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Guest Essay April 18, 2024

The World’s Most Ancient Artists

Publications & Media Projects April 17, 2024

When Science Sends a Shiver Down Your Spine

One day, a young student named Jim sat listening in a lecture hall to a professor describing Maxwell’s equations. He watched as the instructor scratched the algebraic figures on a […]

Study Of The Day April 15, 2024

A most taxing delay

Grantee Voices March 21, 2024

Can Agnostics Benefit from Faith in God?

Guest Essay March 7, 2024

God at the Movies

Research Insights March 6, 2024

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Publications & Media Projects February 27, 2024

I’ve Got 99 Problems, But Nostalgia Isn’t One of Them

Study Of The Day February 20, 2024

Timeless Truths

Publications & Media Projects February 19, 2024

Five Secrets for Lasting Happiness

News February 13, 2024

The Global Flourishing Study Releases Wave One Open Access of Research Data with the Center for Open Science

Researchers can now access the wave one dataset from the Global Flourishing Study, a five-year longitudinal study of 200,000 individuals in over 20 countries. Charlottesville, VA (February 13 , 2024) […]

Guest Essay February 12, 2024

Without Love, We Perish

Publications & Media Projects February 5, 2024

Three Arguments Against God, Explained by a Catholic Bishop

Catholic Bishop Robert Barron is hard to put into a conceptual box. As a man of faith who has dedicated his life to the Church, he is also passionate about […]

Guest Essay January 30, 2024

Biohacking as a Spiritual Quest

Research Insights January 29, 2024

Over Gravity’s Rainbow

Publications & Media Projects January 25, 2024

The Real Danger of Nightmares

Neuroscientist Patrick McNamara offers one of the most startling accounts of nightmares that I have ever heard.  In this video for The Well, the Boston University associate professor of neurology […]

Podcast January 18, 2024

Mathematics and Society

Event News & Recaps January 12, 2024

WATCH: The Relationship Between Medicine and Islam

Guest Essay January 10, 2024

Intelligence Without a Brain

Guest Essay January 9, 2024

Our Manifest Destiny–In Space

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight January 5, 2024

Delivering Hope: Edna Adan Ismail’s Life of Empowering Women and Girls

Guest Essay January 2, 2024

Spiritual Exemplars

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight December 22, 2023

Beauty in Equations: How Frank Wilczek Makes Physics Sing

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight December 22, 2023

Head & Heart in Harmony: The Enduring Impact of Dr. Jane Goodall

Podcast December 21, 2023

The Pursuit of Meaningful Work

Guest Essay December 19, 2023

Unwrapping the Science of Joy

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight December 15, 2023

Beyond the Genome: Dr. Francis Collins

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight December 8, 2023

Marcelo Gleiser and the Dance of Science, Philosophy, and the Human Spirit

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight December 1, 2023

A King For All Faiths

Event News & Recaps November 30, 2023

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight November 22, 2023

The Philosopher Who Restored Religious Thought in the Academy

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight November 17, 2023

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks: Bridging Faiths, Building Legacies

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight November 10, 2023

Tomáš Halík: A Bridge Builder Between Faith and Difference

Research Insights November 6, 2023

When Not to Think for Yourself

Research Insights October 31, 2023

Harnessing the Power of Age Diversity

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight October 27, 2023

The Dalai Lama: A Life Unlike Any Other

Podcast October 26, 2023

A Love Supreme

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight October 20, 2023

Unraveling the Universe: The Pioneering Work of Martin Rees

Publications & Media Projects October 19, 2023

WATCH: Did Science Invent Optimism?

Research Insights October 17, 2023

CoGenerate! The Revolutionary Era of Age Diversity

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight October 13, 2023

2010 Templeton Prize Laureate Francisco J. Ayala

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight October 6, 2023

Bernard d’Espagnat: Unveiling the Mysteries of Quantum Reality

Event News & Recaps October 5, 2023

Turning Suffering into Love

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight September 29, 2023

Michał Heller’s Concepts on the Origin and Cause of the Universe

Podcast September 28, 2023

A More Beautiful Social Order

Guest Essay September 25, 2023

Amplifying Our Humanity Through AI

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight September 22, 2023

Navigating Modernity’s Philosophical Landscape

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight September 15, 2023

John Barrow: Exploring the Relationship Between Humankind and the Universe

Research Insights September 11, 2023

When Therapists Prescribe Prayer

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight September 8, 2023

Charles H. Townes: A Pioneer of Quantum Electronics and Spiritual Inquiry

Research Insights September 5, 2023

Behold: Beauty Is Not Optional

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight September 1, 2023

George F. R. Ellis: Exploring the Cosmos and the Essence of Being

Study Of The Day August 29, 2023

Social Ledgers, Social Oil

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight August 25, 2023

Harmonizing Humanity and Habitat

Research Insights August 22, 2023

To Change How You Feel, Change How You Think

Research Insights August 15, 2023

Are Spiritual Experiences Just in Your Head?

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight August 11, 2023

Arthur Peacocke: A Visionary at the Intersection of Science and Faith

Research Insights August 10, 2023

Why Mountains Make Us Weak in the Knees

Guest Essay August 8, 2023

Mathematics Can Do Anything But This

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight August 4, 2023

The Confession a Scientific Heretic

Podcast August 3, 2023

The Secret Power of Hospitality

Research Insights July 31, 2023

Is There a Place for Positivity in Therapy?

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight July 28, 2023

Pioneering the Science-Religion Dialogue

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight July 21, 2023

A Tireless Force for Interfaith Dialogue

Q&A July 12, 2023

Not-So-Strange Bedfellows

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight July 7, 2023

Bill Bright’s Inextinguishable Fire

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight June 30, 2023

Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe

Templeton Ideas Index June 28, 2023

What Is Epigenetics?

Research Insights June 27, 2023

By Our Own Design

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight June 23, 2023

A Pioneer in the Theology of Economics

Event News & Recaps June 21, 2023

The Transformational Power of Love in Hinduism

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight June 16, 2023

Transforming Lives Through Faith and Advocacy

Guest Essay June 6, 2023

Love Is More Than Hugs and Kisses

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight June 2, 2023

Lord Jakobovits: A Champion of Moral Ethics and Interfaith Dialogue

Study Of The Day May 31, 2023

Call and Response

PodcastQ&A May 25, 2023

What Is It Like to Be an Electron?

Templeton Ideas Index May 23, 2023

What Is Organism-Centered Evolution?

Study Of The Day May 18, 2023

Polishing the Mirror

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight May 16, 2023

Edna Adan Ismail Wants to Fix the World

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight May 12, 2023

Serving God by Serving Others: The Legacy of Baba Amte

Event News & Recaps May 10, 2023

WATCH: Global Health Has a Compassion Gap

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight May 5, 2023

A Life Dedicated to Science, Philosophy, and Peace

Research Insights May 3, 2023

How To Keep Your Glass Half Full

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight April 28, 2023

A Man Who Believed Faith and Action Go Hand in Hand

PodcastQ&A April 27, 2023

Give Patience a Chance

Research Insights April 19, 2023

Curiosity Has Two Faces

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight April 14, 2023

The Benedictine Priest Who Bridged the Gap Between Science and Religion

PodcastQ&A April 13, 2023

Choose the Bigger Life

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight April 7, 2023

James I. McCord: A Life of Faith and Engagement

Templeton Ideas Index April 3, 2023

What Is Future-Mindedness?

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight March 31, 2023

A Pioneer in Bridging Scientific Research and Human Spirituality

Research Insights March 27, 2023

The Neuroscience of Free Will

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight March 24, 2023

A Voice for the Voiceless

Grant Highlights March 23, 2023

Mutually Enriching Paths to Truth

Research Insights March 20, 2023

The Resurrection of Cosmological Logic

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight March 17, 2023

The Enduring Spirit of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Event News & Recaps March 15, 2023

What Do We Really Know About Love?

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight March 10, 2023

A Crusade for the Ages: Billy Graham’s Magnetic Message

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight March 3, 2023

Cicely Saunders: Making a Difference for the Dying

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight February 24, 2023

Ralph Wendell Burhoe: A Missionary for a New Reformation

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight February 17, 2023

From the Garden to the Temple: Nikkyo Niwano’s Path to Peace

Templeton Ideas Index February 15, 2023

What Is Emergence?

