Historians, theologians, and philosophers have long addressed the theoretical and historical relationship between science and religion, two of the most common lenses through which people view the world. Now, sociologists, who rely on observation to make claims about the contemporary social world, are bringing a unique perspective to the study of science and religion.
In 2019, the “Science and Religion: Identity and Belief Formation” project, funded by the Templeton Religion Trust, coordinated by The Issachar Fund, and led by BI Director Elaine Howard Ecklund and University of California, San Diego’s John H. Evans, was designed to launch a new sub field in the sociology of science and religion. Specifically, Ecklund and Evans provided grants to 17 scholars who examined ways in which people’s identities and beliefs shape their experiences with science and religion.
In June 2023, researchers gathered at UC San Diego for a “Report the Results” conference to share their initial findings. Research topics included ways that individuals with religious affiliation view bodily health issues, a comparison between scientists and the general public in how they connect religious moralities to scientific human enhancement, religion and inequality in health care for Black women, the religious rituals medical schools use around cadaver dissections, and how religion and science connected during the pandemic, among many other topics.
Initial findings will be formally published in academic journals, books, and press releases and will form the basis for community outreach. Additional funding will be sought to further probe some of the more significant observations. You can explore the initial research findings online at www.nsssr.org.