Difference between revisions of "John Templeton Foundation"

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Revision as of 10:06, 13 March 2017

The John Templeton Foundation Credit: Templeton

The John Templeton Foundation is a philanthropic organization that funds inter-disciplinary research surrounding scientific, religious and spiritual 'discovery'.

The Foundation was established by John Templeton in 1987.[1] In a 1995 memo, Templeton stated:

'The main purpose of the John Templeton Foundation is to encourage the top 1/10 of 1% of people and thereby encourage all people to think that progress in spiritual information is possible, desirable, can be done and will be done.'[2]

Mission

According to its website, the mission of the foundation is to 'serves as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the deepest and most perplexing questions facing humankind' [3], and 'aims to advance human well-being by supporting research on the Big Questions, and by promoting character development, individual freedom, and free markets' [4].

Activities

The Templeton Foundation supports a broad range of activities aimed at finding common ground between science and religion. These include funding for prizes, including the 'Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities', academic programs, publications, broadcasts, lectures, conferences, and research on topics such as the neurobiology and genetics of religious belief; the evolutionary origins of altruism; and the medical benefits of prayer, church attendance, and forgiveness.

Grants

The John Templeton Foundation has provided funding to Civitas, donating $8,801 in 2006 and $1,955 in 2007, [5] which in the same years set up the Centre for Social Cohesion. [6]

It has also repeatedly funded the counter-extremism think tank, the Quilliam Foundation, providing a grant of $174,248 in 2011, two grants of $198,076 and $201,571 in 2012 and two grants of $191, 632 and 198,163 in 2013 [7] In 2014, Templeton paid Quilliam two grants of £318,017 and $53,371. According to expenditure responsibility statements grants were issued to Quilliam for 'promoting freedom of religion, speech and association through strengthening PAK democratic culture', and for 'reconciling Islamic theology with modern political and scientific ideas, promoting community. [8]

Also in 2014, Templeton funded conservative think-tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute.

Grant recipients of the John Templeton Foundation in $ USD [9]
Organisation 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total 2009-2015
Cato Institute - - - - - 23,000 - 23,000
Quilliam Foundation - - 174,248 399,647 (two grants) 389,795 (two grants) 371,388 (two grants) - 1,335,078

People

In 1995, John Templeton yielded the presidency of the foundation to his son Jack Templeton, a former paediatric surgeon. Jack was the chairman of Let Freedom Ring, Inc, which financed various conservative causes. He also contributed to both campaigns of former US president George Bush. [10]

Jack Templeton died in 2015, after which his daughter Heather Templeton Dill took over leadership of the foundation.

Contact

John Templeton Foundation
300 Conshohocken State Road
Suite 500
West Conshohocken, PA 19428 USA
Telephone: (610) 941-2828
Fax: (610) 825-1730

Notes

  1. Foundation at a Glance, John Templeton Foundation, accessed 31 October 1987.
  2. Nathan Schneider, God, Science and Philanthropy, The Nation, 3 June 2010.
  3. Our Mission, John Templeton Foundation website, accessed 10 March 2017.
  4. Home, John Templeton Foundation website, accessed 10 March 2017.
  5. John Templeton Foundation, IRS Form 990-PF (2006). John Templeton Foundation, IRS Form 990-PF (2007)
  6. Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2007.
  7. John Templeton Foundation, form 990s, 2011-13.
  8. John Templeton Foundation, form 990, 2014
  9. Data compiled from yearly 990 forms
  10. John Horgan, The Templeton Foundation: A skeptic's take, Edge, 4 April 2006, accessed 10 March 2017.