As Canadians we live in a pluralistic society. As a Christian in Canada, I’ve been comfortable accepting that beliefs that I hold sacred are not the only ones out there. In typical Canadian fashion, I’ve been willing to uphold the vision of a pluralistic society and endorse tolerance in the belief that everyone’s religion should be valued. But I think that I’ve unwittingly conspired in the demise of Christianity in Canada because the game has been rigged.

Let me explain.

In his book, The Rise of Christianity, sociologist Rodney Stark examines the conditions that led to Christianity surpassing the other religions of ancient Rome. At one point, he shares three principles that he borrows from economics to explain how competing religious ideas operate in a pluralistic society. I’d like to use the principles to reflect on the religious landscape in Canada.

The first is that “The capacity of a single religious firm to monopolize a religious economy depends upon the degree to which the state uses coercive force to regulate the religious economy.” (Stark, 1996, p. 94) In one sense our Canadian government does not endorse one religion over another. However, if you believe that in many respects an ideology is like a religion, then I would propose that the government of Canada, for at least the last 40 years (1982 Constitution Act officially separated church and state in Canada), have advanced Secularism to the point that it is the primary “religious” belief of most Canadians. 

Secularism is “generally understood to mean the ordering of public life exclusively on the basis of non-religious practices and values. It is viewed by many as a neutral ground that stands outside religious controversy.”[quote: Richard Moon, “Introduction: Law and Religious Pluralism in Canada,”]  (Rosalie Jukier, 2010) The implication of this is that whether you identify as a Christian, or belong to some other religion, in everyday life your behaviours are influenced by the tenets of Secularism at work in our country through Canadian legislation. The message to Canadians is that there is no room in public life for religion, quite the opposite – religious belief is meant to be private. 

Stark’s second theoretical proposition is that, “To the degree that a religious economy is unregulated, it will tend to be very pluralistic.” Undoubtedly, in Canada the religious market is officially unregulated and appears very pluralistic. But, because Secularism in Canada is supported by the state, pressure is put on Canadians to play by secularism’s rules. Secularism puts humanity in the centre of its worldview.  God gets bumped from the center and put in a religious niche, in keeping with a humanistic ideology. The consequence of this is that the monopoly of Secularism is reinforced, and free market pluralism is further undermined, again, “leaving the public sphere free of any expression of religion.” (Rosalie Jukier, 2010) 

Finally, in a religious market that really isn’t free, Stark’s third theoretical supposition becomes moot. He notes that “Once pluralism is in full bloom, however, a third proposition applies: Pluralism inhibits the ability of new religious firms to gain a market share.” (Stark, 1996) If the market was open, then the most vigorous religion would dominate. Since the market is subject to the rules of secularism, which confines religion to a particular sphere of life, then it matters much less whether a religious option is “dispirited” or “lazy”, because (particularly in Christianity’s case), they’re not allowed to function as meta-concepts that explain the world and bring meaning to human flourishing.

So, what is our takeaway? Is all lost if we want to see Christianity influence every sphere of society? 

I’d say, no! First, as Christians, we need to affirm, to ourselves and others within the Christian community, that Jesus created all things and that he rules and reigns over all things. I’m not proposing remodeling Canadian society around Christian nationalism. To advance Christianity in Canadian society, in opposition to the compartmentalizing influence of Secularism, we need to recognize Jesus’ Lordship and meditate on how that impacts our actions in every sphere of society. This will require great courage, even at the cost of personal suffering.

Second, in a great observation on secular humanism – the root of secularism, Craig Gay says,

Having liberated ourselves from a divinely inspired and therefore inherently meaningful universe [mine: by the removal of God from the centre], we find that we are now plagued by an acute sense of insecurity and homelessness. We are terrified by the freedom we have grasped, even if we are not willing to let go of it. This appears to explain why contemporary culture exhibits a longing for a real God, in spite of the fact that all the various modern “theologies” tend to leave the modern will-to-self-definition largely intact, thereby repudiating divine authority. Apparently we want the coherence that the idea of God was once able to provide for our culture without the inconvenience of actually having to obey the living God. (Gay, 1998, p. 240)

It seems that Craig is suggesting that if we want a greater sense of coherence in our lives that we need to walk in greater obedience to the will of God. In turn, obedience to God’s commands leads to the manifestation of his Kingdom on earth. The starting point for obedience is the command – “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Every good in our world springs out of this command. Spending time with Jesus is essential for our love to grow. With a blossoming love for him, our passion for sharing his love with the world, in word and deed,  grows too.

If you believe that Jesus is Lord, may you be blessed with a growing desire to spend time with him so that your love for him grows to the point of overflowing. And, contrary to the secular messaging you receive daily, be sure to share the hope you are experiencing in Jesus with others, regardless of whether you know them at work, at home, at play, or at school.