Why Are So Many Scientists Atheists?
According to the Pew Research Center's 2009 figures, only about 4% of Americans identify themselves as either Atheists or agnostics. But 41% of scientists don’t believe in God or any higher power. Why do so many modern scientists disbelieve in God?
Science hasn’t always been associated with unbelief. Christians have historically been leaders in scientific endeavors. What changed? Why are scientists, as a group, less likely to believe in God? Let’s look at five possible explanations:
Theory 1: Science Leads to Atheism
Atheists in science allege that science is replacing God as an explanation for the way things are. They say that Christianity and other religions are defined by the “God of the Gaps” philosophy: if you can’t explain something scientifically, you simply claim “God did it,” and move on. Where did humanity come from? Let's make up a creation story. Why do we behave so rottenly, when we know better? Let's create a story of sin and redemption to explain ourselves. Why do bad things happen? A devil can help explain evil. Before the dawn of vigorous scientific inquiry, the theory goes, the universe would have been unintelligible to people, and, since the majority of human history was pre-scientific, many different religions arose to compete as the best explanation.
According to this theory, as science has progressed, there has been less and less need for supernatural explanations of the universe. Because of physics and biology, we know where we came from, and we don't need creation stories. Because of neurobiology, we know why we act the way we do (and fail to live up to our own standards), so we don't need a story of sin and redemption. Because of astronomy, we know how the universe is a huge and empty place, with no regard for humanity, so of course things don’t always work in our favor.
One big problem with that theory is that most Christians don't define God in terms of the God of the Gaps. We see God as a spiritual, personal, and logical reality, not just a handy answer to hard questions. God is much, much more than "an explanation for things I don't understand." This is supported by the fact that even though humans as a species are more scientifically literate than ever before, faith in God hasn't significantly decreased, and most people still believe in some supernatural reality.
Throughout history, many Christians have seen no conflict between science and Christian faith, since the scope of science is so narrow (studying physical things and events) and the scope of Christianity is so broad (it's a whole worldview). Only a certain philosophy of science makes them incompatible; but not everyone realizes it.
Theory 2: Science Attracts Atheists
Another possible explanation for the statistics is that scientific fields are attractive to people who have already committed to Atheism. If a person's philosophy holds that the material world is all that exists, then a career that focuses on the discovery and interpretation of physical evidence is going to be appealing. On the other hand, belief in a supernatural power, and the starkly different worldview that it entails, makes the humanities, with their exploration of meaning and acceptance of mystery, attractive options.
Several heroes of Atheism are accomplished in scientific fields. When these scientists say that the material universe is real and everything else is fairy tales, they push other Atheists toward the sciences. And when Stephen Hawking and Neil DeGrasse Tyson say that philosophy is irrelevant, they persuade kids who look up to them to stay away from the humanities.
Once Atheists enter the scientific community, they begin to rub elbows with other Atheists, who are not common in the general public. Their Atheism is reinforced, and it becomes increasingly difficult to think of reality in any other way. So, science attracts Atheists by focusing on the material world (to an Atheist, that's all there is anyway), and it reinforces their Atheism by putting them in contact with other Atheists.
Theory 3: Science Excludes Believers
Another hypothesis is similar. Science, as noble an endeavor as it is, is still a human enterprise, carried out by flawed individuals who exhibit pride and prejudice and are prone to all sorts of errors. One of the characteristics of human communities (even the scientific community) is that within groups, especially groups that feel under attack, dissent is not accepted.
When anyone questions the materialistic assertions of modern scientists, such as evolution as a total explanation for human life, or the hypothesis that neurobiology can explain away the human soul, or the radical environmentalist assertion that mankind is the worst thing that ever happened to our planet, those who question these assertions are looked at with suspicion and scorn. These positions are supposed to only be challenged by those outside the community, people who don't understand science.
So, a young Christian entering the scientific world in college or a career might feel unwelcome and discouraged, just for asking the wrong questions. And feeling unwelcome in the scientific world could motivate a person to pursue other interests.
Theory 4: Believers Exclude Science
Christian churches have often failed to do a good job of celebrating Christians in the sciences, such as Francis S. Collins, one of the most visible Christian scientists today. Collins is the director of the National Institutes of Health, the former head of the Human Genome Project, and author of The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (2007). There are many other scientists of faith alive now and throughout history (just look at the Wikipedia “List of Catholic Scientists” for an idea of how many). And yet, churches tend to funnel their youth to things like professional ministry and missions, which, though noble callings, are not for everyone.
What often happens is that well-meaning non-scientists in the church, fearing that their young people will embrace the materialistic claims of Darwinists or the anti-human claims of radical environmentalists, steer young Christians away from the sciences, claiming that there is "more important" work to be done in the world.
This attitude gets traction because Christians have forgotten their history. Many scientific advancements, from genetics (Friar Gregor Mendel) to physics (Father Georges Lemaître), have been made by Christians. Science was long considered a work of faith, not the opposite of faith. It is based on faith that God made the universe intelligible to our minds, that He wants us to understand it, and by learning about it, we can learn about Him.
And sometimes the older generations of the Church don't trust the younger to keep their faith under pressure from Atheists in the scientific community. They don't think young people have the foundation to defend their beliefs in a hostile environment, so they simply steer them towards careers that are more “Christian-friendly.” They look at evolution, neurobiology, and environmentalism, and they are sure that young Christians will abandon their faith in a culture where these ideas are gospel. They have seen the results of materialistic scientism in their own generation.
Because of ignorance of the rich history of faith and science, and the fear of Atheist ideas, when Christian students do enter the scientific world, they sometimes end up on the fringes, such as the Young-Earth Creationist subculture, isolated from the scientific community at large. Or they enter what is considered the "acceptable" science for Christians: medicine. It is thought nobler to help people in a hospital (preferably a mission hospital) than to try to unlock the mysteries of God’s physical creation.
The good news is that there is a growing movement in Christianity to see every kind of work as spiritual work (except things like pornography, drug dealing, and used car sales). The noblest thing isn't to go where you can do the most "spiritual" work, but to go where God calls you and to follow the interests and talents He's given you, in order to serve the world through your unique gifts. In their popular book Every Good Endeavor (2012), Timothy Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf describe how God calls people to all kinds of work, not just public ministry. A more robust theology of work and calling can encourage young people to follow their science dreams.
Theory 5: Some Combination of These Factors.
Each of these factors affects each Christian considering a science career in different ways. Some find that their faith is challenged by the materialistic assumptions that college professors often bring into the classroom. Others feel unwelcome because of the social atmosphere of the scientific world, where several famous scientists are Atheists. Some find themselves surrounded by Atheists in their classes or professions, because Atheists tend to value science and pursue it with gusto. And, unfortunately, many Christians have experienced anti-science sentiments from well-meaning people in the Church, who don't understand or believe that all truth is God's truth, or that science is a reliable method for discovering truth.
Though they aren't equally represented, people with all sorts of belief systems (except perhaps Voodoo or the Church of Mary Kay) work in scientific fields. More than a few Christians don't see a conflict between their love of science and their faith in God. There must be ways to reconcile the conflicts that arise, and it would be wise for Christians who are wary of science to listen to Christians working in scientific fields to better understand what God wants to teach us through the study of His creation.