experiences found among religious nones north of the 49th parallel. We also demonstrate that Canadians have become less religious from one generation to the next, a process that started earlier and more rapidly than elsewhere in North America. When comparing religious nones in Canada and the United States, three key empirical differences stand out. First, Canadian religious nones are on average more secular than those in the United States, notably when it comes to personal spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation. Second, religious nones in Canada are on average less antagonistic toward the religiously affiliated and vice versa. Third, religious nones, like most Canadians regardless of their religious (un)affiliation status, are on average more Left leaning on a range of sociopolitical issues compared with religious nones in the United States. We conclude by exploring how and why this discussion of religious nones in Canada matters for other areas of social life, such as social, political, and moral views and behaviors. Throughout, we give attention to the dynamic interplay between the religiously affiliated, particularly evangelical Christians, and religious nones, notably nonbelievers.

Abstract (French)

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