Christianity in Canada

The 2011 National Household Survey was recently released in Canada. The tables below show key trends in religious affiliation over the last 20 years.

Although the total Christian population has declined only slightly, the share of the population identifying as Christian has dropped by 10% in the last ten years due to immigration and growth in those with no religious affiliation.

Table 1: Religious affiliation - total population

Affiliation	1991 (000)	2001 (000)	2011 (000)	1991 (%)	2001 (%)	2011 (%)
Christian	22,503	22,852	22,103	83%	77%	67%
Muslim	253	580	1,054	1%	2%	3%
Hindu	157	297	498	<1%	1%	2%
Sikh	147	278	455	<1%	1%	1%
Buddhist	163	300	367	<1%	1%	1%
Jewish	318	330	330	1%	1%	1%
No religion	3,397	4,900	7,851	13%	17%	24%
Other	6	102	194	-	<1%	<1%
Total	26,944	29,639	32,852	100%	100%	100%

The second table shows the breakdown of Christian respondents by major denomination:

Table 2: Religious affiliation - Christian denominations

Affiliation	1991 (000)	2001 (000)	2011 (000)	1991 (%)	2001 (%)	2011 (%)
Catholic	12,204	12,793	12,729	54%	56%	58%
United	3,093	2,839	2,008	14%	12%	9%
Anglican	2,188	2,035	1,632	9%	9%	7%
Baptist	663	729	636	3%	3%	3%
Orthodox	387	480	551	2%	2%	2%
Pentecostal	436	369	479	2%	2%	2%
Lutheran	636	607	478	3%	3%	2%
Presbyterian	636	409	472	3%	2%	2%
Other	2,260	2,591	3,118	10%	11%	14%
Total	22,503	22,852	22,103	100%	100%	100%

Catholics significantly outnumber Protestants in Canada due to a large Catholic community in Quebec. Anglicans represent 7% of all Christians in Canada (vs. 28% in Australia), while Lutherans represent 2% (similar to Australia).

Doing the math on same sex marriage

In Australia 53% of adults are living in a registered marriage and 11% are in heterosexual de facto relationships, while less than 0.3% of adults are in a same sex de facto relationship.  Even if all of these couples were to marry they would still represent less than 1% of all marriages. In Canada, a decade after introduction, same sex marriages account for only 0.33% of all marriages.

Given the tiny numbers involved, and the fact that same sex de facto couples effectively already enjoy all the legal benefits of marriage in Australia, the motives behind the current push for “marriage equality" look suspect.

However, even if the definition of civil marriage shifts this does not change the definition of Christian marriage (see my previous post).

The Priesthood of All Believers

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9 ESV)

Luther formulated the doctrine of the “priesthood of all believers" in the early years of the Reformation. In To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (1520) he wrote that all Christians are equal before God regardless of whether they are clergy or laity:

The Pope, bishops, priests, monks and nuns are called the “spiritual class" while princes, lords, artisans and peasants are called the “secular class". This is a deceptive invention but no one should be concerned, for all Christians are truly of the spiritual class and there is no difference among them except in the work they do... for baptism, the gospel and faith alone make a spiritual and Christian people

Luther also reinforced the view that Christians exist in community and that the power to call individuals to ministry resides in this community:

Because we are all priests of equal standing, no one must push himself forward and take it upon himself, without our consent and election, to do that for which we all have equal authority. For no one dare take upon himself what is common to all without the authority and consent of the community

For a more detailed overview see “The Early Luther on Priesthood of All Believers, Office of the Ministry and Ordination" by Cameron MacKenzie of Concordia Theological Seminary.