RELIGION, irrelevance of

When in comes to belief in God, Canada's young people are a lot like their elders, but they view religion as relatively unimportant, according to a federally sponsored study conducted by two experienced observers of Canadian social trends. Entitled Canada's Youth: Ready for Today, the study was authored by Alberta sociologist Reginald Bibby and Ontario youth consultant Donald Posterski. The finding showed that 84 percent of the young people surveyed believe in God and 81 percent in the divinity of Jesus. Those figures are almost identical to previous Canadian statistics relating to the overall population. Over 80 percent of those surveyed said they would want a religious funeral or wedding; about 75 percent would involve a minister, priest, or rabbi in a birth-related rite. Only one in ten, however, indicated that God has "a great deal" of influence on how they live. Further, only one in 200 said they look to a religious leader for counsel or assistance. 

Christianity Today, February 3, 1989, p. 52-3.