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Science, creation and evolution

A survey of 2,060 adults in the UK conducted by ComRes on behalf of Theos during October and November 2008 obtained the following results:

  • 10% of people consider science and religious belief to be completely incompatible
  • 75% believe that science can explain many things but not everything
  • 70% knew that Darwin is strongly identified with evolution but only 54% knew that the Origin of Species was written by him
  • 37% believe that Darwinian evolution is a theory so well established that it is beyond reasonable doubt and 19% said they believed it had little or no supporting evidence
  • 36% believe that Darwinian evolution is still waiting to be proved

When asked to choose one of four possible positions in the evolution/creation debate:

  • 17% chose young earth creationism (YEC)
  • 11% chose intelligent design (ID)
  • 28% chose theistic evolution (TE)
  • 37% chose atheistic evolution (AE)
  • 65% consider evolution (TE or AE) to be the most likely explanation for the origins of human life


Some of the results were however contradictory:

  • 17% said YEC is the most likely explanation for the origins of human life but when asked a follow up question 32% said it was either definitely or probably true
  • 11% said ID was the most likely explanation yet 51% said it was either definitely or probably true
  • 28% said TE was the most likely explanation yet 44% said it was definitely or probably true
  • 37% said AE was the most likely explanation yet only 32% said it was definitely or probably true

Source: Theos Faith and Darwin
 
A major survey of 17,000 Christians conducted throughout 2010 by the Evangelical Alliance found that when asked if they agreed with statement “Evolution and Christianity are incompatible: you can’t believe both”:

  • 39% disagreed a lot
  • 20% disagreed a little
  • 14% were unsure
  • 8% agreed a little
  • 18% agreed a lot

Source 21st Century Evangelicals www.eauk.org/snapshot

In an email survey of 628 Alliance members in 2008 the following results were obtained when we asked the question:
 "The best explanation for the origin of humans is.."

  • 66.6% said "special creation created by God on the 6th day"
  • 15.3% said intelligent design
  • 16% said "Darwin's theory of evolution made possible by a creator God"
  • 2.1% said they did not know.