The State of TheologyChange Survey Location
The State of Theology
What do believe about God, the Bible, and salvation? Ligonier Ministries Canada and Lifeway Research partnered to find out.
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Introduction
What Is This Survey?
The State of Theology is a nationwide survey revealing how people today view key doctrines of the Christian faith.
R.C. Sproul said that everyone is a theologian. The question is whether you’re a good theologian or a poor one.
Do your beliefs align with what God has revealed? Are your values and priorities based in the truth? Or do you embrace confused ideas that can lead your whole life astray?
This survey takes Canada’s theological temperature, revealing what people actually believe—both outside and inside the church. Our goal is to diagnose prominent errors and to prescribe the cure: the clear teaching of sound doctrine. We hope these findings equip Christians with insights for discipleship.
Canadian Evangelicals: Key Findings
Many responses from Canadian evangelicals align with biblical teaching. For example, 97% rightly agree that “God is unchanging.” Regarding marriage, 96% agree that “God created marriage to be between one man and one woman.” And 94% of evangelicals believe that “The Bible is 100% accurate in all that it teaches.”
While the results above are encouraging, other survey responses indicate that the beliefs of many Canadian evangelicals differ from scriptural teaching.
Who Is God?
For example, even though 93% agree that “There is one true God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit,” a majority of Canadian evangelicals (66%) believe that “The Holy Spirit is a force but is not a personal being.”
Statement No. 2There is one true God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
93% agree
Although it’s uncertain whether Canadian evangelicals would have responded more accurately about the distinct persons of God the Father and God the Son, the survey results clearly show that many do not have a solid understanding of the Holy Spirit as a distinct person of the Trinity—even though they also affirm the belief that “There is one true God in three persons” (emphasis added).
How Sinful Is Man?
There is also widespread misunderstanding regarding the nature of man after the fall, with 73% of Canadian evangelicals agreeing that “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God” and 60% agreeing that “Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.” Do these evangelicals not know what the Bible teaches about the implications of the fall and original sin? Or are they aware of these doctrines yet reject them?
Who Is Jesus? Is the Bible True?
Another concerning finding among Canadian evangelicals is that 45% agree that “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.” This error strikes at the core of multiple doctrines of the Christian faith, including the doctrine of God, the doctrine of sin, and the doctrine of salvation. It is hard to understand how almost half of those who affirm that “The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe” do not believe that Jesus is God—a doctrine clearly and explicitly taught in Scripture.
This confusion is compounded by the fact that 28% of Canadian evangelicals agree that “The Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true.” This contradiction of evangelicals’ asserting that the Bible is the highest authority for what they believe yet almost 30% deny the literal truth of Scripture raises the question: Why would these evangelicals say the Bible is their highest authority when they don’t believe it is literally true?
Statement No. 16The Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true.
28% agree
- The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe.
- It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
- Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.
- Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Saviour receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.
Respondents can also be identified as evangelical in The State of Theology data explorer based on their supplied church affiliation.
Canadian Adults: Key Findings
The survey data below analyzes the answers of the Canadian population as a whole.
Provincial Differences
The State of Theology Canada survey included respondents from all ten of Canada’s provinces. The following regional differences were found:
God is a perfect being and cannot make a mistake.
Canadians in Ontario (56%) and the Prairies (55%) are more likely to agree than those in Quebec (47%), British Columbia (49%), and Atlantic (46%).
God created marriage to be between one man and one woman.
Canadians in Ontario (60%) and the Prairies (59%) are more likely to agree than those in Quebec (48%), British Columbia (52%), and Atlantic (49%).
Secular vs. Biblical Worldviews
The theological weaknesses shown in the survey results for Canadian evangelicals are naturally more widespread in the Canadian general population. At the same time, the responses of Canadians overall are sometimes not as secular as popular media narratives may portray. The results are often mixed, with a clear preference for secular ideas but also a lingering understanding of Christian beliefs.
For example:
Beliefs About the Bible
- 54% believe that the Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true.
- 48% agree that biblical accounts of the physical (bodily) resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate and that the event actually occurred.
Beliefs About God
- 56% agree that there is one true God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Beliefs About Morality
- 50% agree that the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behaviour doesn’t apply today.
Spiritual Uncertainty and Gospel Opportunity
One clear theme in these findings is that many Canadians are unsure of what the Bible teaches or what they believe, with a notable number of respondents answering “not sure.” This indicates a large mission field in Canada ready for faithful Christian outreach and evangelism.
Biblical accounts of the physical (bodily) resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate. This event actually occurred.
24% are not sure if the resurrection of Jesus actually occurred.
The Holy Spirit gives a spiritual new birth or new life before a person has faith in Jesus Christ.
34% are not sure if the Holy Spirit gives a spiritual new birth or new life before a person has faith in Jesus Christ.
Modern science disproves the Bible.
23% are not sure if modern science disproves the Bible.
God chose the people he would save before he created the world.
27% are not sure if God chose the people He would save before He created the world.
Generational Differences
Lifeway Research analyzed differences by age group, considering the Canadian population in four different age cohorts: 18–34, 35–49, 50–64, and 65+. The answers given by these cohorts vary statement by statement, but it is worth briefly comparing the distinctive responses of the younger two cohorts with the older two cohorts.
Hell is a real place where certain people will be punished forever.
Canadians age 18–34 (49%) and 35–49 (49%) are more likely to agree than 50–64 (37%) and 65+ (27%).
Even the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation.
Canadians age 50–64 (72%) and 65+ (75%) are more likely to disagree than 18–34 (61%) and 35–49 (61%).
The Bible has the authority to tell us what we must do.
Canadians age 18–34 (39%) and 35–49 (39%) are more likely to agree than 50–64 (30%) and 65+ (28%).
Abortion is a sin.
Canadians age 50–64 (59%) and 65+ (62%) are more likely to disagree than 18–34 (52%) and 35–49 (49%).
Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Saviour receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.
Canadians age 18–34 (48%) and 35–49 (45%) are more likely to agree than 50–64 (35%) and 65+ (31%).
Every Christian has an obligation to join a local church.
Canadians age 50–64 (64%) and 65+ (70%) are more likely to disagree than 18–34 (47%) and 35–49 (55%).
There has been recent commentary on a possible renewed interest in Christianity among younger Canadians. The findings of the first State of Theology Canada survey do indicate a more widespread acceptance of biblical teaching by younger respondents, especially on those topics where historic Christian theology is more obviously in conflict with secular attitudes.
Conclusion
The Need for Discipleship and Evangelism
The 2026 State of Theology Canada survey reveals some positive findings regarding the beliefs of Canadian evangelicals. At the same time, there is much evidence of evangelicals’ holding unbiblical beliefs as well as doctrinally contradictory beliefs.
All this suggests the ongoing need for (1) pastors and ministry leaders who are trained in sound doctrine and can communicate the truths of Scripture to their congregations, (2) resources to help Christians grow in their understanding of God’s Word, and (3) targeted teaching in areas where evangelicals embrace secular ideology over biblical truth. This requires faithfulness in both the public ministry of the Word and the private ministry of the Word, coming alongside those who need targeted discipleship in specific points of Christian doctrine and living.
Regarding the general population in Canada, there is clearly much opportunity for engaging with gospel truth those who are uncertain what they believe or uncertain what the Bible teaches—particularly with younger generations, who appear more receptive to biblical teaching than older generations. And as faithful biblical teaching goes out from local churches and believers share their faith, Canadians can be reached with the truth of God’s Word and the hope of the gospel as God draws many people to Himself.
Go Deeper with The State of Theology
Explore All Survey Results
Take a closer look at the answers to every survey question.