Featured GrantsResearch Insights February 13, 2023

‘Thank You’ — The Simple Secret to Love

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight February 10, 2023

Thomas Torrance’s Insight on the Rationality of the Universe

Q&AResearch Insights February 8, 2023

The Power of Positive Self-Talk

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight February 3, 2023

Chiara Lubich’s Movement of Peace, Unity and Love

Research Insights January 30, 2023

Concepts of Space and Concepts of Self

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight January 27, 2023

A Compassionate Voice in Catholic Discourse

Research Insights January 25, 2023

Can People Really Change? Yes. Here’s How.

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight January 20, 2023

‘The Philosopher-King of Whom Plato Dreamed’

Research Insights January 17, 2023

The Surprising Power of Prayer In Relationships

Templeton Ideas Index January 17, 2023

What Is Complexity?

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight January 13, 2023

How Brother Roger Convened Youths from Around the World

Templeton Ideas Index January 9, 2023

What Is Religious Cognition?

Templeton Prize Laureate Spotlight January 6, 2023

A Story of “Overpowering Faith”

Research Insights January 4, 2023

Self-Sabotage Is Undermining Your Future. Here’s How to Conquer It.

Humans aren’t alone in our ability to imagine the future and predict likely outcomes. Research shows that animals from ravens to orangutans plan ahead by setting aside tools for later […]

In MemoriamNew Publication December 15, 2022

Freeman Dyson: Visionary, Maverick, Iconoclast, Rebel, Genius

Study Of The Day December 14, 2022

Gifts that Keep on Giving

Research Insights December 8, 2022

A Life-Saving Intervention for Military Veterans

Research Insights November 30, 2022

Can the Rocks Cry Out?

News November 29, 2022

Giving More Than Is Expected

Remarks & Reflections November 28, 2022

Give Yourself the Gift of Generosity

Featured GrantsResearch Insights November 17, 2022

What Can Science Say About the Study of Prayer?

Event News & Recaps November 10, 2022

Can Forgiveness Bring Healing to the World?

News October 29, 2022

The Allure of the Supernatural

Templeton Ideas Index October 28, 2022

Introducing the Templeton Ideas Index

Publications & Media Projects October 26, 2022

What Are Minds, and Where Will You Find Them?

Templeton Ideas Index October 25, 2022

What Is Fine Tuning?

Guest Essay October 17, 2022

Making Space For Silence

Templeton Ideas Index October 7, 2022

What Is Cultural Evolution?

Study Of The Day October 6, 2022

Compound Vision

Publications & Media Projects October 4, 2022

Failure and Flourishing

Event News & Recaps September 30, 2022

Join Us in Celebrating International Podcast Day

Research Insights September 28, 2022

Disembodied Worship?

Event News & Recaps September 27, 2022

Making An Impact

Templeton Ideas Index September 22, 2022

What Is Intellectual Humility?

Research Insights September 21, 2022

What Can Brain Scans Really Tell Us?

Research Insights September 19, 2022

Charting a Global Map of Gratitude

Remarks & Reflections September 13, 2022

The Reason We Fund Character Development

In Memoriam September 5, 2022

The Unwavering Devotion of Mother Teresa

Study Of The Day September 1, 2022

Reasons to Run

Grantee Voices August 31, 2022

The Transformative Power of Humility

Featured Grants August 30, 2022

Is Gratitude Universal?

Publications & Media Projects August 17, 2022

Einstein and the Quantum

Publications & Media Projects August 12, 2022

Why Justice and Forgiveness Go Hand In Hand

Research Insights August 10, 2022

The Hidden Footprints of God

Research Insights August 1, 2022

To Cultivate Humility, Lend an Ear

Publications & Media Projects July 29, 2022

Why Humans Crave the Supernatural

Grantee Voices July 25, 2022

Training Teachers to Transform Society

Grantee Voices July 21, 2022

Existential Comfort For Nonbelievers

Featured Grants July 18, 2022

Nine Ways to Make a Diamond

Publications & Media Projects June 29, 2022

Why Do We Choose to Suffer? | Featuring Psychologist Paul Bloom

Study Of The Day June 21, 2022

When Inspiration Strikes

Publications & Media Projects June 15, 2022

The Genetic Lottery | Featuring Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden

Featured Grants June 9, 2022

Living with Deep Difference

Grantee Voices June 7, 2022

Turning Garbage into Gold

Research Insights June 1, 2022

Can Science Set Us Free?

Research Insights May 31, 2022

Does Worship Make a Good Life? (Part II)

Study Of The Day May 26, 2022

Pregnant Pause

Research Insights May 25, 2022

Does Worship Make a Good Life? (Part I)

Publications & Media Projects May 24, 2022

The Awe of Understanding | Featuring Physicist Jim Al-Khalili

Research Insights May 17, 2022

Unlimited Life in a Limited World

Study Of The Day May 13, 2022

The Dangerous Myth of the Male Breadwinner

Featured GrantsResearch Insights May 9, 2022

How Sweet the Sound

Event News & Recaps May 4, 2022

Happiness at Half Moon Bay

Research Insights April 29, 2022

Best of All Possible Worlds?

Featured GrantsGrant Highlights April 25, 2022

Advancing Spiritual Care in Everyday Clinical Practice

Research Insights April 19, 2022

Can Thoughts Exist Outside the Brain?

Research Insights April 12, 2022

Was Our Universe Made for Us?

Study Of The Day April 5, 2022

‘The Best Form of Self-Interest’

Event News & Recaps March 25, 2022

WATCH: What Do Unbelievers Actually Believe?

Study Of The Day March 15, 2022

A Family Tree With 27 Million Branches

Study Of The Day March 8, 2022

Religious but Not Spiritual

Research Insights March 3, 2022

Is Religion an Antidote to Depression?

Publications & Media Projects March 1, 2022

Illuminating the Extraordinary and Forgotten Women of Science

Research Insights February 23, 2022

The Ineffable Purpose of Randomness

Study Of The Day February 21, 2022

Inequality and the Constitution

Event News & Recaps February 16, 2022

WATCH: Does Digital Technology Erode Our Empathy?

Remarks & Reflections February 10, 2022

Celebrating Sir Alister Hardy

Research Insights February 7, 2022

To Explain an Avalanche, Start With One Snowflake

Research Insights February 4, 2022

East Asia’s Religious Futures

Research Insights January 31, 2022

Ancestral Smoking Is Bad for You, Too

January 25, 2022

Media Kit

Research Insights January 20, 2022

The Black Hole in the Basement: Part II

Research Insights January 18, 2022

‘Together in Our Differences’

Research Insights January 13, 2022

The Black Hole in the Basement: Part I

Featured GrantsResearch Insights January 7, 2022

Envisioning a Better World for Teachers

Research Insights January 4, 2022

Does Nature Ever Break the Law?

In Memoriam January 3, 2022

Remembering Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Research Insights December 21, 2021

What Blooms from Rocky Ground?

News December 16, 2021

WATCH: Inspiring Awe & Wonder

Remarks & Reflections December 16, 2021

The Purpose of the John Templeton Foundation

By Heather Templeton Dill As President of the John Templeton Foundation, I am often asked to explain what we do and why it’s important. Answering this question isn’t always simple: […]

News December 15, 2021

Welcome to Templeton Ideas

Dear Reader, Welcome to the world of Templeton Ideas. You may notice that we’re doing something a little new. Today we’re unveiling a new home for the stories of the […]

Grant Highlights December 12, 2021

Rainbow Gravity, The Peacock Fallacy, And An Intimate Look At Human Flourishing: November Monthly Grant Highlights

November Grant Features What is Open Science? A Conversation with Nicholas Gibson, Director of Human Sciences 6 Continents, 22 Countries, 240,000 Voices: Creating an Unprecedented Window on How Humans Can […]

Research Insights December 12, 2021

The Sudoku Universe

Research Insights December 12, 2021

Can We Train Our Brains to Be More Resilient?

