Canadians appear to be much more likely to put their faith in the question of whether there is life after death than if the resurrection of Jesus is a historical event.
The Angus Reid Institute and Cardus surveyed Canadians earlier this year to gauge faith.
The percentage of Canadians who believe in life after death hasn't changed much in the past 50 years. While 60 per cent either strongly believe or somewhat believe that existence continues after our bodies have died, in 1960, the percentage was 66 per cent.
The survey found while 92 per cent of Evangelical Christians are committed to the idea of life after death, Roman Catholics were more skeptical. Sixty-seven per cent said they were.
Of the other four major faiths in Canada, 87 per cent of Muslims believed in Jannah or Jahannam. Hindus were next on the list most likely to have faith they would continue after their deaths, with 71 per cent. Sikhs were 67 per cent likely to believe it, while only nine per cent of those of the Jewish faith did. Eight per cent of Canadians who identified as non-believers thought there was some existence after death.
Most Canadians identify as spiritually uncertain, and in that group, 56 per cent believe in life after death.
Men are less likely to hold the belief the older they get, while women become more likely.
As for whether the resurrection of Jesus is truth or fiction, 36 per cent of Canadians who participated in the survey said they think it is a historical fact. Another 38 per cent did not believe the tenet, and just over a quarter were unsure.
Evangelicals are most likely to believe Jesus rose three days after his execution at 81 per cent. Fifty-five per cent of Protestants said it was fact, while 48 per cent of Roman Catholics agreed.
Among Muslims, 26 per cent believe the Easter story, while 16 per cent of Hindus and Sikhs did, and nine per cent of Jews agreed.
Angus Reid surveyed 2,026 Canadians between February 20 and February 25, 2024. A second survey of non-Christians was from March 11 to March 14, 2024.
The Angus Reid Institute was founded in 2014 by pollster and sociologist Dr Angus Reid. It is a national, not-for-profit, non-partisan public opinion research foundation.
Cardus is a non-partisan think tank founded in 1974.