Yes, of course they can. I believe "Science" answers the how we are here and "Religion" answers the why we are here. Both are perfectly acceptable and are only tangentially related. The problem usually stirs because people read the book "Genesis" as a book of science. The bible is NOT a book of science and it was written by men with evolving spiritual beliefs. However, when the book does speak of scientific phenomena it is uncannily accurate. One has to remember that these books were written by men inspired by God and thus have the ability to err (meaning the bible is imperfect but nonetheless an important book written for mankind on how to live ones life) and should not be read as an inerrant science textbook.
