The Encyclopedia of World Religions

72 S Canada, religion in

European Canada, centered around the St. Law rence River, was essentially French and Catholic. But rivalry with Britain, as it established colonies on the Atlantic seaboard of what would become the United States, was intense and resulted in a few Protestant settlements in the area. In 1763, as a result of the treaty ending the Seven Years’ War (known in America as the French and Indian War), Canada passed from French to British rule. British settlers, soon abetted by Loyalists from the rebel lious Thirteen Colonies south of Canada, quickly occupied the territories now known as the Mari time Provinces and Ontario. Soon the fundamental religious and cultural alignment of Canada that has prevailed ever since was in place: Québec, the main area of original French settlement, French in language and culture and Roman Catholic in religion; the Maritime Prov inces, Ontario, and, in time, provinces further west were mainly Protestant, with significant Catho lic minorities. Protestants were originally largely Anglicans from England, Presbyterians from Scot land, and members of smaller British denomina tions. Roman Catholics from Ireland also came to Canada. Canada is, however, like the United States ( see U NITED S TATES , RELIGION IN ), a nation of immigrants and so a nation of religious pluralism. Over the years, German, Scandinavian, Dutch, and eastern European newcomers brought Lutheran, Reformed, and E ASTERN O RTHODOX religious life to the north ern nation. Russian M ENNONITES , seeking religious freedom, arrived in 1874, and Chinese Buddhist railroad workers in the 1880s. A Jewish synagogue was established as early as 1760 near Montréal. In the 20th century, S IKHS , Muslims ( see I SLAM ), and H INDUS came to Canada in significant numbers. By the turn of the 21st century, Canada’s popu lation of 31 million was 45 percent Roman Catholic and nearly 25 percent Protestant and other Chris tians, such as Mormon and Eastern Orthodox. The largest Protestant denomination was the United Church of Canada, formed in 1925 as a union of Methodists, Congregationalists, and some Pres byterians. Next largest was the Anglican Church of Canada. Most other wings of Christianity were

Canaanite WORSHIP was much like worship in other parts of the ancient Near East. It centered on SACRIFICES and offerings. The Canaanites performed these on at least two social levels. One level was the city. The king oversaw its worship. The second level was the local community. Individuals seem to have performed in local cults for themselves. They sacrificed at high places throughout the year. They also held celebrations in conjunction with planting and harvesting in spring and autumn. Like many ancient peoples, the Canaanites had a complex system of RITUAL specialists. It is not clear what any of the specialists mentioned in the Canaanite texts actually did. During the first millennium, Canaanite religion in Palestine gradually gave way to the worship of YHWH. But the worship of YHWH also adopted Canaanite elements. In some sense, YHWH com bines the characteristics of El and Baal. He cre ates the world. He is also a god of the storms. Like Baal, he rides the clouds (Psalms 68.4) and defeats the sea (P SALMS 89.9–10; J OB 26.12–13). It is also possible that Canaanite agricultural festivals lie behind the J EWISH FESTIVALS OF P ASSOVER , Shavuot, and Sukkot. Canada, religion in The complex religious her itage of the nation of Canada. For thousands of years before European contact, Native Americans dwelling in what is now Canada practiced vari ous forms of Native American Religions. In the far north, in areas bordering the Arctic Ocean, this heritage has been Inuit (Eskimo). Inuit spiritual practice has particularly involved hunting religion (see P RIMAL R ELIGION ) and SHAMANISM . The Native American religious heritage, evidenced in such common symbols as the “totem pole,” has been important to many Canadians of both indigenous and European or other descent. The Roman Catholic Church came to Canada with French settlement in what is now Nova Scotia in 1603, spreading to the present Québec in 1608. With the settlements came Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries eager to spread Catholicism among the native population. During the 17th century,