70 pc of evangelicals Christians believe religion, science not in conflict

A new study has revealed that 70 percent of the evangelicals Christians believe religion and science are not in conflict.

The research 'Religious Understandings of Science (RUS)' was presented by Rice sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund, who noted that evangelicals are of interest in this study because they constitute approximately 26 percent of the population in the U.S. and are often considered the most hostile toward science.

Nearly half of evangelicals (48 percent) view science and religion as complementary to one another; 21 percent view them as entirely independent of one another.

Overall, 38 percent of Americans view religion and science as complementary, and 35 percent of Americans view science and religion as entirely independent.

In the U.S., 76 percent of scientists in the general population identify with a religious tradition.

Only 15 percent of Americans and 14 percent of evangelicals agree that modern science does more harm than good.

Jews (42 percent), Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus (52 percent as a group) and the nonreligious (47 percent) are more interested in new scientific discoveries than evangelicals (22 percent) are.

Ecklund hopes the research would shed light on how religious groups understand science and vice versa, in addition to providing outreach and translation to individuals who might have difficulties with some aspects of science.