Context: The Confederation Report
Host: Steven R. Martins
Language: English
This is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a Biblical worldview.
Part I: Evangelicalism in Canada (0:05-6:21)
Evangelicalism in Canada has moved from cultural prominence to the margins, yet remains resilient and quietly reforming in the face of secularism, with hopeful signs of gospel growth across the nation.
Part II: Who’s Your Role Model? (6:25-10:22)
The Paideia Study Center will be a dedicated hub in Niagara for training Christians to think, live, and serve faithfully in every area of life under the lordship of Christ.
Did You Know? (10:24-11:08)
Billy Graham’s first Canadian Crusade in 1955 drew over 356,000 people to Toronto, marking the beginning of a decades-long gospel legacy that included the debut of “How Great Thou Art” by Canadian soloist George Beverly Shea.
Recommended Reading (11:10-13:08)
Willem J. Ouweneel’s Power in Service offers a timely and biblical framework for understanding political authority under Christ’s lordship—especially vital in an age when the state increasingly claims power over the Christian family and conscience.
Transcript:
It’s Week 20 of 2025, and this is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a biblical worldview. I’m Steven R. Martins, and each week, we deconstruct the headlines, challenge secular narratives, and apply Scripture to the issues that matter. Because Christ is Lord—over Canada, over culture, over all of life.
Part I: Evangelicalism in Canada (0:05-6:21)
Where does Canada stand when we consider its evangelical presence and influence over the course of time, from Confederation to today?
Drawing from the research and historical reflections of John G. Stackhouse, Jr., originally published in Faith Today and later posted by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, evangelicalism in Canada presents a complex story of decline, resilience, and quiet reformation. By the time of Confederation in 1867, evangelical Christianity was already firmly rooted, especially in the Maritimes, where revivalist movements led by figures such as Henry Alline, Freeborn Garrison, and James McGregor shaped not only individual piety but entire communities. These awakenings left a lasting imprint on Maritime culture—a legacy that remains evident today. Meanwhile, provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, though not yet part of Canada at the time, experienced similar evangelical revivals through the influence of the Salvation Army and Pentecostal movements.
In contrast, Quebec long resisted evangelical influence due to the dominance of Roman Catholicism. Restrictive laws suppressed Protestant evangelism until the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, which ushered in rapid secularization and weakened the grip of the Church. Today, evangelicals in Quebec face a different kind of challenge—not Catholic opposition, but a deeply secular society with little knowledge of or affinity for Protestant Christianity. This regional trend reflects a broader national shift, as the cultural authority of historic Christianity steadily declined across Canada following the social upheavals of the 1960s.
The century leading up to that shift, particularly from the 1860s to the 1960s, marked a high point for Protestant evangelical influence in Canadian public life, especially in Ontario. Evangelicals established schools, hospitals, and charitable institutions, and cities like Toronto came to embody evangelical ideals—earning the nickname “Toronto the Good.” Yet, as secularism and pluralism expanded, this cultural dominance diminished. Today, though Ontario remains home to several major evangelical institutions—such as Tyndale University and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada—evangelicals now comprise less than 10% of the population and operate on the periphery of public influence.
Western Canada, including the Prairie provinces, offers a somewhat different trajectory. Evangelicalism in this region has been deeply shaped by Mennonite immigration, particularly in Manitoba, where Mennonites contributed significantly to social ministries like the Mennonite Central Committee. Evangelicals here have also benefited from more favorable provincial policies on Christian education, with several colleges continuing to operate and thrive. Still, like their counterparts elsewhere in the country, these institutions face ongoing financial pressures and must contend with shifting cultural expectations.
British Columbia exemplifies the paradox of Canadian evangelicalism. It has the highest rate of religious disaffiliation in the country, yet is home to some of its most vibrant evangelical communities. The Fraser Valley, for instance, hosts several large churches and Canada’s largest Christian university, Trinity Western. Immigration from Asia has further bolstered urban evangelical congregations, although the long-term commitment of second-generation immigrants remains uncertain. Despite the post-Christian ethos of cities like Vancouver, there are signs of growth, especially among young, ethnically diverse worshippers.
Even so, Stackhouse in his research highlights significant internal challenges. Indigenous, immigrant, and Francophone evangelical leaders remain largely absent from national evangelical platforms. Financial strain continues to affect churches, schools, and ministries. The movement also lacks nationally recognized leaders or public voices. Meanwhile, ethical and legal conflicts—especially regarding sexuality, abortion, and assisted death—have placed evangelicals in increasing tension with Canada’s secular culture. Trinity Western’s legal struggles serve as a case in point, indicating a future in which evangelical convictions may be further marginalized.
Yet Stackhouse concludes on a hopeful note. In places once considered inhospitable to the gospel—like downtown Vancouver and Montreal—evangelical churches are quietly flourishing. Without celebrity figures, local pastors and laypeople are faithfully proclaiming the Word. With continued youth retention, immigration growth, and renewed openness among disillusioned Canadians, some say that evangelicalism may yet have a future. I say, given our understanding of Holy Scripture, that the gospel will triumph, it’s a sure fact. Perhaps not in our generation, or in that of our children’s or grandchildren’s, but it will as long as Christ is Lord (and that’s for all eternity), and that will be a most glorious day. To see the nation of Canada professing faith in Christ. Until then, we work, we sow, and we look forward in hope, building for the future as we expand God’s kingdom in the present.
