The Sir John Templeton I Knew: Our Many Letters Bringing Science & Religion Together

By Julian Brewer Culvern

Sir John Templeton (1912–2008) was a noted philanthropist and a pioneer in finance, and this humble man was keenly interested in the intersection of science and religion. He established the Templeton Foundation, which dedicated much of Sir John’s wealth to the mission of bringing together the fields of science and religion. In The Sir John Templeton I Knew, author Julian Brewer Culvern shares his collection of personal correspondence with this special man—letters collected while Culvern was privileged with working with Sir John in the 1970s.. The correspondence details their evolving kinship as Sir John and Culvern cultivate their zeal for seeking scientific evidence of God’s actions in the world. A Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, Sir John was well prepared to embark on his quest to learn more about God’s presence in the world today. See in his own words how this journey to unite science and religion occupied a paramount place in his life and in the lives of those he recruited to accomplish that task.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Nov 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781483475547

Book preview

Culvern

Copyright © 2017 Julian Brewer Culvern.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-7553-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-7555-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-7554-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017915017

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Shutterstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Shutterstock.

In the last and most critical part of this book, super help was given me by Rick Sosnoski of Rix Copies. He also designed the concept for this book’s cover.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 10/25/2017

Who’s Who in America         2016 70TH Edition

America’s leading biographical reference publisher since 1899

Marquis Who’s Who, 430 Mountain Ave., Suite 400, New Providence, N.J. 07974 USA

www.marquiswhoswho.com • Tel: [phone] • Fax: [phone] • E-mail: [e-mail]

VIP Number: 21168943

Julian Brewer Culvern

Birdsong Hill

2832 Indian Trl

Morristown, TN 37814-5824

CULVERN, JULIAN BREWER, chemist, naturalist, educator, writer, photographer; b. July 23, 1919; m. Shirley Bowman, 1946; children: Janine Amelia Hagan, David Bowman Culvern, Linda Hazel Culvern Burian. BS, N.C. State U., 1942; MSC, Ohio State U., 1948; PhD student in Ecology and Science Education., University of Tennessee, 1970-72. Assay chemist Haile Gold Mine 1940-41; shift supr. Chem Control Lab. Anhydrous ammonia plant TVA, Wilson Dam, AL, 1942-44, asst. mgr. Chem & Microscopical Lab., 1949-61, sur. Day personnel, Sr. Process Engr. Am Enka Corp., Lowland, Tenn., 1961-69; instr. Gen chemistry, earth and space sci, enviro, sci. Morristown (TN) College, 1969-76, chmn div natural sci., 1969-73. Conducted library research in field sci. and religion Sir John M. Templeton Found.., 1970, chemist T-4 Spc. Engr. Det. Atomic bomb project Corps of Engrs., Manhattan Dist., Oak Ridge, TN, 1944-46; owner landscaping co., 1955-65; instr. Landscaping U. N.C., Asheville, 1985. Author: The Sir John Templeton I Knew: Our Many Letters, Bringing Science & Religion Together, 2010; Columnist, Daily Gazette-Mail, Morristown, 1960-74; contrb. monthly articles to SCI of Mind Mag., 1970-72, Sandlapper, 2006, 2008, Going for Gold at the Haile Mine: A History of the largest E Mine in the US discovered in 1827, Historic Bethesda, wrote 700 Page autobiography – 17 copies, and distributed to relatives and librs; Contbr. Articles to several newspapers. Eagle Scout Chairman, Cherokee Dist. Boy Scouts American, 1957-58, 91-92, Executive Board, Great Smoky Mountain Council, 1991-2003, 1910 Soc. 1998, ruling elder 1st Presbyterian Church, Morristown, TN, Marshall, NC, sci. Judge So. Appalachian Sci. and Engineering Fair, U. TN, Knoxville, 1995-2001; Board of Directors. Sunset Gap Community Ctr. Cosby, TN, 2005-08, Recipient Silver Beaver Award, Boy Scouts Am. 2003; James E West fellow, 1995, Member AAUP, American Chemical Society (emeritus; 67 year member), TN Acad. Scis., Gamma Sigma Epsilon, Phil Lambda Epsilon. Home: Birdsong Hill 2832 Indian Trail, Morristown, TN 37814-5824. Home Phone: [phone].

DEDICATION

Overlooking my 17 copy, 800+ page unpublished autobiography done in 2003 (given to close relatives and 6 archives), I dedicate this first published book that I have ever written to Shirley Bowman Culvern, my wife of 69 years (2015); my three children, Janine Culvern Hagan, David Bowman Culvern & Linda Culvern Burian; my six grandchildren: Brian Hagan, Kevin Hagan, Christopher Culvern, Emily Culvern, Shelley Burian and Scott Burian plus my two great-grandchildren: Spencer & Natalie Hagan. Then to my deceased brothers: Frederick Eugene Culvern, an internationally known consulting pipe-line design engineer and Robert Mickle Culvern, Executive Vice president of the Bank of Louisville, Georgia and his two sons, Joseph B. Culvern and Dr. Robert Samuel Culvern. My deceased sister, Dorothy Culvern Folk and her four children, Pamela Folk Bishop, James Edward Folk, Frederick Eugene Folk & Mary-Louise Folk Lowe.

