05/22/2024
The concept that faith and science are in conflict is a relatively recent one. Oft-cited examples such as Galileo were primarily about politics and power, not science and religious beliefs.
Even more recent examples such as the Scopes trial and the deliberate polarization of Christianity in America over abortion and the racial integration of schools were primarily politically motivated, as historian Mark Noll unpacks in his classic (and recently updated) book, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, and Francis FitzGerald delves into in The Evangelicals.
But what do actual scientists today actually think about faith? That's the question that motivated Rice University sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund to survey nearly 2,000 scientists at R1 universities across the U.S. over a decade ago. Her research showed that a surprising majority, 70%, considered themselves to be spiritual people, with fully half identifying with a specific religious label (e.g. Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, etc.)
Now, she's taken her work global, and in a new study that includes scientists from eight countries and regions, including the UK, India, Hong Kong, Turkey and the US, she finds that at least 30% of respondents declare a religious affiliation.
Unsurprisingly, Elaine's research has also found that scientists are not always open about their faith at work or in education settings. “I think there is the perception sometimes that other scientists won’t take you seriously if you talk about your faith,” she says.
TBH, that was my own fear in 2009, when I co-wrote a book about climate change with my husband, a pastor. However, exactly the opposite happened. I found the scientific community and my colleagues to be extremely generous and supportive, regardless of whether they share my beliefs. On the other hand, I'm told nearly daily by people who identify as Christians that I can't be a real Christian if I'm a scientist (often accompanied by ad hominems). It's a sad commentary on how religion today is more about ideology than theology.
See link below to read more about Elaine's fascinating work!
