ALBERTA, Canada -- More Canadians are heading to church and seeking God, according to a new survey by the country's foremost religion pollster.
A survey of 3,500 Canadians - adults and youth - over the last five years found that a 30-year downward trend in church attendance has been halted and youth attendance has rebounded, according to the Episcopal News Service.
Reginald Bibby, who teaches sociology at Alberta's University of Lethbridge, has monitored religious trends in Canada every five years since the 1970s. Bibby said the spiritual renewal he discovered in his recent study was particularly strong among Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Church of Canada and Roman Catholic churches.
More than 80 percent of those polled said they believed in God, 75 percent prayed at least occasionally, 73 percent admitted to having spiritual needs, 68 percent believe in life after death, and 65 percent believe in heaven.
