SCIENCE AND RELIGION ARE THEY COMPATIBLE

DESPITE MARKED PUBLIC INTEREST, MANY LEADING SCIENTISTS REMAIN SCEPTICAL THAT THERE IS MUCH COMMON GROUND BETWEEN SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF, OR THAT SCIENCE OFFERS SUPPORT TO ANY OF THE FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS. IN THIS STIMULATING COLLECTION OF ARTICLES ON THE SUBJECT, PAUL KURTZ AND BARRY KARR HAVE ASSEMBLED THE THOUGHTS OF SCIENTISTS FROM VARIOUS DISCIPLINES. AT A TIME WHEN RELIGION THREATENS TO DISTORT THE FINDINGS OF SCIENCE THROUGH CREATIONISM AND THE INTELLIGENT DESIGN MOVEMENT, THIS SCEPTICAL REBUTTAL IS A MUCH-NEEDED RESPONSE. AMONG THE TOPICS DISCUSSED ARE THE BIG BANG AND THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE, THE NATURE OF THE 'SOUL', AND NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES.