Sir John Templeton

During the 1990s, I made many trips from Louisville, KY to southern Illinois to visit my elderly parents. A favorite road trip break was the antique mall at Burnt Prairie, IL (exit 117 off I-64). No longer traveling that part of the highway, I hadn’t visited the mall for several years. But we finally passed that way again recently and stopped by. Browsing the shop, I was pleased to discover Robert L. Herrmann’s Sir John Templeton: From Wall Street to Humility Theology (Templeton Foundation Press, 1998). Somewhat aware of the foundation's work, I plan to read more of the book in the weeks ahead.

John Templeton (1912-2008) grew up in Tennessee, attended Yale and (as a Rhodes Scholar) Oxford. Shrewd and pioneering in his investments, he became a billionaire. But he was also a noted philanthropist. Among the results of his generosity are the John Templeton Foundation and the Templeton Prize for Progress toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities. The foundation supports and funds efforts to explore “into the laws of nature and the universe, to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness, and creativity." (See their website, templeton.org.) The Templeton Press publishes scholarly and trade books in four core areas: Science and the Big Questions, The Virtues, Health and Spirituality, and Freedom and Free Enterprise.

Herrmann interweaves the man’s business and financial successes with accounts of his philanthropy and his spiritual interests. He describes Templeton’s hope to encourage religion-science interaction and to gain ongoing knowledge of spiritual information. Templeton points out that science, technology, and economy have made tremendous advancements in our contemporary time, but he believes also that human beings progress in our spiritual nature. Unfortunately, he argues, egotism in religion has impeded our progress in our knowledge of God and spirituality and hampers a humble quest for an increase in spiritual information. Thus, part of Templeton’s work has been also to encourage a "humility theology." Humility to God should result in an appreciation of learning and an eagerness to advance our spiritual and religious knowledge, just as we progress scientifically and economically. (See, for instance, Templeton's 2000 book, titled Possibilities for Over One Hundredfold More Spiritual Information: The Humble Approach to Theology and Science.)

Herrmann's book is no longer in print but copies are available at used book sites.