Publications & Media Projects December 12, 2021

How a Global Icon of Hope Found Her Way Through Loss

Jane Goodall speaks about facing grief in order to heal Jane Goodall is an icon of hope across the globe. The naturalist and primatologist embodies a clear-eyed optimism for both […]

Study Of The Day December 12, 2021

The Secret of Happiness at the Top of a Bell Tower

Was Emerson right about the healing power of awe?  In our Study of the Day feature series, we highlight a research publication related to a John Templeton Foundation-supported project, connecting […]

Publications & Media Projects December 3, 2021

Prayer, Relationships, and Health

Over the course of dozens of studies, Frank Fincham has compiled an impressive list of ways that prayer and forgiveness make a difference. Frank Fincham, who holds an endowed chair […]

Publications & Media Projects December 3, 2021

Foundational Questions In Cosmology

Why is the universe the way it is? Ancient societies over told creation stories to answer that question, which seems to be as old as human civilization itself. Cosmology seeks […]

Publications & Media Projects December 3, 2021

Exploring the Epigenome

Are we more than the sum of our genes? Three intriguing investigations add insight into the ways environment and experience shape genetic expression — sometimes in ways that can be […]

Publications & Media Projects December 3, 2021

Expanding Scientific Training for Religious Leaders

Three religious traditions, three unique circumstances, and three best times to ensure religious leaders are both trained in theology and well-prepared for contemporary challenges. On a balmy Wednesday afternoon in […]

Publications & Media Projects December 3, 2021

The Best of All Possible Worlds?

Scientists and philosophers continue to reckon with the spreading evidence and implications of fine tuning. The 18th-century German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz famously argued that the universe as it existed had […]

Publications & Media Projects December 3, 2021

Spirituality and Medicine

Scientists and medical practitioners are taking a fresh look at the ways that patients’ religious beliefs affect their healthcare needs. When we think of the frontiers where religion and science […]

Publications & Media Projects December 3, 2021

Atheism and Unbelief

Towards a psychology and sociology of atheism and non-belief If the world’s estimated 1.1 billion atheists and non-believers were grouped together as their own “religion,” they would be the world’s […]

Publications & Media Projects December 3, 2021

The Evolution of Cooperation

Explaining the evolution of cooperation — one of life’s most common, complex, and paradoxical phenomena  It’s easy to take cooperation for granted. Children team up to complete a project on […]

Publications & Media ProjectsResearch Insights December 2, 2021

Did Religion Help the Rise of Civilizations in the Americas?

Religions and the Emergence of Civilizations in the Americas In our contemporary culture, it is often assumed that organized religion is a conservative force that impedes the development of human […]

Featured GrantsPublications & Media Projects December 2, 2021

Islam’s Great Classical Thinker Has a Message for Today’s Kids

Featured Grants December 2, 2021

The Center for Parent and Teen Communication

Featured Grants December 2, 2021

Building Virtues through College Admissions

Featured Grants December 2, 2021

Using Big Data to Quantify and Cultivate Genius

Featured GrantsPublications & Media Projects December 2, 2021

The Art of Meaningful Conversations

Featured GrantsPublications & Media Projects December 2, 2021

In College Classrooms, a Spreading Silence on Hot-Button Topics

Featured Grants December 2, 2021

Unfolding Quantum Intuition

In MemoriamNew Publication November 11, 2021

‘To Be Human Is to Ask the Question, Why?’

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks on the Quest for Meaning “Life is a story. It is our response to the call of suffering in the world.” –Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Morality. […]

Event News & Recaps November 10, 2021

WATCH: What Makes an Honest Person? It May Be More Complex Than You Think.

 Honesty is intrinsically good. Society, by and large, appears to agree on this notion. We uphold honesty as an important virtue and extol its benefits — it helps us […]

Event News & Recaps November 9, 2021

WATCH: How to Make a Map of the Invisible

 You can’t see it, touch it, smell it, or taste it. It is like nothing else in the known world. It exists silently alongside ordinary matter, not interacting with […]

NewsResearch Insights November 8, 2021

Into the Unknown: Foundation Reports from the Edge of Physics

Four new scientific reviews tackle the origins of space, time, and the universe—and the mystery of why the cosmos seems ideally suited for human life.   What happened before the Big […]

Q&A November 4, 2021

What is Open Science? A Conversation with Nicholas Gibson, Director of Human Sciences

The John Templeton Foundation has become increasingly invested in open science over the last eight years and is now part of a broad coalition of funders and organizations that promote […]

Event News & Recaps November 3, 2021

What Does a 1,800-year-old Buddhist Classic Have to Say about Quantum Physics and the Nature of Reality?

A renowned physicist discusses the philosophy of emptiness with the Dalai Lama’s doctor An expert in quantum gravity and a Hollywood-born family doctor-turned Buddhist monk met recently to discuss whether […]

News October 25, 2021

Heather Templeton Dill Joins the Generosity Commission

President Heather Templeton Dill and the John Templeton Foundation are proud to be a part of the Generosity Commission which launched on October 12th. This commission consists of a group […]

Research Insights October 21, 2021

Social Hostility Towards Religion Declined in 2019, According to Recent Research

A Decline in Terrorism Led the Reduction, while Government Hostility Remained Steady Violence and harassment against religious groups by private individuals declined in 2019, according to the Pew Research Center’s […]

News October 20, 2021

Foundation Receives 2,370 Online Funding Inquiries (OFIs) for 2021 Funding Cycle

The John Templeton Foundation closed its 2021 Online Funding Inquiry (OFI) application window on August 20, 2021. This year, the Foundation received 2,370 inquiries totaling slightly over $1.38 billion in […]

Grant Highlights October 18, 2021

Cultivating Genius, Meditation Podcasts, and $14M for the Science of Purpose: September Monthly Grant Highlights

Recently Approved Grants Public Engagement  Individual Freedom & Free Markets Natural Sciences Philosophy & Theology Character Virtue Development Project Title  Cultivating Genius Initiative Cultures of Trust and Institutions of Freedom […]

News October 13, 2021

Foundation Welcomes Two New Program Officers

The John Templeton Foundation is excited to announce the arrival of two new Program Officers — Dr. Sarah Lane Ritchie and Dr. Emanuela Sani.  Dr. Sarah Lane Ritchie joins the […]

Event News & Recaps October 12, 2021

WATCH: The Importance of Imparting Forgiveness in Schools

How does the concept of “forgiveness” vary across cultures? Can it be taught in classrooms, and if so, how do we teach it most effectively?  These and other questions fueled […]

Featured Grants October 6, 2021

Is One of Biology’s Perennial Themes Ready For a Fresh Look? Alan Love on the Science of Purpose.

University of Minnesota philosopher Alan Love studies the interplay between philosophy and biology. He is the principal investigator for “Agency, Directionality, and Function: Foundations for a Science of Purpose,” a […]

Research Insights October 4, 2021

Faith: Is It Real If You Never Kneel?

Religious faith entails action, not just right belief Faith in anything requires action. We don’t just talk about our faith; we eventually have to step out onto the metaphorical bridge. […]

Event News & Recaps October 1, 2021

“The Year of the Woman”: Heather Templeton Dill Receives Citizens Diplomacy International Award

In a virtual ceremony broadcast on September 30, 2021, Heather Templeton Dill and Jennifer Templeton Simpson, former chair of the Board of Trustees of the John Templeton Foundation, received the […]

Q&A September 23, 2021

Paul Davies on ‘What’s Eating the Universe?’

Paul Davies, a theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and best-selling author is Regents’ Professor of Physics and director of the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University. His […]

Featured Grants September 21, 2021

Early-Career Astrophysicists and Social Scientists Will Have a Front-Row Seat for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Groundbreaking Night Sky Survey

When one of the most important new ground-based telescopes in a generation begins operation as early as next year, a cohort of astrophysics and social science fellows, backed by $6.9 […]

Remarks & Reflections September 20, 2021

The Legacy of Sir John Templeton

Reflecting On Our Founder With President Heather Templeton Dill We tell many stories about our illustrious founder, Sir John Templeton. Some of them come from his writings — he was […]

Q&A September 15, 2021

Searching for Cosmic Company: Astrophysicist Jennifer Wiseman on the human fascination with alien life

Humans have contemplated the possibility of life beyond Earth for millenia. In ancient Greece, the philosopher Epicurus pondered “an infinity of worlds” outside of our own. Roman poet Lucretius theorized […]

News September 13, 2021

John Bare Joins the John Templeton Foundation as Vice President, Programs

West Conshohocken, PA — The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of John Bare, PhD, as Vice President of Programs. In this role, Bare will oversee the […]

Grant Highlights September 10, 2021

August 2021: Monthly Grant Report

Recently Approved Grants Public Engagement Mathematics and Physical Sciences Natural Sciences Human Sciences Character Virtue Development Project Title  Science, Explored: Radiolab on Science and the Big Questions Establishing a Templeton […]

Research Insights September 7, 2021

Why Mountains Make Us Weak in the Knees

How Awe Transforms Us From the Outside In Was there ever a time when humans didn’t pause to admire a flaming sunset or the Milky Way on a clear night? […]

Featured GrantsResearch Insights August 24, 2021

Quantum biology and the arrow of time

Jellyfish and migratory birds may help physicists understand the mysterious shift from quantum to classical mechanics Time as we experience it only ever appears to move forward, pointing one-way like […]

Research Insights August 23, 2021

Generosity: Is it Really Better to Give Than Receive?

