Conflict of reason and religion

For the past two centuries, science and religion have often been depicted as being at odds with each other. In recent decades, there have been improvements in Are You There, God? communication and mutual understanding, but evangelicals still remain underrepresented in scientific communities. It's us, SCIENTISTS ... .. .... . .... ............ SCIENTISTS & 3 THE PUBLIC The general public is much more evangelical than those in the scientific community. But that doesn't mean scientists aren't religious. SOME UNIVERSAL SPIRIT/HIGHER How do scientists compare to the general public when it comes to religious groups? DON'T BELIEVE IN EITHER 4% Don't Know/Refused 1% Don't Know/Refused 12% Nothing In Particular 41% 2% Atheist 6% Other Religion 20% Nothing In Particular 2% Agnostic -2% Jewish 33% 17% Atheist - 24% Catholic 11% Agnostic - 25% the PUBLIC 25% 108% How do scientists compare to other Americans when it comes to spirituality? 10% Other Religion 23% Mainline Protestant 8% Jewish 10% Catholic There are 7 times more self- identified evangelicals in the American public than there are among American scientists. 28% Evangelical Protestant TIMES 16% Mainline Protestant 4% Evangelical Protestant SCIENTISTS THE PUBLIC RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF SCIENTISTS How does gender, age, and professional field affect scientists' religious or spiritual beliefs? DON'T KNOW/REFUSE DON'T BELIEVE IN EITHER BELIEVE IN A UNIVERSAL SPIRIT OR HIGHER POWER WHO BELIEVE IN GOD BY GENDER BY AGE BY FIELD 6% BIOLOGICAL & MEDICAL 32% 19% 41% 24% 36% GEOSCIENCES 35% 48% 42% 42% 44% 30% 47% 32% 32% 28% 24 % CHEMISTRY 18% 18% 14% 41% 14% 7% 16% 3% 6% 44% 33% 18-34 PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY 29% 14% 46% 11% E TWO-THIRDS OF TODAY'S YOUNGER SCIENTISTS SEE FAITH AND SCIENCE AS COMPATIBLE. ARE SCIENCE CAND RELIGION IN CONFLICT? "In an exactly similar way I don't have to choose between science and religion. 'The universe sprang into being about 15 billion years ago through the fiery explosion of the big bang. That is true, but it does not preclude my also saying, 'The universe came into being and remains in being because of the Word of a Creator whose mind and purpose are behind all of the scientific truths that we perceive. - John Polkinghorne, English theoretical physicist, theologian, and priest "Science is...a powerful way, indeed - to study the natural world. Science is not particularly effective...in making commentary about the supernatural world. Both worlds, for me, are quite real and quite important. They are investigated in different ways. They coexist. They illuminate each other." Francis Collins, American physician-geneticist, director of National 2011 study by Rice University reported 70 percent of scientists believe that science and religion are only sometimes in conflict. The remaining 30 percent are split evenly between "always in conflict" and "never in conflict. Institutes of Health Sources BIOLOGOS PEWFORUM.ORG | RICE.EDU I HUFFINGTONPOST.COM HARMONIZING SCIENCE AND CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANITY For links to the full sources, please visit biologos.org/infographics BELIEVE IN GOD DON'T KNOW/REFU