From Learning to Progress John Templeton Foundation 2015 FOUNDATION REPORT
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JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION 2015 FOUNDATION REPORT from LEARNING to PROGRESS JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION 2015 FOUNDATION REPORT page OUR VISION 3 page SPIRITUALITY & 4 GOOD HEALTH page HUMAN FLOURISHING 6 & BENEFICIAL PURPOSE POVERTY, page 8 ENTREPRENEURSHIP, & PROGRESS page OUR PLACE IN 10 THE UNIVERSE page HOW DO WE TEACH 12 VIRTUOUS ChARACTER? page WHAT IS GOD? 14 HUMILITY IN ThEOLOGY Cover photo: – 24Novembers Fossil / Shutterstock.com he opportunity for individuals and society to explore, challenge, and seek answers to the biggest questions T facing humanity has never been greater. Do we know even one percent of what can be known about the nature of our universe, humanity’s purpose and place within our universe, and the spiritual realities constituting our natural existence? There is no end to the questions that may be asked and the treasures of learning from new information that may yet be discovered. Join us in our journey as we boldly pursue scientific advances, spiritual understanding, and societal progress for everyone. We have many more questions than answers, and it is the questions that drive the dynamics of learning, progressing, and achieving. Each year of research into fields such as character virtues, human purpose and meaning, and individual freedom and free enterprise opens new conversations across disciplines and among diverse perspectives. As humble explorers, we continue on the path from learning to progress. Cover photo: – 24Novembers Fossil / Shutterstock.com curiosity optimism humility 2 JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION OUR VISION Curiosity, optimism, humility. In Sir John Templeton, these qualities proved T he Templeton Prize, established in 1972, to be essential to learning and discovery. His humble and enthusiastic spirit honors those who have made significant strides in the quest for spiritual progress. in the realm of business carried into a philanthropic vision that continues These “entrepreneurs of the spirit” blend to recognize and seize opportunity, even in unlikely places. creativity and innovation, rigor and impact in confronting humanity’s big questions, Sir John’s passion was for the kind of discovery that would be affirming life’s spiritual dimension, and exploring the interplay of science and religion. Winners transformational—bringing lasting, practical impact not just for have included Mother Teresa, who received intellectuals, but to all of humankind. He believed humanity the inaugural award in 1973, Aleksandr stood to benefit from the pursuit and discovery of the central Solzhenitsyn in 1983 (at right with HRH truths of existence. Where do science and spirituality meet? The Duke of Edinburgh and Sir John Templeton), and the 14th Dalai Lama, Can science help to discover new spiritual realities? This Tenzin Gyatso in 2012 (above right with sense of wonder and enthusiasm for progress guided Sir John’s Dr. Jack Templeton). Read more about the 2015 philanthropy as he established the Templeton Prize and later, the John Prize winner Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche (at Templeton Foundation, inviting others onto the paths of discovery, always left with Jennifer Simpson, daughter of Dr. Jack Templeton), and all past winners at templetonprize.org. acknowledging “how little we know” and affirming “how eager to learn.” Photos: Paul Hackett/Templeton Prize (above left); Clifford Shirley/Templeton Prize (above right) Today, the John Templeton Foundation continues to embrace and advance the vision and spirit of Sir John Templeton, empowering progress while still guided by his humble desire to ask, explore, and learn. Seeking to challenge the status quo, while providing the opportunity to ask ever bigger questions, we invest in pioneers looking to open doors to new possibilities. Since 1987, the Foundation has encouraged people from all Since its founding in 1997, Templeton academic disciplines and backgrounds to investigate the big questions Press has brought the work of the facing our world through rigorous research that moves us along the paths world’s premier thinkers to the greater of discovery towards new spiritual understanding, scientific advancement, scholarly community and to the general public, disseminating ideas across a wide and human flourishing. variety of media, including interactive websites, public action campaigns, smart With enthusiasm and wonder for all that we don’t know and might phone apps, and scholarship contests. yet discover, the Foundation invites new conversations across Areas of focus include Science and the Big Questions, Health and Spirituality, disciplines and supports projects and research that bring us closer to Freedom and Free Enterprise, and the understanding the universal truths of life and our place in the universe. Virtues. View the latest books published We have only just begun. at templetonpress.org. 2015 FOUNDATION REPORT 3 SPIRITUALITY & GOOD HEALTH Does Spirituality Lead to Better Health? Can prayer be good for your health? Early research funded by the John Templeton Foundation and published in leading medical journals has shown that spirituality has measurable health benefits, both physical and mental. Today, researchers are exploring further the precise links between spirituality and good health. New spiritual information in the science of medicine and health may present some innovative and progressive solutions on ways to improve the health of millions. 