Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly was frustrated at the episode not revealing what happened to the raft characters and unveiling of so many new mysteries, but liked the writing and symbolism considering that "the whole enigmatic enterprise seemed grounded in rich layers of meaning".[9] TV Squad's Keith McDuffee said he was "held in suspense" throughout the episode.[10] Chris Carabott of IGN rated "Man of Science, Man of Faith" 9.3 out of 10, praising the flashbacks for being "edited incredibly well with the on island content" and Julie Bowen's performance as Sarah.[11] The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan described the episode as "a wonderfully paced, terrific return to form".[12] Ryan Mcgee of Zap2it considered the introduction in the hatch and Desmond's scene with Jack at the stadium to be the highlights of the season premiere.[13]