The Community Involvements of Anglicans and Lutherans *

Lutherans and Anglicans are similar in many respects in terms of their community involvements, and probably in many other respects as well, and this similarity no doubt explains the smooth transition to the historic agreement between the two faith communities in the summer of 2001. The most interesting differences have to do with commitment to church: Lutherans have a definite edge over Anglicans. A comparison with all Canadians reveals that in most respects both Anglicans and Lutherans are more involved in the community, though there are interesting exceptions. This note touches on only a small number of findings of the larger study noted in the endnote.

The average number of involvements in the community, out of a possible 31, is the same for Anglicans and Lutherans, 12, compared with the Canadian average of ten – refer to the table, 1^st line and chart. The regular attenders in both faiths averaged 0.4 more involvements, not counting regular church attendance. About the same percentage of Anglicans and Lutherans volunteered in the previous year, 39% and 40% respectively, and higher than the national average of 31%. Anglican volunteers, though, averaged more hours per month than Lutherans, 13.7 versus 11.1, and one hour more than the Canadian average. Concerning informal volunteering, not through an organization, Lutherans are about equally inclined to volunteer as Anglicans, and more so than Canadians generally. The regularly attending Lutherans are more likely to have helped their neighbour informally than their Anglican counterparts (80% versus 70%). They are more likely to provide care and to visit the elderly on their own initiative, and both Anglicans and Lutherans are more inclined in these ways than the average Canadian.

The 1991 census shows 1,188,110 Anglicans, 8.1% of the population, including 323,750 immigrants, 7.5% of immigrants, and 6,515 non-permanent residents, 2.9% of non-permanent residents. Lutherans numbered 636,205, 2.4% of the population, 154,540 immigrants, 3.6% of immigrants, and 2,505 non-permanent residents, 1.1% of the non-permanent residents. Religion data from the 2001 census will be available in 2003.

Comparing Lutherans with Anglicans in terms of involvement in church, Lutherans have a definite edge when it comes to regular, at least monthly, church attendance – last line of the table. Some 42% attend regularly, compared to 31% of Anglicans, which is the same level of commitment as Canadians generally. The weekly attendance rates are similar though, 17%, and this is below the Canadian rate of 20%. It is mainly the conservative faith communities which pull up the Canadian average: weekly rates are 50% among Baptists, and 60% among Pentecostals, for example.

Lutherans are also more committed to volunteering in their church (or other religious organizations) than Anglicans – 13% volunteer compared with 10% of Anglicans, and twice the all Canada rate of 6.5%. Looking at only the regular attenders, the volunteer rates are much higher as one would expect, and the same ordering prevails: Lutherans, 31%, Anglicans, 29%, and Canada, 19%. Catholics are much less likely to volunteer in church than liberal Protestants, who in turn are less inclined to volunteer than those in conservative faith communities. The hourly commitment of Anglican volunteers, though, exceeds that of Lutherans – 9.3 hours per month compared with 8. The Canadian average hourly commitment of volunteers in religious organizations is higher still, 10.6 hours per month.

Lutherans who donate to religious organizations give much more than Anglicans, who in turn give more than Canadians generally. Annual givings among Lutherans averaged $408 in 1997, ($590 among regular attenders), compared with $309 among Anglicans ($446 for regular attenders), and $278 among Canadians generally ($385 for regular attenders).

Only the Evangelical Lutherans were involved in the recent agreement with Anglicans; these are not distinguished from other Lutherian faith communities in the statistics presently available.