Faith

Abstract

This chapter is an exploration of the core faith of contemporary Orangemen in Canada. This chapter begins with a brief account of the growth of Protestant religion in Canada, and then traces how members understand the role of religion in their lives. What role does this play in their social identities and their relations with others, most notably Roman Catholicism, but also the non-Christian religions of Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism? It highlights members’ own sense of social identity and the meaning given to religion in constructing Orangeism as a contemporary sense of belonging. It further explores the role religion plays in formulating a transnational identity comparing their views to similar groups in other societies, notably Northern Ireland.