Sociologist to discuss new book on science, religion at Baker Institute lecture

CONTACT: Franz Brotzen
PHONE: 713-348-6775
E-MAIL: franz.brotzen@rice.edu

Sociologist to discuss new book on science, religion at Baker Institute lecture

The work of scientists is often seen as at odds with organized religion. A recent national survey showed nearly a quarter of Americans think scientists are actually hostile to religion. Rice sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund’s new book, “Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think,” explores what she argues is a more nuanced reality.

Ecklund, who is director of the Program on Religion and Public Life at Rice University’s Institute for Urban Research, Rice Scholar at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy and assistant professor of sociology, will describe her findings at a lecture at the Baker Institute April 7. The event begins at 7 p.m. in Baker Hall’s Doré Commons on the Rice University campus, 6100 Main St. For directions, go to http://www.bakerinstitute.org/media/media_directions.cfm.

Ecklund’s research indicates that most of what people believe about the faith lives of respected scientists is wrong. She surveyed nearly 1,700 scientists and interviewed 275 of them. She centered the book around portraits of 10 representative individuals working in the natural and social sciences at top American research universities. She found that few scientists are purely secular. And many — nearly half — are religious. Other scientists are what she calls “spiritual entrepreneurs” who are looking for new ways to hold science and faith together.

Ecklund advocates a dialogue — not just friendly co-existence between science and religion, but a real effort to understand why the other thinks the way it does and find common ground.

Ecklund has received awards and grants from the National Science Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. She also is the author of “Korean American Evangelicals: New Models for Civic Life” (Oxford 2008).

 

Members of the news media who want to attend should RSVP to Franz Brotzen at franz.brotzen@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.

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