Science reveals that generosity benefits the giver, too The old truism that “it’s better to give than to receive” isn’t just fodder for preschool and Sunday school lessons. A host […]

Event News & RecapsQ&A August 18, 2021

WATCH: Dr. Jane Goodall Sits Down With Celebrities For ‘Conversations With Jane’ Series

Four of Hollywood’s leading actresses-turned-activists were recently given the opportunity of a lifetime – a chance to speak with renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall. Alicia Silverstone, Ashley Judd, Sophia Bush, […]

Featured GrantsResearch Insights August 16, 2021

India’s Patchwork Pluralism

A groundbreaking nationwide survey explores what Indians believe about their own and their fellow citizens’ religious faiths The largest-ever study of attitudes about religion and civic life in India has […]

Event News & RecapsQ&A August 16, 2021

On Asking Open-Minded Questions: Heather Templeton Dill Interviewed on ‘Beyond Belief’

What inspired one of the world’s great pioneering global investors to devote his wealth to unlocking the mysteries of the universe and human nature? Heather Templeton Dill, president of the […]

Publications & Media Projects August 3, 2021

Mischievous Brothers: The Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu Share the Secret to Joy

Documentary film Mission Joy celebrates the friendship of two spiritual masters  In 2015, Archbishop Desmond Tutu traveled to Dharamsala, India. The purpose of his visit was to see a friend, […]

Research Insights August 2, 2021

Generosity Comes More Naturally to Some People Than Others. Here’s Why.

A look at the individual, social, and cultural reasons behind why we give. In the Biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, a man is besieged by robbers, beaten, and left […]

News July 28, 2021

Foundation Approves Over $105 Million in New Programs

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Event News & Recaps July 12, 2021

WATCH: For Children, Saying ‘Sorry’ Is One Thing. Understanding What It Means Is Another.

Along with “please” and “thank you,” saying sorry is one of the earliest phrases that many parents teach their children. They do this because it’s an important nicety: people say […]

Event News & Recaps July 2, 2021

WATCH: The Difference Between Thinking About Science and Religion

Consider a thought experiment. If you could choose an ideal belief system for the next generation of intelligent beings — a set of beliefs that enables them to thrive and […]

NewsRemarks & Reflections July 1, 2021

The cathedral and the forest: How two awe-inspiring moments shaped Jane Goodall’s spirituality

Mystical experiences have given the scientist a sense of purpose, both human and divine  Jane Goodall lay on her back in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, bathed in the light of […]

Featured GrantsResearch Insights June 21, 2021

A Massive New Grant Will Explore the Health Effects of Religion and Spirituality

For 30 Years This Gold-Standard Study Has Generated Insights on Human Health Since 1991, researchers based at the University of Bristol in the U.K. have been following the lives of […]

NewsResearch Insights June 15, 2021

New Funding Competition in Christian Theology: Up to $8M for Cross-Training in Psychology

The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce a new funding competition in the Philosophy & Theology department, with a total of up to approximately $8 million available over five years […]

Publications & Media Projects June 1, 2021

WATCH: How Five Leaders Are Pursuing Business for the Greater Good

An Inspiring Glimpse into the Heart of Conscious Capitalism  JeVon McCormick, the CEO of Austin, Texas-based book publishing startup Scribe Media, keeps an unopened jar of peanut butter on the […]

Event News & Recaps May 28, 2021

WATCH: The Greatest Threats to American Democracy | Ford Foundation President Darren Walker

What is the single biggest challenge to democracy in the United States in the 21st century? Ford Foundation president Darren Walker sat down with us recently to discuss this question, […]

Q&A May 27, 2021

How to Think Better: Five Questions with Nathan Ballantyne

Nathan Ballantyne is a philosopher at Fordham University in New York City who focuses on questions about improving human judgment and inquiry. His 2019 book Knowing Our Limits offers a […]

NewsRemarks & Reflections May 20, 2021

Dr. Jane Goodall Receives Prestigious 2021 Templeton Prize

Goodall Joins Past Laureates Mother Teresa and Francis Collins as First Female Ethologist to Receive One of the World’s Largest Individual Lifetime Achievement Awards Pennsylvania, USA, May 20, 2021 – […]

Event News & Recaps April 22, 2021

WATCH: Dr. Francis Collins on the Discovery That Filled Him With Awe

Join us in conversation with Dr. Francis Collins, the 2020 Templeton Prize laureate and director of the National Institutes of Health. He recently sat down with Heather Templeton Dill, President […]

In Memoriam April 12, 2021

In Memoriam – Michael Bourdeaux (1934-2021)

The John Templeton Foundation and the Templeton Philanthropies mourn the passing of the Reverend Canon Dr. Michael Bourdeaux, champion of religious liberty, founder of the Keston Institute in England, and […]

In MemoriamNews April 9, 2021

In Memoriam – HRH Prince Philip (1921 – 2021)

The John Templeton Foundation and the Templeton Philanthropies mourn the passing of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, a philanthropist and committed public […]

News April 6, 2021

John Templeton Foundation Welcomes Two New Program Officers

The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce that Dr. Aamir Ali has joined the organization as the Program Officer in Mathematics and Physical Sciences, and Dr. Alexandra Was has […]

Publications & Media Projects April 6, 2021

How Scientists Showed Us the Unseeable

Pulling Back the Curtain on a Black Hole Breakthrough  On April 10, 2019 front pages and homepages around the world featured a black-and-orange picture of a blurred ring, dark at […]

Event News & Recaps March 29, 2021

WATCH: Did Science Invent Optimism?

What role did science play in the emergence of optimism? Join us in conversation with the Columbia University professor and chair of biology, Dr. Stuart Firestein. Author of two trade […]

Event News & Recaps March 15, 2021

‘Character Through Community’: $15M Initiative to Strengthen Character-Focused Programs

The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce a new funding competition in the Character Virtue Development department, with a total of $15 million available for projects. In the “Character […]

In Memoriam March 12, 2021

In Memoriam: John C. Polkinghorne (1930-2021)

The Templeton Philanthropies mourn the passing of mathematical physicist and Anglican priest, the Reverend Canon Dr. John Charlton Polkinghorne, the 2002 Templeton Prize Laureate. He died on March 9, 2021 […]

Event News & Recaps March 3, 2021

WATCH: How to Find Meaning in the Bottom of a Boat

How does a scientist who grew up only believing in what could be lab-tested come to find meaning through transcendental experience and deep conversations with a Buddhist monk? Recently we […]

News February 24, 2021

$2.9 Million to Globalize the Philosophy of Religion

Amplifying new voices and uncovering important scholarship beyond the Christian and Anglophone worlds Religion is a global phenomenon as diverse as the peoples of the world, but the academic study […]

Featured Grants February 10, 2021

Tackling Philadelphia’s Poverty by Aiding Entrepreneurs of Color

New program to connect dozens of new businesses with capital and resources while building best practices for further growth Dozens of new minority-owned businesses in Philadelphia will launch with a […]

Event News & Recaps January 29, 2021

WATCH: Tyler Cowen on how scientific funding moves too slowly, and how he’s fixing it

You may know Professor Tyler Cowen. The George Mason economist, New York Times and Bloomberg columnist, podcaster, and polymath has built a large following for his thoughtful views and voracious […]

News January 26, 2021

John Templeton Foundation Welcomes New Program Officer in Human Sciences

The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce that Dr. Erik Gjesfjeld has joined the organization as a Program Officer in Human Sciences. In this role, Dr. Gjesfjeld will help […]

News January 4, 2021

Brian Crawford Joins John Templeton Foundation as Director, Investments

West Conshohocken, PA – The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce that Mr. Brian Crawford, CFA, has joined the organization as Director, Investments. In this role, Mr. Crawford will […]

News December 22, 2020

John Templeton Foundation Approves Over $49 Million in New Programs

During the final quarter of 2020, the Board of Trustees of the John Templeton Foundation approved 31 funding requests with an approximate total value of over $49 million, the Foundation […]

Research Insights December 22, 2020

Video: What Is Life?

