NEW YORK — John C. Polkinghorne, a mathematical physicist and Anglican priest whose treatment of theology as a natural science has invigorated the search for interface between science and religion and made him a leading figure in this emerging field, is the winner of the 2002 Templeton Prize.
Polkinghorne, 71, resigned a prestigious position as professor of mathematical physics at the University of Cambridge in 1979 to pursue theological studies, becoming a priest in 1982. Since then, his extensive writings and lectures have consistently applied scientific habits to Christianity, resulting in a modern and compelling exploration of the faith. His approach to the fundamentals of Christian orthodoxy — including the Trinity, Christ’s resurrection and God’s creation of the universe — use the habits of a rigorous scientific mind and have brought him international recognition as a unique voice for understanding the Bible as well as evolving doctrine.
The Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities, founded by Sir John Templeton in 1972 as the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, is the world’s largest annual monetary prize given to an individual, currently worth 700,000 pounds sterling (about $1 million U.S.). It is the world’s best-known religion prize, awarded each year to a living person to encourage and honor those who advance spiritual matters.
Share with others: