The Faithful Scientist

The perceived conflict between religion and science often dominates popular media headlines, driving fears over the potential of religion to erode trust in scientific inquiry. In the past few years, these concerns have been particularly elevated as media stories have often sensationalized clashes between religious communities and scientific institutions over vaccine skepticism, climate change, and other contentious political issues, heightening tensions and deepening perceived divisions. This popular perception, however, not only exacerbates existing social tensions but also obfuscates the critical role that religious identity plays in the personal and professional lives of scientists and researchers. How can awareness and understanding of religion’s role in the lives of scientists change our perception of the relationship between religion and science? How might this recognition allow us to incorporate diverse perspectives into scientific inquiry and enrich our understanding of religion’s larger impact on science?

In The Faithful Scientist: Experiences of Anti-Religious Bias in Scientific Training, Christopher P. Scheitle takes up these questions and explores the experiences of scientists who navigate the intersections of religion and science in contemporary academia. Countering the stereotypical portrayal of religion and science as moral antagonists, Scheitle approaches the two as discrete communities that reproduce social identities. Indebted to social scientific studies of religion, this distinctive approach enables Scheitle to explore how religious scientists can traverse their personal and professional commitments and negotiate the potential challenges of balancing these two discrete identities. While religion may be commonly represented in popular culture as inherently at odds with science, the book effectively demonstrates that there is no inherent conflict between religion and science. Rather, this perceived conflict stems from the perception or feeling that the two identities are antithetical and antagonistic to one another. As Scheitle explains, “From this perspective, there is nothing inherent that prevents someone from being a religious scientist. However, there are strong social psychological barriers to being a religious scientist” (12).

It is precisely these social and psychological tensions that the book explores in greater detail, exclusively focusing on the experiences of graduate students preparing for careers in STEM fields, since the potential conflicts they face are particularly acute as they gain their identity as scientists and join the scientific community. It is in their struggle to take on the identity of a scientist that Scheitle finds religious identities playing a critical role, particularly in the case of minorities and women. Among the book’s major contributions include its ability to highlight the ways in which religious identities intersect with other marginalized identities, such as race and gender, and how this insight might be used to enhance representation and diversity in science.

Unfolding across six chapters, the book’s argument is organized according to the different challenges that graduate students may face in their training programs and careers. While the study includes interviews and surveys of over 1,300 PhD students, Scheitle devotes significant attention to the personal experiences and challenges that individual students face. This approach enables Scheitle to expose the unique challenges that women and minorities face within their training programs. The chapter that covers the issue of stigma and hostility, for instance, focuses on a female biology student whose experience of imposter syndrome is further exacerbated by the alienation and isolation she experiences as a result of her religious identity. Moreover, Scheitle’s analysis demonstrates how certain assumptions about the incompatibility between religion and science often lead nonreligious scientists into unknowingly excluding and alienating their religious peers, many of whom are already experiencing isolation and marginalization because of their gender and racial identities.

One particular case study in the book tells the story of a Muslim chemistry student who was unable to eat food at a banquet due to the fact that the food was cooked in alcohol. The experience exposes how such students often face hostility from their colleagues who are, in turn, often unaware of how their actions are further marginalizing under-represented scientists. In Scheitle’s words, “While issues concerning stereotypes and interpersonal disrespect were some of the most common adverse experiences religious students described to me, a handful also reported experiences with more organizational forms of hostility toward their faith” (85). Although such experiences may be more common than one would at first assume or expect, the book also explores the potential for religious identity to enable religious scientists to form connections and professional relationships with others, thus underscoring religion’s dynamic role in cultivating both personal and professional relationships and shaping the landscape of modern scientific institutions.

Ultimately, Scheitle’s work offers an important contribution to the social scientific study of religion and critical analysis of religion’s larger role in shaping contemporary scientific inquiry and academic institutions. More specifically, his approach to religion and science as discrete communities underscores the need to recognize religious identity as an important facet of scientific and academic diversity. Treating religion as somehow antithetical to scientific inquiry neglects and actively discriminates against individuals whose religious beliefs inform their scientific perspectives and enrich their relationships with others. As Scheitle’s study reveals, discrimination against religious scientists presents a particular challenge for women and minorities who already experience feelings of isolation and alienation. Hostility towards religion thus compounds existing challenges and exacerbates feelings of disconnection, hindering the full inclusion of women and minorities within academic disciplines. This book would consequently serve as an excellent resource for college and university administrators who are striving to create more inclusive environments on campus. This book also provides valuable insight for religion scholars who want to better understand social scientific analysis and its applications within the context of critical analysis of religion’s intersections with science.

Amanda Furiasse is an assistant professor in the digital humanities and medical humanities at Nova Southeastern University.

Amanda Furiasse

Date Of Review:

April 12, 2024