Have we encountered alien life already and just not realized it? Will deepening our understanding of life in the universe transform our understanding of ourselves? Explore the profound questions surrounding […]

Remarks & Reflections December 15, 2020

End of Year Message from President Heather Templeton Dill

Dear Friends, Curiosity is one of the core principles that guides our work at the John Templeton Foundation. How can we live meaningful and purposeful lives? How does our social […]

Research Insights December 11, 2020

Video: The Science of Morality

Right and wrong, good and evil — when viewing the world, our moral judgments often feel clear-cut and consistent. Research shows, however, that we’re willing to be more forgiving and […]

Featured Grants December 1, 2020

Cross-Training to Understand Confucian Culture

A multidisciplinary investigation of ‘How China Became Chinese.’  Ryan Nichols joined the faculty of Cal State Fullerton in 2006, gained tenure four years later, and became a full professor of […]

Research Insights December 1, 2020

Video: The Science of Forgiveness

Learn about the latest research in the science of forgiveness with Dr. Amrisha Vaish, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and leader of a project studying […]

Publications & Media ProjectsResearch Insights November 11, 2020

Foundation Releases White Paper on Study of Hope and Optimism

A new report explores the benefits of two related virtues. A new paper published by the John Templeton Foundation explores the latest scientific and philosophical research on the related but […]

In Memoriam November 9, 2020

In Memoriam: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (1948 – 2020)

The Templeton Philanthropies mourn the sudden and unexpected passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the 2016 Templeton Prize Laureate. He died on November 7 at the age of 72.  A […]

Featured Grants October 20, 2020

How to Develop a Belief Network

Studying the development and diversity of religious cognition and behavior. Across cultures and throughout history, religion has always played a central role in what it means to be human, but […]

News October 9, 2020

Foundation-Supported Researchers Win Nobel Prize and MacArthur Fellowship

Two researchers who have received support from the John Templeton Foundation were announced this week as winners of the Nobel Prize and the MacArthur Fellowship. Jennifer A. Doudna of the […]

Featured Grants October 6, 2020

Religion Data, Remixed

Retooling a Key Resource for Research on Religion For more than 20 years, the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) has been a hugely influential and important clearinghouse for social […]

Event News & Recaps September 28, 2020

Harmony in Hard Times

Honoring Geneticist, Physician, and NIH Director Francis Collins in a Ceremony Like No Other The 670-seat Frank Kavli Auditorium at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. was nearly […]

In Memoriam September 28, 2020

In Memoriam: John D. Barrow (1952 – 2020)

The Templeton Philanthropies mourn the passing of cosmologist, mathematician, and physicist John D. Barrow, the 2006 Templeton Prize Laureate.  He died on September 26 at his home in Cambridge, England […]

Event News & Recaps September 24, 2020

Dr. Francis S. Collins Awarded 2020 Templeton Prize

GENETICIST AND PHYSICIAN DR. FRANCIS S. COLLINS AWARDED TEMPLETON PRIZE AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES BUILDING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.   “In Praise of Harmony”   WASHINGTON, DC — Geneticist […]

Featured Grants September 22, 2020

Promoting Intellectual Humility in Classrooms

A new project will help gauge how students feel realizing the limits of their understanding — and ways they can positively respond Much of the goal of education is about […]

Featured Grants September 8, 2020

The Honesty Project

A new three-year project to investigate the science and philosophy of an understudied virtue. Until the last few years, most academic studies touching on the nature of honesty were actually […]

Featured GrantsPublications & Media Projects July 21, 2020

Act Like a Holy Man

A new film will celebrate the lives, friendship and insights of two of our time’s most revered spiritual leaders: Desmond Tutu and the 14th Dalai Lama In April of 2015, […]

Grant Highlights July 21, 2020

Monthly Grant Report – June 2020

Recently Approved Grants Philosophy and Theology Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Science and Ultimate Reality: The Culminating Volume in the Six-Volume Religious Philosophy Series Center for Mind and […]

News July 7, 2020

Welcome to Our New Trustees

The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Trustees, Dr. Kim Tan and Ms. Lauren Templeton. The new trustees were […]

Featured Grants June 24, 2020

Advancing the Study of Theology for Emerging Muslim Leaders

Scholars Are Building a New Academic Program Encompassing Advanced Islamic Theology and Contemporary Thought Many Muslim higher educational institutions currently teach a curriculum focused on more at-hand legal and social […]

Grant Highlights June 23, 2020

Monthly Grant Report – May 2020

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount A Planning Project to Uncover the Cognitive and Cultural Foundations of Gratitude Regents of The University of California […]

News June 15, 2020

Special Announcement Regarding COVID-19 and the Upcoming 2020 Funding Cycle

Dear Applicants, We hope that you are staying safe in the extraordinary circumstances caused by the global pandemic. In March, when the Foundation moved to remote work, we shared an […]

Featured Grants June 9, 2020

Collaborative Inquiries in Christian Theological Anthropology

A new project will foster interdisciplinary work — informed by both science and theology — on what it means to be human Human flourishing and freedom are topics that have […]

News May 20, 2020

Francis Collins Wins 2020 Templeton Prize

WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA — Geneticist and physician Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, who led the Human Genome Project to its successful completion in 2003 and throughout […]

Grant Highlights May 18, 2020

Monthly Grant Report – April 2020

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Global Flourishing Study Planning Grant Baylor University Byron Johnson; Tyler VanderWeele $201,327   Philosophy and Theology Project Title […]

Q&A May 18, 2020

Q&A: Five Questions with Jeffrey Rosen

Journalist and legal commentator Jeffrey Rosen is President and CEO of the National Constitution Center (NCC) in Philadelphia and led the development of the John Templeton Foundation-funded Interactive Constitution. Rosen is […]

News May 5, 2020

John Templeton Foundation Appoints David Nassar as Vice President, Communications & Strategic Engagement

West Conshohocken, PA – David Nassar, former Vice President, Communications at the Brookings Institution, has joined the John Templeton Foundation as Vice President, Communications and Strategic Engagement. In this role […]

News April 30, 2020

2020 Templeton Prize Laureate to be announced on May 20

50th winner of £1.1 million annual prize for celebrating scientific and spiritual curiosity Event: Announcement of the 2020 Templeton Prize Laureate Date: Wednesday, May 20, 7:00 AM EDT (Philadelphia) / […]

Q&A April 21, 2020

Q&A: Five Questions with Jason Marsh

Jason Marsh is the executive director of the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at the University of California, Berkeley, and the founding editor-in-chief of the center’s award-winning online magazine, Greater […]

Grant Highlights April 21, 2020

Monthly Grant Report – March 2020

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Developing Belief: The Development and Diversity of Religious Cognition and Behavior: Phase 1 University of California, Riverside Rebekah […]

Research Insights April 6, 2020

Character, Virtue, Quarantine

The COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges for nearly everyone around the world. Even for those whose homes are untouched by the coronavirus itself, daily life, work, and family rhythms […]

News April 3, 2020

John Templeton Foundation Announces New Director of Philosophy & Theology Department

Dr. Alexander Arnold joined the Foundation in 2012 as a Program Officer, where he helped develop and oversee grants in Philosophy & Theology. Sir John Templeton’s vision for these disciplines […]

NewsPublications & Media Projects March 25, 2020

How Grantees Are Helping With COVID-19

Templeton Grantees Respond to the Coronavirus At the beginning of 1665, a deadly plague shuttered Cambridge University and sent a 23-year-old Isaac Newton back to his family estate. There, in […]

Grant Highlights March 25, 2020

Monthly Grant Report – February 2020

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Modeling Religious Change Old Dominion University Research Foundation Saikou Diallo; Wesley Wildman $3,998,981 Advancing Interprofessional Spiritual Care in […]

News March 19, 2020

A Message to Our Grantees and Applicants on COVID-19

We know that you, our grantees and wider applicant community, are grappling with unprecedented disruptions and challenges due to the global coronavirus outbreak. We want you to know that we […]

In Memoriam March 2, 2020

Freeman Dyson (1923-2020)

The John Templeton Foundation mourns the passing of one of the 20th century’s greatest scientists, Freeman Dyson, who received the Templeton Prize in 2000. He passed away on February 28 […]

