Are Canadians becoming less religious? After playing a central role in our lives for nearly a century, religion did seem to be losing its salience in Canada and elsewhere. Many observers saw this trend as ongoing and inevitable, reflecting secularization patterns seen elsewhere in the Western world. But there is more to the story. Reginald Bibby’s Resilient Gods takes an in-depth look at the religious landscape in Canada today. Pulling together extensive data, he finds that a solid core of some 30 percent continue to embrace religion and view it as important in their lives. Concomitantly, a similar proportion indicates that they are rejecting religion. The remaining 40 percent are somewhere in the middle. The picture that emerges is not one of religious decline but rather of religious polarization, with the numbers of “pro-religious," “no religious," and “low religious" in flux along a shifting continuum. Such proclivities are influenced by any number of social and cultural factors, one being increased immigration, which has ensured the viability of a pro-religious core in Canada’s foreseeable future. The gods are here to stay, Bibby argues, but so what? Using the most current information available, including unique national survey data, he explores the implications of pro-religious, no-religious, and low-religious choices for personal and social well-being, spirituality, and attitudes towards death. The questions he asks are compelling and the answers thought-provoking whether one embraces the gods or not. | Resilient Gods by Reginald W. Bibby, Paperback | Indigo Chapters