Christopher P. Scheitle

Christopher P. Scheitle is an Associate Professor of Sociology at West Virginia University. His research focuses on the social structure and dynamics of religion in the U.S., particularly intersections between religion and science, religious discrimination, and supernatural belief systems. He has authored two recent books and received funding from the National Science Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation.

• Education: PhD in Sociology from Pennsylvania State University (2008).

Research interests span four primary domains of supernatural belief (traditional religious beliefs, spiritual forces, witchcraft, and luck-related beliefs), religious expression in workplaces, and graduate student migration patterns. His work highlights how education and income correlate with lower supernatural belief, while racial and gender disparities shape specific belief clusters.

Recent articles analyze geographic preferences among STEM graduate students, religious discrimination in workplaces (especially for Black Christians and Muslim workers), and the complex relationship between secular identity and atheism. His studies often employ nationally representative surveys and mixed-method approaches.

• Key grants:
  • National Science Foundation #2344563
  • John Templeton Foundation projects