The Demographic Shift in the Diocese of Toronto

Canadian Church

The average Anglican congregation is made up of predominantly "Elders" supportive of the religious institutions. There are so few people in our churches between fifteen and fifty-one years of age because support of church is not a characteristic of Boomers and Generation X-ers. They are not religious in the same way as their parents and grandparents were. We have instinctively felt this for a long time but are now discovering statistics that support this hunch.

Baby Boom Tribes

The four Baby Boomer Tribes now occupy most of the good jobs in Canada and will soon be moving into the top positions of power. One Boomers Tribe, called "Disengaged Darwinists", are strong in Metro Toronto, particularly amongst men and blue collar workers. Their key values of "fear" and "nostalgia for the past" would encourage us to develop a few historical churches. Comfort for their fears could be our theme. They might come looking for history but this alone will not support a church building.

U.S. Strength

Unlike the U.S. where faith in institutions has remained high and attendance at church is still about 40%, Canadians who were once more religious, are now markedly less so. Canadian church institutions will be frowned upon in the future, and be given less acknowledgment and power. When the Church speaks, the media will no longer say, "So what!" but "Be quiet!"

"The Canadian Church"

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