I also dedicate this book to my mother: Louise Elizabeth Brewer Culvern, her mother Mary Harriet (Molly) Mickle Brewer and my grandfather William (Billy) Franklin Brewer. My father, Eugene Curtis Culvern, his mother, Augusta Elms Culp and my grandfather George Washington Culp/Culvern. I also wish to dedicate the book to all my other relatives and especially first cousins Dr. John Mickle Brewer, Jr., a retired skin specialist and Herbert (Buddy) Lynn Richey- like a brother to me-now deceased. And then to all my more distant forefathers: Brewers, Hailes, Mickles, Hammonds, Whitakers, Millings, Kolbs, Culps, etc.

October 5, 2015

Julian B. Culvern

A VERY BRIEF GENERAL AND PARTIAL LIFE BACKGROUND OF SIR JOHN M. TEMPLETON

I would like to give you a little bit of information about this most amazing person. This is to provide you with some background information on Sir John.

Sir John was born in Winchester, Tennessee with a father who was a lawyer and cotton gin owner and a mother who was a school teacher and gardener. They were both very industrious people and John became so at a very early age. As members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church John showed a strong interest in spiritual concepts at a very early age and this continued and expanded very much as he grew older.

John worked hard in high school to prepare himself for Yale University at which place he excelled in every area and this led to him being a Rhodes Scholar to Oxford. At Yale and beyond John learned economics and investments and counseling as well as some science. This he put to use to an extreme degree in that he became a super-man in regard to his uncanny ability to make great profits in the United States and world stock markets. This made him very wealthy and well-known in the financial world and he was invited to speak in this regard throughout life.

In 1973 Sir John established The Templeton Prize For Progress In Religion and Mother Teresa of Calcutta was the first recipient. It was the world’s largest prize – greater than the Nobel Prizes and has remained the largest prize to this day – which is close to 2 million dollars now in 2011/2012. In 1982 Dr. Billy Graham was awarded this prize by HRH Prince Philip in Buckingham Palace. In recent years the Templeton Prize name was changed from Religion to Progress and Research In Spirituality – since this seems to be better descriptive. Sir John has always had a very broad concept of Religion and Spirituality and accepted the insights and philosophy of all the world’s greatest thinkers – which is very much reflected in John’s numerous books.

Sir John set up The Templeton Foundation, which includes much and possibly most of his wealth, with the purpose of attempting to bring the fields of science and religion together – rather than apart – and to be able to expand and discover more about spirituality. And for this purpose he formed the Templeton Press to publish many books in this field. The Foundation provides funds for such books and has been doing this for many years. The value of the Templeton Foundation at present is about 1.6 billion dollars.

Dr. John M. Templeton, Jr. (known as Dr. Jack), one of the sons of Sir John is now the Chairman and CEO of the Foundation. Dr. Jack went to Yale then Harvard Medical School and became a very distinguished pediatric surgeon under the famous Dr. Koop. Dr. Jack has written books and taught at Philadelphia’s famous children’s hospital. He has healed children’s bodies whereas his dad healed their minds and spirits – a superior combination!

It is earthshaking to begin the listing of the accomplishments of Sir John. He was truly a superman. Sadly, he passed July 8, 2008 at about age 95. A fine book of his life complete is: Sir John Templeton, by Robert L. Herrmann, a chemist – as I am myself. This book as well as Sir John’s books are published by the Foundation’s Press.

My favorite among Sir John’s books is Worldwide Laws Of Life – 200 Eternal Spiritual Principles. If one follows these concepts he is certain to be a successful and happy person. I recommend this book to all my friends and relatives. I think it is one of the world’s greatest books.

The Sir John Templeton I Knew – Our Many Letters

Bringing Science & Religion Together

THE SIR JOHN M. TEMPLETON I KNEW: OUR MANY LETTERS

—An Overview—

In May of 1970 I was reading the positions available in want-ad section of Chemical & Engineering News when I noticed Sir John’s ad (see ad page). It happened to be just what I was looking for - a miracle indeed. I believe in miracles. Just look at God’s miracles everywhere. Well, I was on a modest science teacher’s salary at Morristown College, TN and we had a daughter in Agnes Scott, an expensive Presbyterian College. So you see we could use the extra income of one month’s employment for $2,000 including expenses. The amazing thing about the ad was that I seemed to have the complete requirements of the ad: the advanced science degrees, the writing experience (15 years as a local weekly newspaper columnist on the subjects of science, landscaping, scouting and religion). Most of all, I was quite interested in bringing the fields of science and religion together as friends rather than enemies and was fascinated by Sir John’s objective of seeking scientific evidence of God’s actions in the world. My early letters demonstrate my interest in our quest for scientific evidence of God’s influence in the lives of people, knowing all along the almost impossibility of proving this on a scientific basis but still worth trying. The zeal of Sir John as well as myself in the achieving of this goal plus goals of bringing science and religion closer together and learning more about spirituality continued throughout the life of John as it has in mine up to the present time.

When Sir John hired me in July, 1970, I think he was almost a one-man foundation. Surely he had at least a secretary to do miscellaneous work because he wrote me in longhand on very thin paper in order to save on postage. I think Sir John was a very thrifty person and thought that wastefulness was sinfulness. This was demonstrated when Dr. Jack T. was in college and his dad allowed him $5 per day to travel in Europe. Dr. Jack discovered he could do it.

Sir John’s first prize (for progress in religion) was awarded