Part II: The Vision for a Study Center (6:25-10:22)
In light of what we’ve covered, it’s clear that we need a more intentional and strategic cultivation of Christian thinkers equipped to engage the culture. Imagine, then, a place set apart for truth—a center of Christian wisdom in the heart of Niagara, devoted to meeting that very need.
Imagine a study center—not merely a building, not merely a library, not merely a meeting area, but a consecrated space. A place where Scripture is not only opened, but applied to every aspect of life. Where the truths of Scripture are not only taught, but embodied. Where believers are equipped—heart, mind, and life—for the glory of Christ and the good of His church.
The Cántaro Institute envisions just such a place: the Paideia Study Center, a hub of Christian instruction and formation rooted in the historic doctrines of the Reformed tradition. Taking its name from the Greek biblical term for “training” or “discipline,” the Paideia Study Center will serve as a strategic outpost for worldview formation, discipleship, and cultural renewal in the Niagara region and beyond.
At the heart of this vision is a single conviction: that Jesus Christ is Lord—not only over the church, but over every sphere of life. This was the clarion call of Abraham Kuyper, Herman Dooyeweerd, Cornelius Van Til, and H. Evan Runner. It is the enduring legacy of faithful Reformers, philosophers, theologians, and pastors who believed that the Scriptures speak to all of life.
The Paideia Study Center will stand on that same tradition. It will provide a setting for in-depth teaching, seminars, mentorship, retreats, and publishing efforts. Whether one is a student, a professional, a pastor, a teacher, or a layperson, the Center will offer space and guidance to grow in wisdom, courage, and Christian conviction.
The building will feature a specialized library, curated to include classic works in Reformed theology, Christian philosophy, and cultural engagement—anchored by the Cántaro Institute’s own publications (Paideia Press and Cántaro Publications). In its halls, visitors will find more than books, they’ll find a thoughtful selection of art, historical artifacts, and museum-quality reproductions that will serve to catechize the imagination and stir the affections.
At the center of it all will be a flexible chapel and lecture hall, a space for teaching and worship, public lectures and quiet prayer—where doctrine and doxology meet.
Located in the Niagara region, and within reach of institutions such as Redeemer University, Brock University, Niagara College, and the University of Niagara Falls, the Center will serve as a natural gathering place for those seeking sound doctrine and serious discipleship. It will also serve as the headquarters for the growing work of the Cántaro Institute in publishing, mentorship, and cultural engagement.
The first step in this vision is the fundraising for the acquisition and renovation of a suitable facility. This will house administrative offices, the resource library, flexible teaching spaces, and our expanding book inventory. But beyond the practical, this is a foundation for future faithfulness—for a generation that must be equipped to stand.
We are seeking partners who share this vision: to see the church strengthened, the truth upheld, and the next generation equipped to think clearly, love deeply, and live courageously for Christ.
Would you join us in establishing a place where minds are sharpened, hearts are awakened, and Christ is exalted?
Partner with us today.
Did You Know? (10:24-11:08)
Who doesn’t know the name of Billy Graham, the evangelist who was called by God to preach the gospel everywhere he could go? While there are certainly theological disagreements that may surface as we survey his life and thought, we cannot deny that he was God’s servant in faithfully preaching the gospel. Graham’s first Canadian Crusade took place in Toronto in 1955, drawing over 356,000 people to Maple Leaf Gardens. Thousands committed their lives to Christ, and it was during this month-long event that George Beverly Shea—himself a Canadian—first sang “How Great Thou Art,” a song that would become a hallmark of Graham’s global ministry for the next five decades.
Recommended Reading (11:10-13:08)
This week’s recommended resource is Power In Service: An Introduction to Christian Political Thought by Willem J. Ouweneel, published by Paideia Press. On trial for His life, Jesus told Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11). With this single sentence, Christ redefined the nature of earthly authority—it is derivative, never autonomous. Ouweneel’s book explores this principle in depth, offering readers a biblically grounded framework for understanding the limits of state power and the scope of Christian political responsibility. The Kingdom of God, Scripture tells us, “is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Cor. 4:20), and it manifests wherever Christ’s lordship is exercised—even, paradoxically, through persecution (Matt. 12:28). When power is abused, Christians must be prepared to discern and resist it faithfully.
This is not theory alone—it is painfully real. In Quebec, Canada, there was a case in which the Quebec Court of Appeal sided with the government, granting it the authority to override Christian parents and institutions in the religious formation of their children. By erasing the line between church and state, secularism has not retreated—it has enthroned itself as the new state religion. The same government that tells a mother she may dispose of her unborn child now turns to Christian parents and declares: “Though you birthed and raised this child, the mind and soul belong to us.” In such moments, the Christian must ask—as the apostles did before the Sanhedrin—“Whom shall we obey: God or man?” Ouweneel’s work is both timely and timeless, equipping believers to answer that question with both courage and conviction, while still striving to be a faithful citizen.
Closing Words
Thanks for listening to The Confederation Report, this podcast is brought to you by the Cántaro Institute. Visit our website at cantaroinstitute.org for more information. For books to read on worldview, philosophy, and theology, visit our store at cantaroinstitute.store
We’ll meet again next week.
Documentation and Additional Reading:
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (John G. Stackhouse, Jr.)
The rise and fall (and rise?) of evangelicalism in Canada
Cántaro Institute
Paideia Study Center: A Building Prospectus