Grant Highlights February 26, 2020

Monthly Grant Report – December 2019 & January 2020

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Religious belief, health and disease: a family perspective. I. Data collection University of Bristol Jean Golding; Kate Northstone […]

News February 26, 2020

John Templeton Foundation Announces New Director of Life Sciences Department

The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce that Kevin Arnold, Ph.D., has been appointed to lead the Life Sciences department. Dr. Arnold joined the Foundation in 2012 as a […]

Q&A February 25, 2020

Q&A: Five Questions with Matt Warner

Matt Warner is president of Atlas Network, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization connecting a global network of more than 500 free-market organizations in over 90 countries to the ideas and […]

News February 11, 2020

John Templeton Foundation Announces New Director of Human Sciences

The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to announce that Nicholas J. S. Gibson, Ph.D. has been appointed to lead the Human Sciences department. With the Foundation since 2011, Dr. Gibson […]

News January 28, 2020

Training Faculty to Tackle the Big Questions of Today and Tomorrow

A new round of fellowships will equip tenured philosophers and theologians to dive deeply into the empirical sciences From the origin of the universe and the emergence of life to […]

Grant Highlights January 28, 2020

Monthly Grant Report – November 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Cambridge International Handbook of the Psychology of Religion Indiana University Kevin Ladd $234,517 Modernization, Mega Churches, and the […]

Featured Grants January 14, 2020

Beyond the First Glimpse: Extending Harvard’s Black Hole Initiative

New funding for groundbreaking collaboration to continue investigating some of the biggest questions in physics and cosmology On April 10, 2019 researchers from the Event Horizon Telescope, a global scientific […]

News January 13, 2020

Careers at the John Templeton Foundation

The John Templeton Foundation seeks exceptional candidates for job openings in programs, operations, and outreach roles as it expands its grantmaking and begins a new era of outreach and influence. […]

Featured Grants January 13, 2020

A Browsable, Theological Treasure-Chest

The new St. Andrews Encyclopædia of Theology hopes to make complex theological topics accessible for people of all backgrounds Over the coming few years, scholars, religious leaders and interested lay […]

Featured Grants December 16, 2019

Five Steps to Opening Minds

A new $2.6M grant to help communities cultivate intellectual humility through online learning Admitting mistakes can be difficult — especially in a polarized society where certainty is prized — but […]

Featured GrantsPublications & Media ProjectsResearch Insights December 12, 2019

WATCH: What Does a Black Hole Look Like?

In 2019, scientists revealed the first-ever image of a black hole’s event horizon. Now, look behind the scenes at the amazing work that went into its creation. In collaboration with […]

Q&A December 3, 2019

Q&A: Five Questions with Betül Kaçar

Betül Kaçar is an assistant professor at the University of Arizona in the departments of Cell Biology and Astronomy. Her research investigates molecular mechanisms of evolution, the origins of life, […]

Featured Grants November 19, 2019

Creating jobs and alleviating poverty through business support in Indonesia

Helping entrepreneurs grow their enterprises as part of a flourishing business community  As Southeast Asia’s largest economy and the world’s fourth-most-populous country, Indonesia has an impressive record of growth. Between […]

Grant Highlights November 12, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – October 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Religion as a Source of Social and Moral Development: Evidence from the Pentecostal Revolution in Africa London School […]

Featured Grants November 5, 2019

The Neuroscience of Self-Determination

An ambitious new project aims to expand the scientific understanding of human autonomy  Humans are capable of a level of autonomy — defined as self-determined, flexible, and rational behavior — […]

Q&A October 23, 2019

Strategic Priority Q&A: Religious Cognition

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Grant Highlights October 22, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – September 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Are planned analyses more reliable than discoveries? A test of the efficacy of preregistration Rector & Visitors of […]

News October 9, 2019

John Templeton Foundation Receives 2,058 OFIs for 2019 Funding Cycle

The John Templeton Foundation closed its 2019 Online Funding Inquiry (OFI) application window on August 16, 2019. The Foundation received 2,058 OFIs totaling over $1 billion in requests from 94 […]

Featured Grants October 8, 2019

Rediscovering the Greek Revolution’s Roots in Classical Liberalism

March 25, 2021 will mark the bicentennial of the struggle for independence that led to the creation of modern Greece. Over the next two years, the Center for Liberal Studies […]

Event News & Recaps September 27, 2019

An Evening Exploring the Unknown

Astrophysics, Anthropology, and Journalism in Conversation at the Atlantic Festival Washington, D.C. — Science is an incredible engine of discovery — but when scientists talk to the public, they often […]

News September 25, 2019

Heather Templeton Dill Named in 2019 Women on the Move

Leading Philadelphia-area magazine Main Line Today has named Heather Templeton Dill one of the 2019 Women on the Move for her leadership of the John Templeton Foundation and her work as an […]

Grant Highlights September 23, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – August 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Landmark Spirituality and Health Survey Follow-Up: Prediction to Mortality, Mental, and Physical Health Outcomes University of Miami Gail […]

Q&A September 23, 2019

Strategic Priority Q&A: Cultural Evolution

    Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please […]

Q&A September 10, 2019

Strategic Priority Q&A: Health, Religion, & Spirituality

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Featured GrantsPublications & Media Projects September 10, 2019

Exploring the Big Questions with Aeon

A new two-year project will fund dozens of essays and longform pieces published in one of the most innovative and engaging journals of science and thought. Founded in 2012, Aeon […]

Publications & Media Projects September 9, 2019

Conversations with Grantees: David Lahti

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Publications & Media Projects August 27, 2019

Conversations with Grantees: Tanya Luhrmann

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Grant Highlights August 27, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – July 2019

Recently Approved Grants Character Virtue Development Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount #CultivatingCharacter: A Global Movement to Cultivate Character both Online and Off Through Living 24/6 Let it Ripple, […]

Featured Grants August 27, 2019

New Grant to Expand the Science of Kindness

Applying ‘growth mindset’ techniques to a playground virtue Parents often tell kids to “be nice,” hoping this will encourage kind behavior. But would be it more effective to treat kindness […]

Featured Grants August 27, 2019

Learning with L’Arche

The groundbreaking community centered on people with intellectual disabilities will examine how to foster humility and compassionate love The L’Arche community began in 1967 when a French Canadian named Jean […]

NewsPublications & Media Projects August 6, 2019

Report Shows Key Role for Communication at Science Philanthropies

In a time marked by scientific discovery and technological advancement, a new report identifies a promising area for greater investment by science philanthropies: communication. The report, Identifying Best Practices for […]

News August 6, 2019

Upcoming OFI Deadline August 16, 2019

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Publications & Media Projects August 5, 2019

Conversations with Grantees: Rabbi Geoffrey Mitelman

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Q&A July 22, 2019

Strategic Priority Q&A: Science of Virtues

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Grant Highlights July 22, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – June 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Knoxville Marriage Initiative: Partnering with churches to deliver science-based interventions to solve a community problem The University of […]

Publications & Media Projects July 18, 2019

Conversations with Grantees: Angela Duckworth

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Featured Grants July 10, 2019

How Life’s Upheavals Shape Us

A Big Data Approach to Mapping the Effects of Transformative Events How are people transformed by life’s major events? Marriage and divorce, childbirth and death, illness and natural disaster — […]

Publications & Media Projects July 9, 2019

Conversations with Grantees: Brian Greene

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Publications & Media Projects July 3, 2019

Conversations With Grantees: Jeffrey Rosen

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Featured Grants June 24, 2019

Writers and Intellectuals Under Threat: Documenting Limits on Free Expression

Communication has never been easier or more universally distributed. There are more than five billion active mobile phones worldwide—the majority of them smartphones. People have unprecedented access to information and […]

Grant Highlights June 21, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – May 2019

Recently Approved Grants Philosophy & Theology Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Kutter Callaway – ACT Fellowship Application Fuller Theological Seminary Kutter Callaway $70,686 Lina Jansson – ACT Fellowship […]

Publications & Media Projects June 20, 2019

WATCH: A Conversation with Hamza Yusuf

In this conversation with grantee Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, president of Zaytuna College, he speaks about the liberal arts, the relationship between theology and science, and hope. He also discusses the […]

News June 20, 2019

John Templeton Foundation Approves $85 Million in New Programs

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Featured Grants June 5, 2019

How Do Brains Represent Beliefs About God?

