(ENI)-Ian Barbour, an American college professor and leading advocate of dialogue between scientists and theologians, has won the 1999 Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. Along with the prize comes a cash award of $1.24 million (US), the world’s biggest annual award. The announcement was made March 10 at a news conference at the United Nations Church Center in New York. Dr. Barbour, 75, joins the ranks of previous winners – including American evangelist Billy Graham, Russian writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn and the late Mother Teresa – all of whom have been recognised by the John Templeton Foundation for “advancing the understanding of God and/or spirituality.” Dr. Barbour has already declared that he will give most of the money to organizations that have nurtured his career and his spiritual life, including his alma mater and his church. Dr. Barbour, professor emeritus at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and a member of the United Church of Christ (UCC), said he hoped the attention given to the award would result in even greater dialogue about the intersection of science and religion.The prize will be awarded at a private ceremony May 11 at Buckingham Palace and in a public ceremony on May 17 in Moscow, the first time the award has been presented in Russia.