Why don't scientists believe in God?

TL;DR:

Although many scientists don’t believe in God, there are scientists who do. Unbelief for anyone, not just scientists, is ultimately a matter of the heart, not just intellect.

Faith in God is a matter of will, where one commits to believing in God despite the limitations of human reason. This commitment is not just an intellectual exercise but involves a willing acceptance and love of God (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). The human intellect, no matter how lofty, must be redeemed by Christ (Psalm 14:1)

Some scientists do believe in God, and they have learned how faith and science work together in harmony. Addressing the problem of Godless worldviews, Colossians 2:8 gives a warning to believers to not be taken captive by worldly philosophies that are based on human tradition. This includes materialism and naturalism, which many scientists adhere to.

Unbelieving scientists choose to limit their definition of truth to what can be empirically discovered. However, the truth of God cannot be discovered via the scientific method, because God is a transcendent being beyond the natural world (1 Kings 8:27). Reasons for unbelief include personal experience, skepticism, fear of social consequences (John 12:42-43), and misunderstanding God's grace.

Scientists who reject faith in God do so for the same reasons anyone else does. Their atheism is built on some foundational choices noted in the verses below.

from the old testament

Psalm 14:1 characterizes atheists in this way: “The fool says in his heart, ’There is no God’ . Whether scientist or not, the person who rejects God denies the ultimate source of wisdom, moral truth, and meaning, relying instead on limited human understanding.

from the new testament

Atheists choose to retain their sin instead of repenting (John 3:19).
The apostle Paul wrote of unbelievers that they “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). They have no excuse, since God's “eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived since the creation of the world” (Romans 1:20).
Atheists seek worldly (human) wisdom, through which they cannot know God (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Atheists’ minds are blinded by the god of this age so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Atheists follow worldly philosophies based on human tradition instead of simple faith in Christ (Colossians 2:8).
Atheists choose pride over humility (James 4:6). They believe their thinking is above God’s.

implications for today

Scientists’ beliefs about God vary widely, but studies indicate that a significant portion of scientists, particularly those in elite institutions, are less likely to believe in God compared to the general public. This trend is also true in other professions, such as law, economics, and administration. Scientists in elite institutions might feel cultural pressure to conform to a secular professional ideal, which could influence their personal beliefs. Notably, biologists are more likely to be non-believers compared to those in other scientific fields, such as physics or chemistry.

Even so, many scientists do maintain a belief in God, and there are numerous examples of eminent scientists who have been devout Christians throughout history. This includes Francis Bacon( one of the fathers of the scientific method), Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, Robert Boyle, and Isaac Newton. The Reverend Thomas Bayes (1701-1761) discovered probability rules that are widely used today in machine learning algorithms. Other Christians who contributed to the foundations of modern science include James Clerk Maxwell, Lord Kelvin, George Washington Carver, Georges Lemaîre, and John Polkinghorne.

understand

Unbelief is often a matter of the heart, not just intellect.
Science cannot prove or disprove God’s existence, as He is beyond empirical measurement.
Many pioneering scientists, such as Newton and Kepler, were devout Christians.

reflect

How do you personally reconcile faith in God with the limitations of human reason and scientific understanding?
How have your own experiences shaped your beliefs about God and science?
How might pride or humility influence someone’s willingness to consider God’s existence?

engage

What are some reasons why scientists, despite their intellectual achievements, still choose not to believe in God?
What role does cultural pressure or worldview play in shaping scientific beliefs about God?
How can we engage with individuals who want empirical evidence for faith, knowing that they are not always mutually exclusive?