Religion and Scientific Literacy in theUnitedStates

Objective This study examines how commitment to sectarian P rotestant religious groups and fundamentalist beliefs in the inerrancy of the B ible influence basic scientific literacy. Methods I analyze data from the 2006 G eneral S ocial S urvey ( N = 1,780), which included a 13‐point examination of scientific facts and reasoning. Ordinary least squares regression models are estimated to determine the impact of religious affiliations and beliefs net of other control variables such as race, gender, education, income, region, and rural residence. Results Analyses show that sectarian P rotestants, C atholics, and people with fundamentalist beliefs in the inerrancy of the B ible have significantly lower levels of scientific literacy when compared with secular Americans. Religious differences are identifiable in multivariate analyses controlling for other demographic factors. Conclusions Religion plays a sizeable role in the low levels of scientific literacy found in the U nited S tates, and the negative impact of religious factors is more substantial than gender, race, or income.