Perceptions of science, religion and spirituality in high school students: an empirical approach

ABSTRACT

Many questions arise regarding the compatibility between scientific and religious education. While some voices have pointed to issues that stem from a traditional model in which science becomes a factor or religious crisis and doubt, other views reveal surprising forms of collaboration and complementarity between both dimensions in the educational curriculum. To better understand how those directly involved – the students – perceive that possible conflict, an international team has launched an extensive survey in three Catholic countries – Italy, Poland and Spain – to assess to what extent that relationship is viewed in a more or less problematic way. The results point to an overcoming of the conflictive model by those with more religious formation and practice, and point towards a possible arrangement between both science and religion in regular education.

KEYWORDS:

• Spiritual tensions
• science and religion
• spirituality
• cognitive dissonances

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the John Templeton Foundation [61549].

Notes on contributors

Lluis Oviedo

Lluis Oviedo is professor of theological anthropology at Pontificia Universita Antonianum, in Rome, Italy.

Lorenzo Magarelli

Lorenzo Magarelli is professor of fundamental theology at Facoltà Teologica del Triveneto, in Italy.

Piotr Roszak

Piotr Roszak is professor and head of science-religion research group at Faculty of Theology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland.

Josefa Torralba Albaladej

Josefa Torralba Albaladejo is professor of fundamental theology at University of Murcia, Spain.

Berenika Seryczyńska

Berenika Seryczyńska is PhD in Theology by Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland.

Valentina Baldas

Valentina Baldas is professor at Liceo scientifico Galileo Galilei in Trieste, Italy and collaborator of Science and Faith Laboratory of the diocese of Trieste.

Jan Wółkowski

Jan Wółkowski is assistant professor at Faculty of Theology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland.