The Growing Social and Moral Conflict Between Conservative Protestantism and Science

Abstract

Abstract:Due to conservative Protestant elites challenging scientists in the public sphere, and prominent scientists attacking religion, scholars have claimed that there is an increasing conflict between conservative Protestants and science. However, these claims have never been empirically investigated and these general claims do not specify what conflict is actually about. In this paper

Birth Cohort Changes in the Association Between College Education and Religious Non-Affiliation

“…First, some researchers suggest that there is a conflict between what is taught in colleges and universities and the content of certain religious beliefs (e.g., Beckwith 1985;Johnson 1997;Stark 1963). This "conflicting worldviews" argument emphasizes that higher education focuses on knowledge, learning, and science, while religion focuses on mystery and revelation (Miller 1967), and these are seen as incompatible approaches to the world (Halman and Draulans 2006), particularly in the conservative Protestant community (Evans 2013). Second, since social networks provide much of the impetus for religious practice and affilia tion (Cheadle and Schwadel 2012;Cornwall 1989;Iannaccone 1994), changes in social networks associated with higher education can lead to religious disaffiliation (Baker and Smith 2009;Maryl and Uecker 2011;Smith and Snell 2009).…”

Faith in science in global perspective: Implications for transhumanism

“…They dissent on only a few scientific knowledge claims, like the origins of the earth and humans. Fundamentalists are, however, opposed to the social and moral influence of scientists (Evans, 2011;Evans, 2013). In general, religious Americans support science, but a science dedicated to solving concrete problems, not determining moral values or determining the purpose of humanity.…”

Predictors of evolution acceptance in a museum population

“…Such information would be helpful in understanding whether the effects of fundamentalist religion represent a specific religiously based rejection of evolution or a more general anti-science world view (Gauchat 2008). Indeed, previous studies have indicated that religious rejection of evolution and distrust of the scientific community are linked to one another (Evans 2011(Evans , 2013, particularly as a result of the perceived moral and social implications of Darwinian evolution.…”