By Jules Lindgren
Religion and evolution can and do coexist in American public life.
A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found America evenly divided in their opinions on evolution.
The survey found 42 percent of Americans believe life has always existed in its present form and 48 percent believe life has evolved over time.
?It definitely hasn?t been a death knell for American religion,? said Richard Bennett, a professor of Church History at BYU.
It?s not just secularists who believe in evolution. Sixty percent of those identifying themselves as white, mainline Protestants said they believed life had evolved over time.
?Among scientists there are many who have been able to square their belief in God with evolution,? Bennett said.
Rick Jellen, an associate professor at BYU, is one of them.
?I don?t think that evolution should shake our faith,? he said. ?I believe the Lord wants us to have faith. From everything that I can tell, the Lord used natural processes.?
The numbers support the reconciliation of religion and evolution. Among those who believe in evolution, about half think the medium of evolution is natural selection. The other half believes a Supreme Being guided evolution.
Further analysis of the data found the more educated a person becomes, the less likely they are to believe life has always existed in it?s present form. Eighteen percent of those with a high school education or lower compared to 40 percent of college graduates think living things have evolved through natural selection.
One theory explaining the trend is people are better able to understand the concepts as they gain education.
?Most people are fairly ignorant on evolution, unfortunately,? Jellen said.
BYU Religion professor Doug Brinley said it?s likely the more education you have, the more you?re exposed to the ideas of evolution.
?The more you?re convinced it?s true,? he said.
The survey also showed a fairly even split in opinions about the role of religion in politics -- 26 percent of people felt there is too much discussion of faith and prayer, and 39 percent felt there was too little. The remaining 35 percent were unsure or felt there was the right amount.