Science vs. religion : what scientists really think - File PDF

128Society and Broader Publicsthis lack of experience leaves some without any cultural script and others witha negative cultural script when talking about the connection between religionand science. In other words, they either don’t know what language to use indiscussing religious issues or the language they do use (“crazy fundamentalists!”)2is hardly productive.Enter the other half of scientists at elite research universities, those who doidentify with a religious tradition in some way. The ones who are the mostreligious sometimes see themselves as having a special responsibility to helpreligious people better understand that religion and science do not have to bein conflict. Even those who want to pursue this role sometimes still lack a languageto build bridges with nonscientists who share their faith. After talkingwith scientists about these issues for over three years, I’ve concluded that sucha language is urgently needed.Here I synthesize the voices of scientists themselves as they comment on thisrole in shaping public understanding of the relationship between science andreligion. If that is a goal, scientists first need to develop a more intricate languageand set of frameworks for religion and for the relationship between religionand science—regardless of whether they personally identify with a religioustradition. Here we both examine the impediments to scientists taking a role inshaping public understanding of possible science-religion intersections andshed light on some of the best practices in which individual scientists are alreadyengaged.FEAR OF RELIGION IN PUBLIC SCIENCEOne serious impediment to fostering more open dialogue on questions ofscience and religion is the current fear among scientists about how religionmight endanger science. To the extent that they talked about how scientistsought to respond to religion in the public sphere at all, some 75 percent ofscientists mentioned specific ways that religion could have a negative impacton science and science education. A majority of scientists mentioned the rolereligion has played in popular resistance to the teaching of evolutionary theoryin the public school systems.Whereas scientists have not traditionally had to talk much about religion atwork, conditions of environmental push—that is, positive or negative pressurefrom outside the university on the boundaries between religion and science—have caused many social and natural scientists to begin to discuss religionfervently. For example, a psychologist 3 who works in physiology and human