Religion and Spirituality Among Scientists

Abstract

Religion occupies a controversial place in university settings. While some university scholars historically viewed scientific knowledge as incompatible with religion, 1 students are increasingly interested in religion as well as less traditional forms of spirituality. Some faculty and administrators might want to ignore religion, but in broader American public spheres religious rhetoric continues to be a force. In this context, many faculty, university chaplains, and administrators are searching for ways to meet the needs of already religious students and those exploring religion and spirituality, while not violating accepted academic norms of pluralism and tolerance. Researchers concerned about these issues in universities are beginning to study the beliefs of students. 2 Until recently, however, there has been only a small amount of systematic research that explores the influence of religion or spirituality on university professors themselves. 3 This is particularly relevant for those in the sciences, the fields where there is the most public controversy about the involvement of religion. Without such information we know little about the role university scientists have in shaping the place of religion in the academy as well as public discussion about the connection between religion and science. The findings presented here are based on research I completed during 2005-2006, which examined the religious and spiritual beliefs of academics in the natural and social sciences at twenty-one major universities in the U.S. This essay discusses the following central findings from the study: 1) Scientists are not very religious compared to the general public, although a significant minority is religious. 2) Scientists are surprisingly interested in spirituality. 3) While most are ambivalent about discussing religion in academic settings, a significant minority is seeking resources to engage students about religion. 4) University scientists who do view religion or spirituality as important are beginning to play a crucial role in mediating dialogue between the scientific community and the broader American public.