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| Desmond Tutu wins Templeton prize for advancing 'spiritual progress' | Desmond Tutu wins Templeton prize for advancing 'spiritual progress' |
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| Desmond Tutu, a clarion voice from the pulpit during South Africans' struggle against racial apartheid, has won the £1.1m Templeton prize for advancing the "spiritual liberation" of people around the world. | Desmond Tutu, a clarion voice from the pulpit during South Africans' struggle against racial apartheid, has won the £1.1m Templeton prize for advancing the "spiritual liberation" of people around the world. |
| The John Templeton Foundation describes the 40-year-old prize as the world's biggest annual monetary award for individuals. Tutu, who adds it to honours including the Nobel peace prize, said he was "totally bowled over". | The John Templeton Foundation describes the 40-year-old prize as the world's biggest annual monetary award for individuals. Tutu, who adds it to honours including the Nobel peace prize, said he was "totally bowled over". |
| The former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town helped keep the struggle alive during the dark years when Nelson Mandela and other activists were jailed or exiled. He went on to chair the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Ever outspoken, he has admitted sometimes feeling angry with God and two years ago wrote a book with the provocative title God is Not a Christian. | The former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town helped keep the struggle alive during the dark years when Nelson Mandela and other activists were jailed or exiled. He went on to chair the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Ever outspoken, he has admitted sometimes feeling angry with God and two years ago wrote a book with the provocative title God is Not a Christian. |
| The Templeton Foundation, based in Pennsylvania in the US, praised Tutu for "his exceptional contributions to exemplifying a new and larger, living model of the benefits of religion and spiritual progress". | The Templeton Foundation, based in Pennsylvania in the US, praised Tutu for "his exceptional contributions to exemplifying a new and larger, living model of the benefits of religion and spiritual progress". |
| John Templeton Jr, president and chairman of the foundation, said: "The judges noted that archbishop Tutu's steadfastness to core Christian principles such as love and forgiveness has broken chains of hurt, pain and all-too-common instincts for revenge, and instead, has advanced the spiritual liberation of people around the world. | John Templeton Jr, president and chairman of the foundation, said: "The judges noted that archbishop Tutu's steadfastness to core Christian principles such as love and forgiveness has broken chains of hurt, pain and all-too-common instincts for revenge, and instead, has advanced the spiritual liberation of people around the world. |
| "As a leading moral voice for love, peace and justice, Desmond Tutu, in extending hands of a common brotherhood, is one of the world's most revered religious leaders … during the 1970s and 1980s, he helped to focus global attention on the apartheid policies of South Africa, a dehumanising process of subverting God's equal love for all." | "As a leading moral voice for love, peace and justice, Desmond Tutu, in extending hands of a common brotherhood, is one of the world's most revered religious leaders … during the 1970s and 1980s, he helped to focus global attention on the apartheid policies of South Africa, a dehumanising process of subverting God's equal love for all." |
| Tutu, 81, insisted that the honour was not his alone. He responded: "I want to say a very big thank you but I would also like to acknowledge the fact that, you know, when you are in a crowd and you stand out from the crowd it's usually because you are being carried on the shoulders of others, and therefore if you will let me, I want to acknowledge all the wonderful people who accepted me as their leader at home and so to accept this prize, as it were, in a representative capacity." | Tutu, 81, insisted that the honour was not his alone. He responded: "I want to say a very big thank you but I would also like to acknowledge the fact that, you know, when you are in a crowd and you stand out from the crowd it's usually because you are being carried on the shoulders of others, and therefore if you will let me, I want to acknowledge all the wonderful people who accepted me as their leader at home and so to accept this prize, as it were, in a representative capacity." |
| The Templeton prize was conceived by the American-born British stock investor Sir John Templeton, who felt that the Nobels recognised the contribution of science to humanity but failed to honour religion. The first winner was Mother Teresa in 1973. | The Templeton prize was conceived by the American-born British stock investor Sir John Templeton, who felt that the Nobels recognised the contribution of science to humanity but failed to honour religion. The first winner was Mother Teresa in 1973. |
| Last year it went to the Dalai Lama, who immediately donated his winnings to charity. The Tibetan spiritual leader was invited to Tutu's 80th birthday celebrations in 2011 but denied a visa by the South African government, prompting fierce condemnation from the archbishop emeritus. | Last year it went to the Dalai Lama, who immediately donated his winnings to charity. The Tibetan spiritual leader was invited to Tutu's 80th birthday celebrations in 2011 but denied a visa by the South African government, prompting fierce condemnation from the archbishop emeritus. |
| Neither is as controversial as the 2011 winner, Britain's astronomer royal, Lord Rees, who was criticised by fellow scientists who argued that the Templeton Foundation's main objective was to spread religion. Rees, an atheist, insisted that "big questions", including those posed by cosmology, "are central to the Templeton Foundation's agenda". | Neither is as controversial as the 2011 winner, Britain's astronomer royal, Lord Rees, who was criticised by fellow scientists who argued that the Templeton Foundation's main objective was to spread religion. Rees, an atheist, insisted that "big questions", including those posed by cosmology, "are central to the Templeton Foundation's agenda". |
| Tutu, who retired from public life in 2010 but remains publicly outspoken, not least in criticising the governing African National Congress, will receive the prize at a ceremony at London's Guildhall on 21 May. A celebration will also be held in Cape Town on 11 April at St George's Cathedral, which became known as "the people's cathedral" when he served there as archbishop from 1986 to 1996. | Tutu, who retired from public life in 2010 but remains publicly outspoken, not least in criticising the governing African National Congress, will receive the prize at a ceremony at London's Guildhall on 21 May. A celebration will also be held in Cape Town on 11 April at St George's Cathedral, which became known as "the people's cathedral" when he served there as archbishop from 1986 to 1996. |
| The Templeton Foundation states: "The monetary value of the prize is set always to exceed the Nobel prizes to underscore Templeton's belief that benefits from discoveries that illuminate spiritual questions can be quantifiably more vast than those from other worthy human endeavours." | The Templeton Foundation states: "The monetary value of the prize is set always to exceed the Nobel prizes to underscore Templeton's belief that benefits from discoveries that illuminate spiritual questions can be quantifiably more vast than those from other worthy human endeavours." |
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