Among the leaders of the anti-theist movement today, few are professional scientists. Most leading atheists have been poets, philosophers, journalists, politicians, novelists, playwrights, dictators, or media celebrities. However, the reverse statement, “Most leading scientists are atheists,” is supported by the statistic that 93% of the membership of the prestigious American Academy of Sciences say they are atheists or agnostics. But scientists often don’t think about God any more than businessmen do. The answer to “Why aren’t more scientists Christians?” might be the same as the one to “Why aren’t more real estate agents Christians?” They go with the current, and the current flows where the going is easiest.
This post is an excerpt from the book Exposing Myths About Christianity by Jeffrey Burton Russell (IVP Books, 2012). It is used with permission. You can purchase this resource in its entirety here.
Published May 18, 2018
