It is perfectly possible for a science teacher to be respectful of the worldviews that students occupy, even if these are scientifically limited, while clearly and non-apologetically helping them to understand the scientific worldview on a particular issue. Science educators and teachers need to take account of religious worldviews if some students are better to understand the compass of scientific thinking and some of science’s key conclusions. I end by drawing some initial conclusions as to what might and what might not be included about religion in school science lessons. I then explore how people can see the natural world, depending on their worldview, by looking at two contrasting treatments of penguin behaviour, namely that provided in the film March of the Penguins and in the children’s book And Tango Makes Three. This paper begins by examining whether ‘science’ and ‘religion’ can better be seen as distinct or related worldviews, focusing particularly on scientific and religious understandings of biodiversity. Instead of promoting a religious world view, we should teach our children what science knows about religion, i.e., how science explains the existence of religion in historical, biological, psychological and sociological terms. For this and other reasons, religious education should be kept away from public schools and universities.
We submit that a religious education, particularly at an early age, is an obstacle to the development of a scientific mentality. Some consequences of our analysis for education as well as for education policy are explored. Regarding these aspects, closer examination reveals that science and religion are not only different but in fact incompatible. Conspicuous differences at the doctrinal, metaphysical, methodological and attitudinal level are noted. In order to do so, we give a brief characterization of our conceptions of science and religion. We challenge the popular view that science and religion are compatible or even complementary.
This paper tackles a highly controversial issue: the problem of the compatibility of science and religion, and its bearing on science and religious education respectively.
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