Religion among Scientists in International Context

Abstract

Scientists have long been associated with religion's decline around the world. But little data permit analysis of the religiosity of scientists or their perceptions of the science-faith interface. Here we present the first ever survey data from biologists and physicists in eight regions around the world-France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, countries and regions selected because they exhibit differing degrees of religiosity, varying levels of scientific infrastructure, and unique relationships between religious and state institutions (N = 9,422). The data collection includes biologists and physicists at all career stages from elite and non-elite universities and research institutes. We uncovered that in most of the national contexts studied, scientists are indeed more secular-in terms of beliefs and practices-than those in their respective general populations, although in four of the regional contexts, over half of scientists see themselves as religious. And surprisingly, scientists do not think science is in conflict with religion. Instead, most see religion and science as operating in separate spheres.

Are the religious suspicious of science? Investigating religiosity, religious context, and orientations towards science

“…While the above literature focuses on the individual level, a growing body of literature examines religion and science cross-nationally (see Campbell and Curtis, 1996; Ecklund et al, 2016; Evans, 2014), suggesting that country contexts are significant shapers of religion and science. Such arguments are not new.…”

“…Indeed, religious groups often lead anti-science campaigns (Alumkal, 2016; Blancke et al, 2013), reject the theory of evolution (Chan and Ecklund, 2016; Numbers, 2006), and may have lower levels of scientific literacy (Sherkat, 2011; see Evans, 2011 for an alternative perspective). The more scientifically minded, such as scientists, tend to be less religious than the general public (Ecklund et al, 2016). The famed deficit model suggests that negative attitudes towards science is due to a lack of scientific literacy (Bauer et al, 2007) and a reliance on ‘mystical beliefs’ (Sturgis and Allum, 2004: 57).…”

Responding to Richard: Celebrity and (mis)representation of science

“…For example, in a study of US scientists at elite universities, Ecklund and Scheitle (2007) find that 34% and 31% of scientists identify as atheists and agnostics, respectively, while only 25% indicate belief in a personal god. In the United Kingdom, only 27% of scientists and 47% of the general public identify as slightly, moderately, or very religious (Ecklund et al, 2016).…”

“…Here, we draw upon interview data from the British subset of the Religion among Scientists in International Context study (RASIC), a mixed-methods study that includes a survey and 609 indepth interviews with biologists and physicists in France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Taiwan, Turkey, the United States, and the United Kingdom (Ecklund et al, 2016). RASIC is a sociological examination of how scientists think about religion and their perception of the science-faith interface, in addition to other themes such as ethics.…”

Religious Americans Have Less Positive Attitudes Toward Science, but This Does Not Extend to Other Cultures

“…Just a few decades later, the events of the 1925 Scopes Trial over a law in Tennessee forbidding the teaching of evolution in state-funded schools seemed to illustrate the point well. The “conflict thesis” has since become the dominant description of the relationship between science and religion, assumed by many members of the general public and by the media (Ecklund et al, 2016; Funk & Alper, 2015; Rios et al, 2015).…”