Some fundamentalist Christians claim the scientific community only supports knowledge that contradicts the Bible (e.g. age of the earth and evolution) because they are anti-religion, don't want to turn their back on previous claims or there is too much money to make on sticking with their current claims. This however is a very false statement devised to avoid the falsehoods of sacred scriptures. Science has no bias, never claims anything to be absolute truth and constantly tries to prove its self wrong. Always seeking for the truth based on all of the available evidence, regardless of one's personal agenda, is what makes good science. Science is pretty much the only field where being proven wrong is highly welcomed and encourage. If the evidence did actually coincided with Christian scriptures it would be more than welcomed by the scientific community because they would no longer be attacked by Christian fundamentalists. If new evidence disproves current scientific knowledge the one who made the discovery would make a huge name for himself amongst his/her piers in the scientific community. One is only rewarded for making new discovers, not restating old ones, even if the new discoveries are the disproving of past discoveries.

In truth, dogmatic religions by definition are biased since they hold their dogmatic scriptures as absolute truth no matter what. This is what causes conflicts because we have learned a lot through science since the Bronze Age and some of this new knowledge contradicts ancient claims made by scriptures. Science only makes claims based on the evidence provided by nature. If something that science teaches us contradicts scriptures it is nature and the world it's self that is contradicting scripture, science is only the messenger.

Yes and no. The real question is, "Are religions and the available evidence compatible?" Science is only the knowledge gained from the available evidence. As long as the evidence is compatible with the claims made by a religion then science and that religion are compatible. Most religions are simply based on philosophies and a spiritual desire to find comfort and one's place in the universes. These religions are more than compatible with science for science teaches us about the universe and thus makes us even closer to it. Through evolutionary biology and genetic research for example we have even discovered the common thread that links us to everything else in existence.

Some western religions like Christianity, Judaism and Islam are not compatible with science. The conflicts have nothing to do with religion but rather for the fact that they make absolute claims about nature which directly contradicts modern knowledge. Science is about learning the truth based on all the available evidence even if that evidence disproves previous notions. Dogmatic religions on the other hand make a claim and sticks with it even after it has been contradicted by the available evidence. This is why Christianity is not compatible with science. In the Bronze Age during the time Christian scriptures were written their claims were compatible with science because at the time there was not enough evidence to say the contrary. However as time passed and knowledge advanced the scriptures of all dogmatic religions have been falsified and thus are no longer compatible with science as they are no longer compatible with the evidence provided by nature and the world around us.

Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on scientific method, and to the organized body of knowledge gained through such research. Science is a continuing effort to discover and increase human knowledge and understanding through disciplined research. Using controlled methods, scientists collect observable evidence of natural or social phenomena, record measurable data relating to the observations, and analyze this information to construct theoretical explanations of how things work.

The scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed "scientific", a method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. A scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.

Science also to a large extent, works on disproving things. It is rejoiced when new evidence is uncovered and a particular theory can be defined and adjusted even further to more accurately describe what is happening encompassing all the evidence. However when a hypothesis is not 'falsifiable', or when it cannot be verified or even tested to support evidence or fact. Science can neither prove nor disprove the existence of such claims, so it is not considered scientific. This covers everything from Invisible Unicorns, Celestial Orbiting Tea-Cups, the Flying Spaghetti Monstor, Leprechauns, Gods, Smurfs and so on.

A hypothesis starts as an observation & question. It then must go though the scientific process before becoming a valid scientific theory. This process is crucial to help prevent errors, mistakes or biased personal claims. Due to frequent misunderstandings of scientific terminology, below are short summaries of key attributes of science which should be understood when reading scientific articles or any other discussion when scientific terms are involved...

1. PEER REVIEW Scrutiny of research by other experts before findings are published. 2. PRACTICAL USES Practical uses the theory can be applied to are found & announced. 3. WHISTLE BLOWING If researchers suspect foul play, they can raise their concerns with authorities. 4. REGULATION Scientists must follow regulations set by employers, ethical committees and national laws. 5. PREDICTION A scientific theory makes predictions leaving it open to... 6. OBJECTIVITY Another scientist must be able to carry out the same research and get the same findings. 7. REPLICATION The research must be replicated by various scientists, ensuring it's valid. 8. TESTABILITY The theory is then continuously re-tested. New findings may even revise or overthrow it. *Artwork is from BigPicture at wellcome.ac.uk

Evidence is a piece of information that supports a conclusion.

In scientific research evidence is accumulated through observations of phenomena that occur in the natural world, or which are created as experiments in a laboratory. Scientific evidence usually goes towards supporting or rejecting a hypothesis.

Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either a) presumed to be true, or b) were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth. Evidence is the currency by which one fulfills the burden of proof. - Wikipedia

Contemporary Evidence
The existence of contemporary evidence is largely important, as it is a first hand eyewitnesses account of an actual event(s), rather than hearsay which is largely not supported as proper evidence.

Dictionary meanings:
• Contemporary: existing, occurring, or living at the same time; belonging to the same time.
• Hearsay: unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge.

NOTE: When discussing biblical authenticity, the above definitions are important - as all claims of biblical 'evidence' bases itself entirely on the second definition, Hearsay.

The burden of proof is the position, in argumentation theory, that the individual making a claim that something is true is required to support the claim with evidence or sound argument sufficient to warrant acceptance of the claim by the other party. If the claimant cannot provide sufficient evidence, the other party is allowed to disregard the claim without having to disprove it. - Iron Chariots Wiki

Before describing a theory you will need to know what a fact is. In science, a fact is something which is observable and describe what is happening. It does not explain what is happening.

Now, most people who are unaware of the scientific description of a 'theory', commonly confuse it with a 'hypothesis'. A hypothesis in science is an idea that has yet to have been verified or tested.

A theory in science is a well tested frame work which has been confirmed and verified repeatedly and has withstood a heavy amount of scientific scrutiny. It is the actual explanation of a large body of evidence and observed facts. A theory is the highest possible achievement in science! There is nothing better.

Visit: http://www.notjustatheory.com for a further explanation that includes examples and FAQ's.

Evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts do not go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's, but apples did not suspend themselves in mid-air, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from apelike ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other, yet to be discovered.
- Stephen Jay Gould

One of the most respected evolutionary biologists has defined biological evolution as follows: "In the broadest sense, evolution is merely change, and so is all-pervasive; galaxies, languages, and political systems all evolve. Biological evolution ... is change in the properties of populations of organisms that transcend the lifetime of a single individual. The ontogeny of an individual is not considered evolution; individual organisms do not evolve. The changes in populations that are considered evolutionary are those that are inheritable via the genetic material from one generation to the next. Biological evolution may be slight or substantial; it embraces everything from slight changes in the proportion of different alleles within a population (such as those determining blood types) to the successive alterations that led from the earliest protoorganism to snails, bees, giraffes, and dandelions." - Douglas J. Futuyma in Evolutionary Biology, Sinauer Associates 1986 | Article here on TalkOrigins.org

Natural Selection is the core process that drives evolution. It is the process in nature by which only the individuals that are best adapted to their environment, due to possessing favourable characteristics for survival or reproduction, will have a greater chance to survive and reprocreate their same genetic characteristics in succeeding generations. While those which are less adapted and have less favourable characteristics for the surrounding environment, will tend to be eliminated.