New Research Initiative on Canadian Evangelicals

Here’s an excerpt from a press release issued by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada earlier this week:

The Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism (CRCE) released the first issue of Church & Faith Trends, its online journal, on October 18, 2007. Church & Faith Trends will help the CRCE improve the accuracy of both scholarly and public representations of Canadian Evangelicals and assist ministry leaders in their work.

Church & Faith Trends is a publication of the Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism, which is an initiative of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC).

This important new journal is a must read for pastors, ministry leaders and culture watchers,” said Bruce J. Clemenger, president of the EFC. “Anyone who wants to understand the character and dynamism of evangelicalism and church trends in Canada will benefit from its content.”

John G. Stackhouse Jr., senior advisor to the CRCE, said, “The recent wave of excellent scholarship and polling on Canadian Evangelicals has yet to break upon the consciousness of most Canadian reporters, politicians, and citizens. The CRCE will help to ensure this work gets the attention it deserves.”

This inaugural issue features an article by Stackhouse that defines Evangelicalism, which will benefit church leaders, academics and media. Also included in this issue is an article, by CRCE program manager Rick Hiemstra, on how Canadian Evangelicals have been counted by government and pollsters, a report on the 2007 Evangelism Survey, and research news on Canadian Evangelicalism.

The journal can be found at www.churchandfaithtrends.ca.