Elaine Howard Ecklund has written a book titled Science vs Religion: What Scientists Really Think. A summary of her research findings was published in USA Today (July 19, 2010): “Myths Widen the Science-Religion Divide.”
Ecklund surveyed 1,700 natural and social scientists and conducted interviews with 275 of them. She found that:
- 30% are atheists
- ~1/2 claim to be religious in some sense, and some 20% are involved in some house of worship
- 2% are evangelical
- 50% have no religious affiliation (compared to 16% of general population)
- 36% have some form of belief in God
Religious Views of Scientists Compared to the General Populaton
Religious Traditions of Scientists Compared to the General Populaton
Thinking to Believe 
August 23, 2010 at 6:33 pm
The findings are not surprising, but the reasons for it may be. Could it be that many of these scientists were without faith to begin with? People with faith may not be inclined to spend their lives agonizing over questions like “how did life begin”, or “what caused the universe to come into existence”. Their belief in God is a sufficient answer to these questions, and they pursue more practical fields. Of course, there are exceptions, but it may be that it was not scientific learning that brought them to atheism/agnosticism, but the other way around. Remember, “with the foolish things of this world He confounds the wise” (scientists, intellectuals etc).
James
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August 24, 2010 at 11:53 am
James,
Good question. Which caused which? I tend to think people inclined toward the hard sciences are more empirically-oriented than the average person, and thus more inclined to want physical proof for X before they will believe X. And when it comes to God, direct physical proof is not available.
But if this is part of the explanation, how do we explain philosophers? While I don’t have any data at my fingertips, it’s my understanding that most philosphers are religious skeptics as well. Clearly empiricism is not their problem. Perhaps they went into philosophy to discover the meaning and truth they lost by rejecting the existence of God? I don’t know.
Jason
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September 1, 2010 at 9:01 am
Or perhaps the religious prefer more people orientated jobs caring for the community and having a hands on approach in foreign countries being a missionary??
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