Ekklesia was set up to operate 'virtually', with its staff working from home and from different locations rather than from a central office. This minimises its carbon footprint and reduces the costs and overheads normally involved in running a think-tank. We have a number of staff, who are listed below, and also a range of other associates, consultants and contributors [0]. All operate on a freelance or volunteer basis.

Simon Barrow - Co-Director

Simon Barrow is a theologian, writer, commentator, consultant, educator and trainer. He contributes regularly to the Guardian's Comment-is-Free, to Third Way magazine, to OpenDemocracy and Wardman Wire. From 2000-2005 he was global mission secretary for the official ecumenical body Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, which he also served as assistant general secretary until 2003. He was formerly adviser in education and training for Southwark Anglican Diocese (1991-1996) and has worked in current affairs journalism, theological education, development studies, and as the convenor of a national network of Christian social action groups. Simon has edited and co-edited a number of books, including Consuming Passion: Why the Killing of Jesus Really Matters (DLT: 2005), Christian Mission in Western Society: Precedents, Perspectives, Prospects (CTBI: 2001) and Expanding Horizons: Learning to be the Church in the World (SBCS: 1995). His articles and reviews have appeared in journals such as Political Theology, the International Review of Mission (World Council of Churches), the British Journal of Theological Education, Christian, Crucible, Pro Mundi Vita, the International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church, Movement and others. Simon sits on the council of the London Mennonite Centre and is a member of St Stephen's Church, Exeter. He is a member of both the British (BIAMS) and the International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS). His research interests include religion and peacemaking, political theology and the conversation between post-modern faith and other viewpoints, including secular ones. Simon's regular blog can be found at: http://faithinsociety.blogspot.com [1]. His home page is: www.simonbarrow.net/ [2]

Jonathan Bartley - Co-Director

Jonathan Bartley is a regular writer, public speaker and commentator on television and radio. In particular he is a contributor to BBC Radio 4's 'Thought for the Day' and is a columnist for the Church Times. He is also currently appearing on BBC1's 'The Big Questions' and has been a panellist on ITV's discussion programme 'The Moral of the Story'. He has lectured and tutored in Theology and Politics at Sarum College in Salisbury. Having graduated from the London School of Economics in 1994, Jonathan worked in Parliament for a number of years, including with the then Prime Minister John Major. Between 1997 and 2001 he ran the cross-party Movement for Christian Democracy. He has served on the Church of England Evangelical Council, and is the author of a number of books on religion and public life including: The Subversive Manifesto: Lifting the Lid on God's Political Agenda (BRF: 2003) and Faith and Politics After Christendom: The Church as a Movement for Anarchy (Paternoster: 2006). Jonathan was co-editor of Consuming Passion: Why The Killing of Jesus Really Matters (DLT: 2005) and Your Child and the Internet (Hodder: 2004)

Ben Harvey - Web Director

Ben Harvey has worked creating web sites for eight years as well as online video, DVDs, web strategies and online marketing. He is a partner in wateringcanmedia, an award-winning company that creates websites, programmes, films, DVDs and CDRoms. He is also a photographer.

Jordan Tchilingirian - Researcher

Jordan Tchilingirian came to work on an internship with Ekklesia in September 2006, after completing a degree in Social and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge. He is currently helping to prepare books on alternatives to prison and approaches to global migration. He authored the report 'United We Stand?' on conflicts over religion in Britain's universities, which has been welcomed by the government, chaplains and the National Union of Students. From an Armenian Orthodox background, Jordan currently attends an independent evangelical church in South London. His interests include Christianity as a critical social theory and the question about how religious identities and groups are created, sustained and contested. He has most recently been working on a forthcoming report on the wider significance of conflict in the Anglican Communion, particularly the Church of England.

Nick Turner - Marketing Director

Nick Turner is a partner with Ben Harvey in wateringcanmedia, which brings together programme makers, film directors, web designers and other creatives. He specialises in promotion and publicity.

Ekklesia also has a network of Associates and Consultants [2] with which it works.