Christian Union: The Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 59

Likewise, Johnson paused to praise
Plantinga’s efforts to found the Soci-
ety of Christian Philosophers.
“Despite its modest beginnings,
the Society of Christian Philoso-
phers has become very influential,”
Johnson said. “It has served as a mod-
el for similar professional associations
in other disciplines, really triggering
a renaissance of Christian scholarship
across the disciplines.”
Today, philosophy departments
inside universities around the world
include scores of professors who reflect
religious commitments from various
faiths within their disciplines.
As for Plantinga, the prolific au-
thor spent the bulk of his career at
the University of Notre Dame, where
he taught philosophy for 28 years and
retired in 2010. He was a philosophy
professor at Calvin College from 1963
to 1982. Since 2000, Plantinga’s pub-
lications have largely focused on the
relationship – and compatibility – of
scientific and religious belief.
In receiving the 2017 award,
Plantinga joined a group of 46 prize
recipients, including Mother Teresa
of Calcutta, winner of the inaugural
award in 1973. 
The late global investor and
philanthropist Sir John Templeton,
Yale ’34, established the prize to iden-
tify outstanding individuals who are
“entrepreneurs of the spirit.” In addi-
tion to being a generous philanthro-
pist, Templeton served on the board
for the Princeton Theological Semi-
nary for 42 years, including a dozen
years as chairman.
The Templeton Foundation sup-
ports research on subjects ranging from
complexity, evolution, and emergence
to creativity, forgiveness, and f