Religion vs. Science: What Religious People Really Think

by Elaine Howard Ecklund, Christopher P. Scheitle

Overview

At the end of a five-year journey to find out what religious Americans think about science, Ecklund and Scheitle emerge with the real story of the relationship between science and religion in American culture. Based on the most comprehensive survey ever done-representing a range of religious traditions and faith positions-Religion vs. Science is a story that is more nuanced and complex than the media and pundits would lead us to believe.

The way religious Americans approach science is shaped by two fundamental questions: What does science mean for the existence and activity of God? What does science mean for the sacredness of humanity? How these questions play out as individual believers think about science both challenges stereotypes and highlights the real tensions between religion and science. Ecklund and Scheitle interrogate the widespread myths that religious people dislike science and scientists and deny scientific theories.

Religion vs. Science is a definitive statement on a timely, popular subject. Rather than a highly conceptual approach to historical debates, philosophies, or personal opinions, Ecklund and Scheitle give readers a facts-on-the-ground, empirical look at what religious Americans really understand and think about science.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190650629
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	12/01/2017
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Elaine Howard Ecklund is Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology at Rice University. She is a sociologist whose research addresses religion in public life, particularly how individuals use race, gender, and religious identities to bring changes to religious and scientific institutions. She is the author of over sixty peer-reviewed articles, two books with Oxford University Press (including Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think). She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, Russell Sage Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Templeton World Charity Foundation, and the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.

Christopher P. Scheitle is Assistant Professor of Sociology at West Virginia University. He has published over thirty peer-reviewed articles, two books, and has been awarded two grants by the National Science Foundation.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Beyond Stereotypes and Myths
Chapter 2: Religious People Do Not Like Science
Chapter 3: Religious People Are Not Scientists
Chapter 4: Religious People Are All Young-Earth Creationists
Chapter 5: Religious People Are Climate Change Deniers
Chapter 6: Religious People Are Against Scientific Technology
Chapter 7: Beyond Myths, Toward Realities

Appendices
Reference List

Editorial Reviews

10/09/2017
Ecklund and Scheitle spent five years researching what religious believers think about science, and here they present their conclusion that, though there may be more common ground between most religious believers and scientists than they originally thought, hardcore evangelicals are essentially unreachable. Each chapter begins with a common myth about believers that Ecklund and Scheitle seek to debunk (such as “Religious People Are All Young-Earth Creationists”), followed by their findings in the area and the lessons they feel scientists can learn. Readers may be surprised how inconsistent beliefs are across religious traditions and social issues; for instance, evangelical Christians are not necessarily climate change deniers. Ecklund and Scheitle propose a number of approaches to bridging the gap between progressive scientific thinking and traditional faith-based communities, including bringing science into religious communities and emphasizing the essential philosophical similarities between a scientific and a religious approach to, for example, climate change. They also stress the need for more basic dialogue between the two communities. Readers interested in knowing “how the other half thinks” and who enjoy an elegant discussion of statistical data analysis will appreciates this volume. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"There is something for everyone in this enjoyable book. The friendly, readable style means that a newcomer to the field will feel at ease. Meanwhile, the detail in the appendix offers plenty for more experienced researchers to study. The authors' self-imposed challenge of taking down myths means that they are picking up and weaving together a lot of threads, but attention is maintained by the liveliness of the text and by the characters in the interview vignettes." — Berry Billingsley, Canterbury Christ Church University, Modern Believing

"...a valuable foundation for conversations about religion in public life, both within the university and with a broader audience. The authors balance accessible prose and well-documented quantitative data, such that material from this book may be well-suited as an introductory text for courses on religion and science, survey methods in the study of religion, or for readers outside of higher education." — Journal of Religion

"It is essential reading for all scholars, scientists, and religious people interested in the current relationship between religion and science and the possibilities of where it can go in the future." — Antony Alumkal, Iliff School of Theology, Sociology of Religion

"It clearly demonstrates that we must move beyond general statements, to a nuanced view of questions around religious attitudes toward science ... The book's prose is clear, coherent, and succinct. The size is manageable and the scope broad enough to maintain the interest of the general reader ... For students of social science, it will provide a grounding in contemporary thinking, and methodological considerations, in studying religion and science. For communicators and educators, the book's lesson is clear: familiarity and dialogue fosters engagement and understanding." — James Riley, Science and Education

"Essential reading for all scholars, scientists, and religious people interested in the current relationship between religion and science and the possibilities of where it can go in the future" — Antony Alumkal, Sociology of Religion

"this volume offers cogent insight, most especially for readers interested in one of the goals of this journal: engaging the intersections of science and religion as they function in the lives of individuals and in societies." — Christopher Hrynkow, Zygon

"One of the things I found most rewarding about reading Religion vs. Science" — David Andrew Gilland , Journal of the American Academy of Religion

"[B]y overturning stereotypes and providing a positive impetus toward better communication and cooperation, Religion vs. Science comes as highly recommended reading for anyone interested and everyone involved in the dialogue between science and religion."—David Andrew Gilland, JAAR

"Throughout the book, Ecklund and Sheitle are able to use nationally-representative survey data to give a broad overview of the views of religious Americans, while using quotations from in-depth interviews to explain and elaborate on their statistical findings. Their research methods are carefully outlined in multiple appendices, but the authors also discuss their statistical research in the main text in a way that is readily accessible. The authors do an admirable job of explaining how they are able to include other factors in their analyses, such as demographics, in order to understand if a difference between groups is due to religion or some other cause Religion vs. Science provides a thorough and accessible overview of this topic in America and can serve as a springboard for further research on this topic."—Emily McKendry-Smith, Reading Religion

"The great thing about this book is not only the massive empirical evidence it brings to the question of what religious people think about science, but also its insistent refusal to endorse - or simplistically refute - the idea that religion and science are locked inevitably in conflict. It is the rich details that matter as Ecklund and Scheitle break down the religious population into specific traditions and as they address such controversial topics as creationism, evolution, climate change, and reproductive genetic technologies. Scientists and religious people alike should read this engagingly insightful book."—Robert Wuthnow, Director, Center for the Study of Religion, Princeton University

"Religion Vs. Science is for the scientist at church and the believer in the laboratory, and for all who want our convictions heard and want to know what others think. Ecklund and Scheitle explore today's collaborations and controversies with expansive research and concise explanations. A fascinating book for inquisitive minds."—Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals

"Ecklund and Scheitle expertly identify the wide range of myths held by the public about religion and science. This book synthesizes the scattered, specialized knowledge in the sociology of religion and science into one comprehensive, accessible, integrated presentation - complete with new data. I strongly recommend this book for everyone interested in the nuanced relationship between religion and science in the contemporary U.S."—John H. Evans, Professor of Sociology, University of California, San Diego

"Readers interested in knowing 'how the other half thinks' and who enjoy an elegant discussion of statistical data analysis will appreciates this volume."—Publishers Weekly

"Religion vs. Science presents a nuanced picture of the American religious landscape. By showing that religious people generally like science, it provides an alternative to the bipolar maps of the past. By acknowledging the lingering tensions between science and faith, it suggests that the potential for conflict remains." — John Schmalzbauer, JSSR

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