Tomáš Halík 

Tomáš Halík 

Tomáš Halík (Prague, 1948) is a Catholic priest, Czech philosopher and university professor. During the communist era in Czechoslovakia, he was ordained clandestinely and participated actively in the circles of religious and political dissent. After the fall of the regime, he was appointed Secretary General of the Czech Bishops' Conference and advisor to Václav Havel. He is currently a professor at Charles University and president of the Czech Christian Academy. Pope John Paul II appointed him director of the Pontifical Council for Dialogue with Non-Believers. It is also engaged in interfaith dialogue and has been decorated in the United States and Austria for his merits in favor of tolerance and religious freedom. He has received numerous awards for his literary activity, both at home and abroad and his books and articles have been translated into several languages. In 2014 received the prestigious Templeton Prize for Progress toward research or discoveries about spiritual realities.