How Church Culture Differs Between California and Maritime Canada.

 

I realize its been a long time since I wrote on here, and honestly I was never like I was really very good at posting to begin with. So full disclaimer, during this post i will look at my observations in comparing the church in California and the church of Maritimes. Now keep in mind these are my own observations and rather then talk about America and Canada I have chosen to look at two particular area I have spent the most time in, rather then make broad generalization that may not even exist if we are talking about British Columbia and Wyoming. Now its worthwhile to note that Christianity between these two places have similarities butt there is also strong differences, just as both are on opposites sides of the continent and separate countries so to the Christian culture between the two really varies.

• I notice that in California the church is politically charged, you might be thinking that  did not have to leave Canada to notice that. Its something that Canadians have noticed for years. Canada has never had a religious right within politics like America. Even respected brothers who otherwise are grounded and knowledgeable in the faith a will often seem to talk as if the ten commandments and the U.S Constitution are the same thing, when you talk about gun control or free health care
• I find that I have found that in the Maritimes the Social Gospel tends to have more of a predominant role within evangelical churches then in California. As someone who has no love for the Social Gospel this is one thing I like about America over Canada, I find churches in California more concerned with evangelism and church planting while my interaction with churches in the Maritimes tends to lean more towards social justice.
• Pentecostal/Charismatic movement has taken more of a dominant role in California probable because Los Angelos was the hot bed of that movement 100 years ago. The Maritime Pentecostals seem to have always struggled in some area, even mistrusted as not having the kind in historical connection other churches have. That being said the movement has had a big effect in subtle ways such as modern worship music with many baptists church really being unofficially Pentecostal.
• Spring boarding  a bit off my last comment in California there tends to be a dislike to denominations. I have heard of people who refuse to go to a church unless they are independent and non denominational. A friend told me about a friend of his who said there was not church in his area, despite the fact he lived next to a fairly descent Presbyterian church, his argument was he could not go there because it was a denominational church. I have found in the Maritimes almost the opposite in that unless your Baptist, United, Presbyterian, Anglican then you lack allot of trust and credibility. I do think this is changing in some ways. Whether that is good or bad, I will not cover now.
• Generally speaking the church in the Maritimes has strong roots culturally. Many people despite never stepping in a church since there baptism at 6 months identify strongly with a denomination. Entire families identify and hold deep loyalty to there churches despite never going to church and frankly not even believing in God. Depending on the family watch out if a Baptist goes Presbyterian or vice versa. In that same vain the Maritimes tend to still carry strong echoes of the conflict of Romanism and Protestantism. Growing up not really in the active church I always knew we were Protestant, the thing was I knew I was Protestant  long before I ever knew what a Christian was. I remember growing up my Nanny telling me stories about street wars between the Roman Catholic kids and Protestant kids growing up in North Sydney, this however may not be the same time honored tradition in every Maritime family.
• You do not need to go far to find traditional churches in the Maritimes but many of these cannot begin to tell you why, they will tell you its whats always been done and why change it now. (I get weird looks here when I tell people I have been to liturgical baptist churches were the pastor wears a robe.) I have been part of and currently a member of a church that is both traditional and liturgical but the refreshing difference is that they can tell me why they do what they do and do to so in a scriptural and biblical way. Its really my prayer that my people can experience this same thing.
• As I have observed it Dispensationalism tends to be more of a strong force in California, perhaps its because the Masters College and John MacArthur are just down the road. Maritime Christians and churches either are apathetic and do not know what it is nor how to spell it or by historic default hold to a basic form of Covenant theology. Yet there is still very much pockets here and there and its most popular in its eschatology form.