Advocacy

Ekklesia (2002 – 2024) was a change network as well as a citizen-based think tank. Over the past 22 years we not only contributed to research, reflection and policy,  we also matched words with actions through lobbying, advocacy and campaigning. 

That included working with disabled people’s organisations (DPOs), like the WOW Campaign, on welfare reform and social security issues; supporting survivors of church-related abuse in pushing for change and recompense; bringing church leaders and influencers together to oppose benefit cuts; proposing and pressing for alternatives to austerity in the economic realm; co-founding the Accord Coalition to work with religious and non-religious partners in advocating the reform of faith schools; working as part of the Commission on Civil Society and Democratic Engagement on lobbying issues at Westminster; promoting ethical investment (and divestment from harmful industries) within the churches; regularly promoting the WCC Thursdays in Black campaign against gender-based violence and rape; advocating for refugees, migrants and human rights; publicising the work of groups like Stop Funding Hate; pressing on debt and for a FTT through the Robin Hood Tax Campaign; collaborating with Operation Noah and climate activism; struggling against racism; drawing attention to the need for recognition of the Armenian Genocide and working on other MENA and Israel/Palestine concerns; a call for change in British housing policy; engagement with issues around the Scottish independence referendum; pressing for electoral reform through Power 2010 and other agencies; opposing Christian Nationalism, narratives of persecution, and other forms of authoritarian and regressive religion; advocating for disestablishment of the Church of England; critiquing and opposing creationism / ID with the BCSE; working for marriage reform; looking to re-imagine Remembrance and encourage nonviolence; handling UK press work for the Christian Peacemaker Teams activists held captive in Iraq for 118 days; advocating LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the church, and much more. Our latest affiliation, in 2021/22 is with Together for Refugees.

We also helped raise funds for other causes – including £250,000+ over the years for Fairtrade agencies, and most recently £1,600+ for Ministers and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors (MACSAS), and £5,000+ for African development projects through the Homeless World Cup