Are the ways that people think about God different from the ways they think about siblings, celebrities, or superheroes? A three-year study launched in 2019, led by neuroscientists Adam Green […]

Q&A June 5, 2019

Strategic Priority Q&A: Programs in Latin America

Please note: The information in this article reflects our strategic priorities at the time of writing and may change over time. To confirm our current funding interests, please view our […]

Event News & Recaps May 30, 2019

A Night for the Ages

The writer and physician Oliver Sacks once described 2019 Templeton Prize laureate Marcelo Gleiser as having “a spaciousness of mind large enough to embrace both primordial creation myths and the […]

Event News & Recaps May 30, 2019

Physicist and Cosmologist Marcelo Gleiser Awarded Templeton Prize at Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

“Science is a flirtation with the unknown, a recognition that we know little of the world around us…” Theoretical physicist and cosmologist Marcelo Gleiser was awarded the 2019 Templeton Prize […]

Grant Highlights May 22, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – April 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Understanding How Brains Represent God: A Representational Similarity Approach Georgetown University Adam Green; Jordan Grafman $924,459 Religion and […]

Featured Grants May 22, 2019

What Counts As Religious Experience?

A new survey framework aims to give researchers better tools to compare extraordinary human experiences. What constitutes a religious experience? It depends, of course, on who you ask. Even among […]

Publications & Media Projects May 7, 2019

Video: Why Intellectual Humility Matters

What is intellectual humility? And how might practicing this virtue help to make people more thoughtful, open, and happy? A new video produced by the John Templeton Foundation in partnership […]

Grant Highlights May 6, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – March 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Development of a scientific classification (taxonomy) of religious practices in health to rigourise the design and evaluation of […]

Event News & Recaps April 16, 2019

Brian Greene Talks Black Holes at TEDSocial Event

New York, NY — Just hours after Templeton-backed researchers unveiled the first-ever picture of a black hole, renowned physicist Brian Greene appeared at a Foundation-sponsored event to discuss how black holes […]

Featured Grants April 11, 2019

John Templeton Foundation Awards $15.5M for Ancient DNA Atlas of Humanity

West Conshohocken, PA – The John Templeton Foundation has awarded a $15.5 million grant to Harvard Medical School to study the dynamics of ancient human evolution. Dubbed the Ancient DNA […]

Featured GrantsResearch Insights April 10, 2019

Templeton-Backed Scientists Unveil First-Ever Black Hole Image

Washington, DC — Scientists unveiled the first-ever image captured of a black hole on April 10, a landmark achievement that was supported in part by a $7.2 million grant from […]

Event News & RecapsNews April 9, 2019

Heather Templeton Dill Interviewed on Philadelphia Channel Podcast

On March 28, John Templeton Foundation president Heather Templeton Dill appeared as a guest on the Philadelphia Channel, a biweekly podcast that spotlights leaders of cultural, business, and non-profit organizations […]

Featured Grants April 8, 2019

$1.2M Project to Expand Latin American Philosophical Work

Developing inroads for Latin American philosophers in a new and global interdisciplinary conversation A new $1.2 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation aims to accelerate Latin American philosophical work […]

Featured Grants March 25, 2019

New $5.34 Million Grant to Examine the Neuroscience of Free Will

Think about a decision you’ve made — a big one like where to go to college, or a tiny one like whether to pick up your phone. People take for […]

Grant Highlights March 25, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – February 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount What is Religious Experience? Validating and Testing the Inventory of Non-Ordinary Experiences University of California Santa Barbara Ann […]

News March 19, 2019

Marcelo Gleiser Wins 2019 Templeton Prize

MARCELO GLEISER AWARDED 2019 TEMPLETON PRIZE   WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. – Marcelo Gleiser, theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and a leading proponent of the view that science, philosophy, and spirituality are complementary […]

Q&A March 12, 2019

Strategic Priority Q&A: Intellectual Humility

This conversation is the first in a series of conversations about the Strategic Priorities that the John Templeton Foundation will be funding over the next five years. This interview with […]

News March 12, 2019

John Templeton Foundation to Invest $325 Million in Strategic Priorities

West Conshohocken, PA – Over the next five years, the John Templeton Foundation will devote a total of approximately $325 million in philanthropic funding to 12 Strategic Priorities, the Foundation […]

News March 5, 2019

2019 Templeton Prize Laureate to be announced on Tuesday, March 19

FOR RELEASE: Monday, March 4, 2019     2019 Templeton Prize Laureate to be announced on Tuesday, March 19 49th winner of £1.1 million annual prize for spiritual progress   […]

Featured Grants February 22, 2019

New Project to Extend the Digital Reach of Classical Liberal Ideas

Game theory, justice, equality, market failure, and public choice will be among the topics explored in a new series of videos and allied content for undergraduates in Philosophy, Politics and […]

Grant Highlights February 12, 2019

Monthly Grant Report – January 2019

Recently Approved Grants Human Sciences Project Title Grantee(s) Project Leader(s) Grant Amount Tracking and Understanding the Effects of Transformative Events in People’s Lives Regents of the University of Michigan Rada […]

Featured Grants January 29, 2019

Is Empathy a Renewable Resource?

New interventions may help people open up rather than shutting down when confronted with others’ needs Empathy — the ability to look at the world from another person’s perspective — […]

Featured Grants January 29, 2019

How Does Religious Participation Affect Human Flourishing?

New research to evaluate long-term links between spiritual practice and physical, mental and social well-being A new set of studies based at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health will […]

News January 15, 2019

Dr. Matthew Walhout Joins John Templeton Foundation as Vice President, Natural Sciences

West Conshohocken, PA – Dr. Matthew Walhout, former Dean for Research and Scholarship and professor of physics and astronomy at Calvin College, has joined the John Templeton Foundation as Vice […]

Featured Grants December 18, 2018

An Education in Character: Building a New Curriculum to Teach Virtues to Future School Leaders

The ideal of a servant leader — one who focuses on the needs of others and guides through persuasion rather than the exercise of raw power — has been upheld […]

Event News & Recaps December 7, 2018

JTF Symposium: Does Religion Contribute to Human Flourishing?

CAMBRIDGE, Ma. – At a time of spiritual dynamism, as religions surge in the global south and traditional faith affiliations decline in the west, the John Templeton Foundation brought together scholars […]

Featured Grants December 4, 2018

‘How Often Have You Felt Like Frolicking?’ New Grant to Expand the Science of Joy

Poets and authors write of it, great religious texts call it forth, Beethoven even composed an ode to it — but what is joy, really? Unlike emotions such as happiness […]

Featured Grants December 4, 2018

The Leap to Life: $2.9M Grant to Explore Life’s Emergence

Robotic chemical reactors, synthetic organisms, and artificial intelligence are poised to shed new light on one of science’s most engaging and vexingly murky questions — the origin of life — […]

Event News & Recaps November 20, 2018

The King and the Cathedral

Celebrating King Abdullah II’s call for Muslims — and others — to enact their love of God and neighbor Cathedrals don’t just happen overnight — they require of their planners, […]

Event News & RecapsRemarks & Reflections November 20, 2018

‘Hope and Coexistence’ Templeton Prize Address by His Majesty King Abdullah II

Templeton Prize Address by His Majesty King Abdullah II at the 2018 Templeton Prize Ceremony Washington National Cathedral, November 13, 2018 In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, […]

Event News & RecapsRemarks & Reflections November 20, 2018

‘Can Love Be the Bridge?’ Remarks by Heather Templeton Dill

Remarks by Heather Templeton Dill at the 2018 Templeton Prize Ceremony Washington National Cathedral, November 13, 2018 Your Majesty. Your Excellency. Distinguished Excellencies and guests. Ladies and Gentlemen. Good evening. […]

Event News & RecapsRemarks & Reflections November 20, 2018

‘What Binds Faiths Together’ Remarks by Professor Miroslav Volf

Remarks by Professor Miroslav Volf at the 2018 Templeton Prize Ceremony Washington National Cathedral, November 13, 2018 Your Majesty, King Abdullah II, Your Excellency, Secretary-General Guterres, President Templeton Dill, Esteemed […]

Event News & RecapsRemarks & Reflections November 20, 2018

‘A Battle of the Heart’ Remarks by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Remarks by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf at the 2018 Templeton Prize Ceremony Washington National Cathedral, November 13, 2018 I want to first thank Heather Templeton and the John Templeton Foundation for […]

