John Templeton Foundation No. 61559-12 (2020-2022): The Value and Limits of Scientific Evidence for Religious Beliefs

In the Philosophy of Religion, discussions of scientific evidence typically focus on the questions of God’s nature and existence. Scientific approaches to these questions have been attractive to believers and non-believers alike because science is supposed to be one of the most reliable forms of inquiry. Moreover, scientific evidence seems to lend objectivity to claims about God’s nature and existence that other kinds of evidence, such as personal revelation and scripture, don’t. However, is it the case that believers and non-believers alike should be receptive to the scientific evidence when they form and update their beliefs about God’s nature and existence? In this project, we evaluate the hypothesis that one’s religious commitments (or lack thereof) make a difference to the value and limits of scientific evidence for such beliefs.