Science, religion and spiritual inquiry

Templeton Prize: winners and how it is awarded

The Templeton Prize was established by investor John Templeton in 1972 and first awarded in 1973, to Mother Teresa. It is administered by the John Templeton Foundation and its value is set to exceed that of a Nobel Prize.^1,2

How the winner is chosen

The prize goes to a living person who, in the estimation of the judges, advances the philanthropic vision of founder John Templeton. Wikipedia reports that judges have included Hindus, Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Muslims. The official selection process page could not be read.

Winners

1. 2026Professor Simon Conway Morris¹Palaeontologist studying ancient fossils and the evolution of life
2. 2025Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew¹Leader in the Orthodox Christian community
3. 2024Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela¹Psychologist and researcher
4. 2023Edna Adan Ismail¹Nurse midwife and hospital founder who advocates for health care
5. 2022Frank Wilczek¹Theoretical physicist and author
6. 2021Jane Goodall¹Primatologist and conservation campaigner
7. 2020Francis Collins¹Geneticist and physician
8. 2019Marcelo Gleiser¹Theoretical physicist studying the cosmos
9. 2018King Abdullah II of Jordan¹Reigning monarch
10. 2017Alvin Plantinga¹Philosopher
11. 2016Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks¹Rabbi
12. 2015Jean Vanier^1,2Catholic theologian and humanitarian, founder of L'Arche and Faith and Light
13. 2014Tomáš Halík¹Philosopher and Catholic priest

Notable facts

Sources

1. Templeton Prize, Laureates (27 October 2026)
2. Wikipedia, Templeton Prize (27 October 2026)