Jonathan Sacks, author and former British chief rabbi, wins Templeton Prize

Jonathan Sacks, a leader in efforts to promote interfaith understanding, has won the 2016 Templeton Prize, which recognizes “exceptional contributions to affirming life’s spiritual dimension.”

Sacks’s “future-mindedness” was a key reason he was chosen for the honor, said Jennifer Simpson, who heads the John Templeton Foundation Board of Trustees.

“After 9/11, Rabbi Sacks saw the need for a response to the challenge posed by radicalization and extremism, and he did so with dignity and grace,” she said in a statement. “He has always been ahead of his time and, thanks to his leadership, the world can look to the future with hope, something we are very much in need of right now.”