Primatologist, conservationist, and world-famous environmentalist Jane Goodall was awarded the 2021 Templeton Prize, recognizing achievements of people “harnessing the power of the sciences to explore the deepest questions of the universe, and humankind’s place and purpose within it.” 

Goodall is only the fourth woman to receive the award in its 48-year history, after Mother Teresa (1973), Chiara Lubich (1977), and Cicely Saunders (1981).

Her remarkable career reflects a keen scientific and spiritual curiosity, leading to groundbreaking discoveries that have changed humanity’s understanding of its role in an interconnected world. 

“In the rainforest, I learned about the interconnection of all species, each with a role to play,” she recently said. “I felt a strong spiritual connection with the natural world … I like to think of this tapestry of life in the forest.” 

Goodall’s curiosity was evident even at the age of four, when she wondered how the egg comes out of the chicken. She sat for hours waiting and then watched a hen lay an egg, and later realized this experience was the making of a little scientist: curiosity, asking questions, not getting the right answer, deciding to find out for oneself, not giving up, making a mistake and learning patience. 

Crediting it to her upbringing in a small town in England, she pondered, “A different kind of mother might have crushed that curiosity, and I might not have done what I did with my life.”

At the age of 26, she traveled to the Gombe National Forest in Tanzania to study the life and ecosystem of chimpanzees, aiming to reveal their individual personalities and capability of creating long-term bonds. She became convinced that humans are part of nature, and not separate from it, and this led her to develop her own unique cosmology that reinforced her belief in a divine intelligence that orders the contingency of all of creation. 

She freely acknowledges that science does not have all the answers, but she delights in the surprises that are yet to be discovered on this planet. Scientists say the universe started with the Big Bang, but what started the Big Bang? She likes the phrase in the Bible: “At present, we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present, I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.” (1 Cor 13:12) 

In 1977, Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute to continue her study and work to protect chimpanzees, while also improving the lives of local communities through education and training. Through her organizations, she has saved thousands of animals and inspired people around the world to take action in their community. 

In 1991, with 12 Tanzanian students, she founded Roots and Shoots, now active in 65 countries. It serves to empower young people to effect positive change in their communities so as to help build a better tomorrow. 

“You can’t just care for the environment; you need to care for people, too, because you can’t separate them.”

Before the pandemic, she traveled 360 days of the year to speak and give hope to people around the world. COVID did not stop her enthusiasm for communicating her message, but only widened her horizons. During the pandemic, she realized she could reach millions, more people than she would have dreamed possible through Zoom, podcasts, and the like. 

“We are delighted and honored to award Dr. Jane Goodall this year, as her achievements go beyond the traditional parameters of scientific research to define our perception of what it means to be human,” said Heather Templeton Dill, president of the John Templeton Foundation. 

“Her discoveries have profoundly altered the world’s view of animal intelligence and enriched our understanding of humanity in a way that is both humbling and exalting. 

“Dr. Goodall’s work exemplifies the humility, curiosity, and discovery that my grandfather, Sir John Templeton, spoke about during his life, and which he wished to honor with this award.” 

Emilie Christy

(Living City, USA)