Is Religion and Science Mutually Exclusive

Is Religion and Science Mutually Exclusive? Religion and science both serve different purposes in the world, however their purpose produce the same goal depending on what one believes in. Christians believe that the world was created by God in seven days while scientists believe in the Big Bang Theory. Jane Goodall, known for her study of chimpanzees, expresses her belief that oneness with nature is best achieved through first hand observation in her essay, “In the Forest of Gombe.” On the other hand, Barbara Kingsolver views science, especially Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, as the only answer to understanding the environment. In her essay, “A Fist in the Eye of God,” Kingsolver examines the concept of genetic engineering and presents the reader with the dangers of this scientific concept. Goodall and Kingsolver both discuss nature, evolution, science and religion. Although they have different views about how nature came about, they both believe that the natural world should be left alone. For Goodall a connection exists between science and religion yet Kingsolver feels that the theory of evolution should be taught to children instead of religion.
Most often people believe that science and religion are mutually exclusive. Yet Jane Goodall found a way to connect the two. She was questioned by a bellhop about her beliefs, “I told him that I had always thought that the biblical description of God creating the world in seven days might well have been an attempt to explain evolution in a parable. In that case, each of the days would have been several million years” (Goodall, 114). Being a scientist, Goodall believed that animals evolved overtime, yet she also believed that God existed and that possibly the theory of evolution and the biblical description of the creation of the world were just metaphors for one another. Many people would not think of combining the two concepts of religion and science yet Goodall’s explanation is