4 JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION / Shutterstock.comPhoto: Tucker Suzanne R esearch shows feeling more grateful to God is associated with more favorable self-rated health and fewer symptoms of Exploring the God-Good Health Connection depression. Photo: ©iStock.com/Qpicimages Researchers seek to understand the relationship between religious belief and health The Landmark Spirituality and Health Survey, led by Neal Krause of the University of Michigan, explores why those who are deeply religious tend to be healthier, both mentally and physically, than their non-religious counterparts. Are healthier people more likely to be religious, or does religion really protect people from illness—and if so, why? This project seeks to uncover the biological mechanisms that show how religion and spirituality can impact health and longevity. I n the past two decades, Spirituality into Practice—New Models for Healthcare Settings more than 75 percent of U.S. medical schools have Doctors learn to ground their practices spiritually integrated spirituality-related Christina Puchalski, of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health topics into their training. (GWish) and author of the first comprehensive textbook on Spirituality in Healthcare, continues to lead the way in closing the gap between spiritual principles and medical practice. Using an evidence-based approach, her work helps practitioners to become more sensitive to the spiritual needs of their patients. The X Factor Are health treatments that integrate spirituality more effective? Focusing on the treatment of depression, a joint research effort between Duke University and University College London compared conventional cognitive behavioral Religious reasoning therapy with religious cognitive behavioral therapy to determine whether there were that promotes purpose differences in effectiveness. and meaning in life Initiatives at the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network and Rush University seek to may help to counter motivate researchers in the area of chaplaincy and spiritual care, while developing best negative thinking and practice models of chaplaincy in palliative and end-of-life care. These projects are helping behaviors associated to quantify the impact of spiritual care, while creating new standards for rigorous research with depression. and training within the field. Photo: ©iStock.com/ArtMarie Photo: Suzanne Tucker / Shutterstock.comPhoto: Tucker Suzanne 2015 FOUNDATION REPORT 5 HUMAN FLOURISHING & BENEFICIAL PURPOSE What is Essential for Human Flourishing? “ Every individual is like a thread in a beautiful tapestry with a vital contribution to make, not only in the sustenance of life as we know it, but in the creation and development of more beneficial expressions of life.”– Sir John Templeton 6 JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION Photo: Rawpixel / Shutterstock.com A community’s psychological Is There a Formula for Human Flourishing? state, as measured through language in Twitter, is predictive Humans want to experience greater personal and societal well-being. Science is showing us how. of its rate of heart disease. Positive psychology leads the way in helping to define what it means for individuals and communities to thrive and flourish. Through new research grants that build on the work of Martin Seligman and the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, the Foundation is helping people pursue what makes life worth living. By learning to nurture strengths and cultivate joy, individuals can gain the ability to achieve their best selves, living lives of purpose and meaning. When positive psychology meets neuroscience, researchers ask: How do the workings of the brain contribute to human flourishing? Can we measure imagination? The Imagination Institute is a new venture What happens when we are drawn by the future more than we are driven by the dedicated to making progress on the past? Research into positive neuroscience, prospective psychology, and creativity are measurement, growth, and improvement of showing how we can cultivate habits of mind and behavior that allow each of us to imagination across all sectors of society through make a greater