Question about Canada's history and religion (Related to Lord's Prayer in ON)

[photon]

They were talking on the radio on the way home about the Lord's Prayer in Ontario's Legislature, and the natural conversation path I could see happening flashed through my mind and I got to a point where I've never really considered before.

I'm bad at history, I ignored it most of school and only regret it in my older age nowadays. So I have a specific quesiton: What role did religion in general and Christianity specifically play in the foundation of Canada?

Reason I ask is I could see the discussion of the Lord's Prayer in governments quickly leading to the "This is a Christian nation" position.

Of course I know the ins and outs of the whole debate for the US because I've seen it argued in every remotely religious discussion on Fark or digg or wherever. Yes it's sad I know more about it for the US than my own country.

So anyway, honest question that I have no clue as to the answer, if someone takes the "this is a Christian nation" position with relation to Christian prayers and such in Canadian governments, is that accurate? What role did Christianity (if any) play in founding Canada, or establishing the current laws and charter and such?

I guess the issue itself could be discussed in this thread as well if you want.

[Calgaryborn]

Below is a link to the Quebec Act which basically gave that province to the Roman Catholic church. It is my understanding that there was quite a debate in the House of Lords concerning this legislation. England still had a mistrust of anything Catholic. But,they were concerned about the possibility of an American invasion and needed the support of the French Canadians in the event of a war. By giving ecclesiastical authority to the Catholic church they gained the considerable influence the church had upon the french Canadians and natives. The Catholic church would feel as threatened as the English did with a possible American invasion.

http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/C...n/qa_1774.html

For the rest of us of course the King was also head of both the church of England(Anglican) and the church of Scotland(Presbyterian). Also, it was an act of Parliament which formed the United Church; the largest Protestant church in Canada. The United church formed by the joining of three separate denominations but, I don't remember the three off the top of my head. In Quebec one of the perks of being the official religion of the Province was that they ran the public school system with funding from the Province. I believe there are a couple of other eastern provinces the have or had the same arrangement with a denomination.

[llama64]

You *could* say that Canada was a Christian nation when it was founded (or settled). But that is essentially applying a current day context to a time in which it doesn't make sense.

Everyone involved in the founding of Canada was "Christian", or at least Anglican. The head of our Nation is the Monarchy, who ruled by divine right. Past that, the religious aspect was and still is largely traditional.

The US was founded by elites deeply influenced by the Enlightenment thinkers of France and England. A big component of the Enlightenment was the rejection of traditional authority and the rejection of anything other then "Rationalism". So, comparing the two nations at birth, Canada was an extension of a traditional Christian nation deeply entrenched in tradition while the US was founded on the rejection of the traditional English rule.

But as I said, it might be a bit misleading to call Canada a "Christian" nation at founding since it was mostly cultural and tradition rather then a deep sense of belief at the base of things like the "Lord's Prayer" in Ontario.

That's my own interpretation of it. There are other views which basically assume that because the culture was more or less Christian, it necessarily follows that Canada was founded as a "Christian Nation". History doesn't really lend itself to absolute answers in this regard.

I doubt I answered your question, but it was fun to break out the undergrad knowledge

[Rathji]

As to why they say the lords prayer in Ontario Leg, I can't say for sure, but I can give some related info which might help you understand the general attitude of people at the time which could have contributed to it.

It all goes back to when the English took control of New France. The French wanted guaranteed protection of their religion and their way of life, which included many things like French Civil law, the seigneurial system and the Roman Catholic Church being allowed to be the main religion in Lower Canada.

The relationship between Roman Catholics and the Church of England was a very turbulent one, partially due to the Church of England being formed because some king(forgot which one) wanted to divorce his wife and the RC Church would not allow it.

To make a VERY long story short, the French Canadians wanted to make sure the English wouldn't screw them over in Confederation (3 English speaking provinces to 1) so they wanted to add in protection for those RC's living in the rest of Canada (mostly Ontario). This caused the English speaking merchants of Quebec(who held alot of political power) to want the same provisions for Anglicans in Quebec. There was controversy, but in the end it made it into the BNA Act. This sentiment we can see today in the whole distinct society stuff that Quebec is entitled to.

This might not answer your question, but bottom line is: Religion played a huge role in the development of North America and thier politics. This nation was formed by Christian men (RC, Anglican, Presb's etc), and despite the problem some people have with living in a "Christian Nation", it was created by men who held those ideals, who fought tooth and nail to have those ideals guaranteed to them in the Constitution.

Trying to deny that fact, simply because you don't agree that it should be, doesn't make it any less true.

[photon]

Interesting, thanks guys.

As an aside I also did find out that other provinces have rotating prayers in the legislature for different faiths.

[Calgaryborn]

http://ia341207.us.archive.org/2/ite...f_the_Civi.pdf

This is a little off topic but check out the above book. On pg 249 in the book(which is pg 252 on the side bar) there is a motion by Ben Franklin concerning prayer in Congress. His speech starts at the bottom of the page.