This US-based project utilizes data from a past RPLP project, “Religious Understandings of Science” (RUS, 2012-2015), as well as new data collection, and is focused on evangelicals and science. Our previous research showed that evangelicals in the U.S. are more likely than other religious groups to see tensions between faith and science, to be suspicious of the scientific community, and to have moral problems with science. This project aims to provide evangelical leaders and constituents with empirically based, accessible social scientific evidence for how to integrate faith and science to answer questions about human purpose, meaning, and ultimate reality. In addition to new data collection (with evangelical scientists) and novel analyses, the project will produce a book and a large conference for evangelical leaders. Reaching Evangelical American Leaders to Change Hearts and Minds (REAL CHANGE) is funded by a grant from the Templeton Religion Trust with Elaine Howard Ecklund as PI.

Photo by Richard Clyborne of Music Strive.