August 7-9, 2026, in Ottawa, the 21st World Humanist Congress took place with a record crowd of 500+ from over 40 countries. August 7-9, 2026, in Ottawa, the 21st World Humanist Congress took place with a record crowd of 500+ from over 40 countries.

A sociologist at the University of Waterloo (Canada), Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme, researches growing secularization, social change, and political sociology. As the Saturday morning keynote speaker, we were offered the latest data on how many people do not believe in supernatural higher powers and who do not affiliate themselves with any religion. While Wilkins-Laflamme's research is mostly based on Canadian statistics, we were offered details and context with US, European and Asian census data. 

The graph below shows an upward trend towards non-belief in all generations. Canadians in their 80s are less religious than five and ten years ago.  The trend is more striking with each younger age group. Gen-X are mid-40s to early '60s now. Some Millennials (Gen Y) are 40+, and the youngest are all adults now. 

People don't fit into uniformed labels. Some people who quit organized religions still believe in a higher power. Some people who don't believe in Yahweh are loyal and active members of their place of worship. One initiative featured at the World Humanist Congress 2026 was Humanist Chaplaincy for people who want the rituals of turning points and occasions (marriage, bereavement, childbirth, celebration of life. We know there are atheists in foxholes. They're easy to identify; they're returning fire while others are on their knees, praying.

But how many want the rituals without the supernatural intervention? I don't know. People who want it should have it. Speaking in an interview with Canadian Affairs News, Wilkins-Laflamme sees this as different from switching from Christian to Hindu. “'Most [non-religious people] don’t even think about religion all that much and so don’t feel the need to adopt a stronger non-religious identity,' she said."

We are lucky to have Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme; she knows the nuances, trends and studies the social implications of a big change happening in our homes and communities. We will chat about the World Humanist Congress and we will maybe surprise you with some of the changes in worldviews so far this decade. 

RECORDING COMING SOON: Interview August 28th. Posting ETA: September 3rd. 

More from Professor Sarah…

https://uwaterloo.ca/st-jeromes/academics/research/institute-religion-culture-and-societal-futures
 

https://uwaterloo.ca/sociology-and-legal-studies/profiles/sarah-wilkins-laflamme