Event News & RecapsRemarks & Reflections November 19, 2018

‘Tolerance Is Not Enough’ Remarks by U.N. Secretary General António Guterres

Remarks by U.N. Secretary General António Guterres at the 2018 Templeton Prize Ceremony Washington National Cathedral, November 13, 2018 Your Majesty, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, There are many […]

Event News & RecapsNews November 14, 2018

His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan Receives Templeton Prize

“Everything you honor me for simply carries onward what Jordanians have always done, and how Jordanians have always lived—in mutual kindness, harmony, and brotherhood” His Majesty King Abdullah II of the […]

Event News & Recaps November 9, 2018

Templeton Granteesto Speak on Scienceat the Vatican

Early life, exoplanets, CRISPR — and a papal audience Several scientists and scholars connected to the John Templeton Foundation will present on topics including cosmology and the origins of life […]

Event News & RecapsNews November 6, 2018

2018 TEMPLETON PRIZE CEREMONY TO HONORHIS MAJESTYKING ABDULLAH II OF JORDAN

CONTACT: Donald Lehr – The Nolan/Lehr Group +1 (212) 967-8200 / mob +1 (917) 304-4058 dblehr@cs.com / www.templetonprize.org FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, November 6, 2018 .     2018 TEMPLETON PRIZE […]

Publications & Media Projects October 23, 2018

The Long Tale of ‘Brother John’

A monk, an umbrella, an essay — and many changed lives When he sent in his submission for the John Templeton Foundation’s 2004 essay contest, August Turak had already been […]

News October 16, 2018

Report ranks John Templeton Foundation as one of top global funders 

West Conshohocken, PA – The John Templeton Foundation ranked as one of the top ten funders in the U.S. by the number of international grants, according to a recent report released by […]

Publications & Media Projects September 18, 2018

Rabbi Sacks Interviews JTF President on BBC4

What does morality mean in the 21st century? In a new podcast series for BBC4, 2016 Templeton Prize laureate Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks explores this question with some of the […]

NewsRemarks & Reflections June 28, 2018

Announcement by Heather Templeton Dill

It is a distinct honor, and a great joy, to announce the winner of the 2018 Templeton Prize: His Majesty King Abdullah the Second, of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. […]

News June 27, 2018

King Abdullah II of Jordan Awarded 2018 Templeton Prize

CONTACT: Donald Lehr – The Nolan/Lehr Group +1 (212) 967-8200 / mob +1 (917) 304-4058 dblehr@cs.com / www.templetonprize.org FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 6:00 AM EDT / 10:00 hours […]

Featured GrantsPublications & Media Projects June 11, 2018

Newly-launched Renovatio magazine addresses big questions for Muslim audiences

With articles and events tied to its second issue, Renovatio magazine is hitting its stride Last spring the inaugural edition of Renovatio, a Muslim journal of ideas published by Zaytuna […]

Featured GrantsPublications & Media Projects May 7, 2018

NOVA Wonders

A storied series provides a cutting-edge take on a set of age-old questions Across the globe and across history, people have looked up at the night sky and wondered about […]

News April 17, 2018

2018 Templeton Prize Laureate to be announced on Wednesday, June 27

FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 17, 2018   2018 Templeton Prize Laureate to be announced on Wednesday, June 27 48th winner of £1.1 million annual prize for spiritual progress   Event: Announcement […]

Event News & RecapsFeatured Grants March 26, 2018

Faith, Politics, and Intellectual Humility

A public symposium on the prospects for civil discussion In the age of the internet comment, it gets harder and harder to imagine meaningful dialogue between people who disagree about […]

Featured Grants March 26, 2018

New Directions in Philosophy of Cosmology

In the wild world of string theory, quantum gravity, and multiple universes, should the standard scientific methodology still apply? In the Dec. 15, 2014 issue of Nature, cosmologists George Ellis […]

Featured GrantsPublications & Media Projects March 12, 2018

WOW, WHY, HOW?

Post by post, Orbiter is building an online archive of wonder as it explores the big questions of the natural and social sciences When describing his mission as managing editor […]

Publications & Media Projects March 12, 2018

Surprising Allies

A new book dispels myths about scientists and people of faith Rice University sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund has devoted much of the last decade to dismantling common stereotypes about religion […]

Featured Grants February 26, 2018

Scientists in Synagogues

Inviting Jewish congregations to explore awe, curiosity and wonder through the lens of science In May of 2017 an audience of more than a hundred gathered at Boston’s Congregation B’nai […]

Featured Grants November 20, 2017

Getting to the Right Question — and Beyond

Can a creative technique that works for third-graders help grad students launch their research careers? In December of 2015 the John Templeton Foundation approved a three-year, $700,000 grant to the […]

Featured Grants November 7, 2017

EXPANDING “SCIENCE FOR SEMINARIES”

Equipping tomorrow’s clergy to discuss scientific findings and technological advances — and the big questions they raise Today the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the John Templeton […]

Publications & Media Projects October 10, 2017

The Illumination Tour

OCTOBER 11–17, 2017 | BOSTON, SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES   When what seems like “the ultimate curse” becomes “the ultimate state of being.” When Gordon Gund completely lost his sight […]

Event News & Recaps September 26, 2017

The 2017 Templeton Prize Ceremony

Celebrating the philosophical achievements of Alvin Plantinga Since its inception in 1972, the Templeton Prize has usually been awarded in London, originally in private ceremonies at Buckingham Palace and more […]

Remarks & Reflections September 26, 2017

“An innate tendency to believe”

Excerpts from Alvin Plantinga’s prepared remarks for the Templeton Prize ceremony on September 24, 2017. I want to thank the John Templeton Foundation for this wonderful award. I’m not at […]

Remarks & Reflections September 26, 2017

Tributes to Alvin Plantinga

“Thoughts about God continue to haunt our species” Hamza Yusuf, founder and president of Zaytuna College Theologians of the Age of Faith considered their works pursuits of science. They grounded […]

Remarks & Reflections September 26, 2017

Remarks from Heather Templeton Dill

This text appeared as the introduction to the Possibilities newsletter dated September 26, 2017. One of the most inspiring parts of my role at the John Templeton Foundation is the […]

Featured GrantsQ&A September 12, 2017

Opening Up on Open Science

The director of the Center for Open Science speaks with Templeton.org about the “reproducibility crisis” and his organization’s plans to help scientific research stay true to its values. In late […]

Grant Highlights August 14, 2017

Recently Approved Grants – July 2017

Gratitude as a Fount of Virtue: Examining How Gratitude Fosters Other Noble Character Traits David DeSteno • Northeastern University • $217K • Learn More The Character Course: Design, dissemination and evaluation […]

Event News & Recaps August 1, 2017

Character Lab Educator Summit 2017

The 2020 Educator Summit is going virtual this year!   The Educator Summit is an annual event, hosted by Character Lab and Relay GSE, designed to give teachers the knowledge […]

Event News & RecapsFeatured Grants June 24, 2017

High school debate turns to the Big Questions

Does science leave room for free will? High school debaters have some ideas. More than 9,000 students, coaches, and parents converged in Birmingham, Ala., the last week of June for […]

Grant Highlights June 19, 2017

Recently Approved Grants – June 2017

Building Virtues through College Admissions: Developing Effective, Authentic Assessments that Positively Motivate Student Behavior Richard Weissbourd • Harvard University • $350K • Learn More Putting the Buddhism/Science Dialogue on a New […]

News April 10, 2017

2017 Templeton Prize Laureate to be announced on Tuesday, April 25

FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 10, 2017 2017 Templeton Prize Laureate to be announced on Tuesday, April 25 47th winner of £1.1 million annual prize for spiritual progress Event: Announcement of […]

Featured GrantsResearch Insights February 27, 2017

A ‘wide angle’ view of science and religion from the AAAS

There is no organization more closely identified with the scientific community in the United States than the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). But for over twenty years, […]

Featured GrantsResearch Insights January 24, 2017

Two new grants aim to unravel the essence of hope & optimism

Some people are unflappable optimists. The gambler who just knows that the next roll will be a winner. The patient diagnosed with cancer who is sure he can beat it. […]

Featured GrantsResearch Insights January 11, 2017

It’s a grateful life: Grants explore the benefits of gratitude and humility

Sir John Templeton believed that the path to life’s blessings is paved with gratitude. Recent research has supported this intuition that gratitude and humility can, among other things, help forge […]