A new national survey has revealed a striking contrast in Canadians’ attitudes towards Jesus and Christianity, with many expressing “admiration and appreciation for Jesus” while associating the Christian faith with judgement, control and division.
The research, conducted by Angus Reid Group in partnership with Alpha Canada and The Message Canada, found that 76% of Canadians regard Jesus as loving and 73% as selfless.
However, 64% described Christianity as judgmental, 62% said it causes arguments, and 57% considered it controlling.
The findings, released on 15 October, suggest that although many Canadians remain interested in spiritual matters, negative perceptions of organised religion continue to present challenges for churches seeking to engage with the wider public.
The study, titled ‘Seeds of Openness: How Canadians View Faith Conversations, the Church and Jesus’, surveyed 3,000 Canadian adults online between 10 and 18 February 2026.
An accompanying report, ‘Sharing Jesus’, written by Dr Bill Hogg, president of The Message Canada, examines what the findings mean for Christian evangelism.
According to the research, nearly two-thirds (64%) of Canadians consider themselves spiritual, but in their own way, while 56% are receptive to spiritual or transcendent experiences.
Around 70% of adults actively seek understanding and conversations about meaning, purpose, beliefs and spirituality, or often think and speak about these topics, suggesting that declining attachment to religious institutions does not necessarily indicate a lack of interest in faith.
Among the questions weighing most heavily on respondents were whether everything would turn out all right (52%), what would bring them genuine happiness (51%) and what happens after death (43%).
Over two-thirds also believed that Canadian society lacks a common sense of meaning and purpose capable of bringing people together.
Dr Hogg suggested that these concerns present an opportunity for churches to engage with people’s deeper questions about life and faith.
“The Church has an opportunity to show that Jesus and the King Jesus story offer a credible and life-giving answer to the meaning Canadians already know they need,” he wrote.
Nevertheless, the research also uncovered considerable resistance to Christianity.
Around three-quarters of non-Christians expressed no interest “in exploring Christianity in any form”, while approximately half reported feeling uneasy when people spoke openly about their faith.
The report also found that many non-Christians believe religion has historically “been used to control or harm people”, contributing to distrust towards religious institutions.
Despite these reservations, personal relationships appear to play an important role in determining whether people are willing to engage in conversations about Christianity.
More than eight in ten non-Christians (81%) reported having at least one practising Christian in their social circle, often a close friend or family member, while 67% had previously discussed faith with a churchgoing Christian.
Among non-Christian respondents, 26% had done so within the previous year, while 41% had engaged in such a conversation more than a year earlier.
However, experiences of these discussions varied considerably.
Nearly half of non-Christian respondents who had discussed faith with a churchgoing Christian described their most recent conversation as respectful, while approximately one-third considered it personal.
A similar proportion characterised the experience as preachy.
Slightly more than one in four of these encounters were classified as positive connections marked by openness, mutual understanding and respect.
The report emphasised that trust and the quality of personal relationships are often more influential than formal religious activities in encouraging people to consider Christianity.
It observed that “rapport is a precondition and respect is permission”, highlighting the importance of listening and genuine friendship rather than pressuring others to accept particular beliefs.
The findings also revealed a lack of confidence among Christians themselves when it comes to evangelism.
For the purposes of the study, practising Christians were defined as those who attend church at least monthly and pray or read the Bible at least weekly.
Fewer than one-third of practising Christians reported having the confidence to speak to others about their Christian beliefs, with only 30% considering themselves sufficiently knowledgeable and 31% feeling at ease doing so.
The report identified a need for churches to provide greater support and practical training to help believers communicate their faith clearly and sensitively.
It also noted that Christians were more likely to discuss their beliefs with fellow Christians than with those outside the faith.
Nearly eight in ten practising Christians reported speaking about faith with other believers at least sometimes, compared with approximately six in ten who did so with non-Christians.
When such conversations occurred, they tended to focus on personal experiences and general beliefs, with fewer addressing church activities, Bible teaching, or the historicity of Jesus and Scripture.
Dr Hogg encouraged churches to place greater emphasis on Jesus himself, particularly given the comparatively favourable perceptions of him among the Canadian public.
“Orbiting around the Person of Jesus—His character, His stories, His cross and resurrection—can open doors that might remain closed if we begin by defending the institutions of ‘religion’, ‘Christianity’ or ‘the Church’,” he wrote.
The report also highlighted the importance of providing welcoming environments where people can openly discuss faith, ask questions and explore Christian beliefs.
Among non-Christians, 42% found the idea of a dedicated space for faith conversations appealing, rising to 53% among non-practising Christians.
Alpha Canada, which organises free gatherings combining food, short films and discussions about Christianity, said the findings reinforced the importance of creating welcoming environments where people can explore religious questions without pressure.
The national director of Alpha Canada, Shaila Visser, commented: “We believe that everyone deserves a safe and welcoming space to explore life's questions.
“This data tells us this is what Canadians are looking for, and we want to support churches in creating that space.”
Dr Hogg similarly said: “Trust is earned through authentic relationships.
“An antidote to polarization is hospitality: welcoming honest questions, listening without defensiveness, and respecting people without pressuring them to agree.”
The report ultimately calls on churches to prioritise prayer, equip Christians to share their faith, focus more directly on the message of Jesus and provide opportunities for open discussion.
It concludes: “For the Church, this moment is an invitation and an opportunity. By focusing on relational proximity, honest conversation, humble storytelling, and prayerful dependence on the Holy Spirit, Christians in Canada can share Jesus in ways that resonate deeply with the longings of their neighbours.
“Evangelism in this context is less about volume and more about presence—less about winning arguments and more about sharing Jesus in word and deed.”
