John O'Donohue
John O'Donohue is an Irish poet and philosopher who lives in the solitude of a cottage in the West of Ireland and speaks Gaelic as his native language.
Mark Yaconelli
- How to ensure your funeral is well attended
- Failure, frustration and loss: the common person's path to holiness
- Message to a dying church
Mark Yaconelli is a spiritual director, retreat leader and director of the Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project.
John Bell
John Bell was born within smelling distance of Johnny Walker's distillery in Kilmarnock and presently lives within smelling distance of Tenant's Brewery in Glasgow.
Peter Rollins
One time Christian, evangelist and full-time charismatic, Peter is now a writer, founding member of Ikon, and a freelance lecturer in philosophy.
James Alison
James Alison (b. 1959) is a Catholic theologian, priest and author. He has studied, lived and worked in Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and the United States as well as his native England. He earned his doctorate in theology from the Jesuit Faculty in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Mona Siddiqui
Mona Siddiqui is the Professor of Islamic Studies and Public Understanding and the Director of Centre for the Study of Islam at the Departmenof Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Glasgow.
Dave Tomlinson
Dave Tomlinson is vicar of St Luke’s in North London, author of The Post-Evangelical, and adviser to the Bishop of London on Environmental Issues. He and his wife Pat have three grown-up children, two grand-daughters, and a gorgeous dog called Woody.
Ched Myers
- Abraham under the 'Teaching Oak'
- Ambassadors of reconciliation: gospel witnesses to restorative justice
- Hope is where your arse is
Ched Myers is an activist theologian who has worked in social change movements for three decades.
Keith Ward
Keith Ward taught philosophy at Glasgow, St. Andrews, King's College, London and Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
John Smith
Rev Dr John Smith is the founding Director of Concern Australia and the founding President of Gods Squad Christian Motorcycle Club of 34 years. An elder of the radical discipleship movement, he is a defender of the poor, an ethics consultant to corporate Australia, a prominent social commentator and a blues lover.
Graham Cray
Graham Cray is the Bishop of Maidstone, a former Chair of Greenbelt and the Chair of Soul Survivor. He led the team which wrote Mission-Shaped Church and gave the London Lectures on Contemporary Christianity on the theme of citizenship. He is the only bishop with 50 days of rock music on his Mac.
Becky Garrison
Becky Garrison is Senior Contributing Editor for The Wittenburg Door and author of Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church, as well as the forthcoming books Rising from the Ashes: Rethinking Church (Seabury Books) and The New Atheist Crusaders and Their Unholy Grail: The Misguided Quest to Destroy Your Faith (Thomas Nelson, January 2008).
Paula Gooder
Paula Gooder is a freelance writer and lecturer in the Bible but with a particular interest in the New Testament.
Fran Beckett
The Church Urban Fund is celebrating the announcement of its Chief Executive, Fran Beckett, being awarded an OBE in this years New Year Honours List. Fran Beckett received the award for services to disadvantaged people. On receiving her award Fran commented:
Simon Parke
“Not famous for being relevant,” according to his website, Simon Parke was a priest in the Church of England for 20 years.
Raj Patel
Raj has co-authored Why do Christians Wear Ties?, Stealing Other Peoples Decisions is Wrong!, Asians Cant Play Football!, Equal Partners? and A Time to Speak.
Maggi Dawn
Maggi Dawn is Chaplain and Fellow of Robinson College in the University of Cambridge. A long-time Greenbelter, she is also an occasional broadcaster for the BBC, and writes for a number of publications, including the Church Times.
Bishop Nelson Onono-Onweng
Bishop Nelson was ordained in 1977 and consecrated Bishop of Northern Uganda Diocese in 1998.
Doug Gay
- Learning to be Church: Unpacking the Emerging Project
- Breaking up Britain: how to be a Christian nationalist
Doug Gay is a long term Greenbelter who teaches Practical Theology at the University of Glasgow. His current research focuses on 'emerging church' issues and political theology, especially theology and nationalism.
Ann Morisy
Ann is a freelance community theologian and lecturer. She directed the Commission that wrote the report 'Faithful Cities' and has written on the spirituality of public transport, ageing, neighbourliness as a radical, and has written two best selling books Beyond the Good Samaritan and Journeying Out.
Naima Bouteldja
Naima Bouteldja (31), France, is a freelance journalist and activist in Britain. She has an MA in International Economics and Finances from Toulouse University and did her dissertation on the structural adjustment programmes imposed on Ghana and the Ivory Coast by the IMF and the World Bank.
Gareth Higgins
Gareth Higgins is a writer from Belfast who has worked both as an academic and activist, co-leading a post-sectarian peacebuilding initiative for over a decade.
Dave Tomlinson
Dave Tomlinson is a writer, internationally traveled speaker and vicar of St Luke's church in North London. He is married to Pat and has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
Jo Berry
Jo has been on a long journey since her father, Sir Anthony Berry MP, was killed by the IRA in the bombing of the 1984 Tory Party conference in Brighton. In the days after the bomb she wanted to somehow bring something positive out of the tragedy and began a journey of healing. The last 21 years have been full of learnings and remarkable experiences.
Sue Mayfield
Sue Mayfield grew up in the North East beside the sea and lived for many years in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Since first being published in 1988, she has written nine novels for young adults including On Eagles Wings, Blue, Voices and Damage. Blue and Voices were both nominated for the Carnegie Medal and Blue won the North East Book Award in 2003.
Jo Rathbone
With a background in social work and world development issues, Jo has been running the Eco-congregation programme in England & Wales for 3 years. She is passionate about encouraging churches to take a lead in their communities to reduce environmental footprints and live more lightly on Gods planet
Vic Thiessen
Vic Thiessen is a Canadian Mennonite theologian who has worked as the director of the London Mennonite Centre since 2002. He is a regular speaker at Greenbelt on the subject of film and theology and he has led film discussion groups at the Guy Chester Centre and St. Ethelburga's.
Tobias Jones
Tobias Jones is the author of The Dark Heart of Italy and of Utopian Dreams (both Faber & Faber). He has written and presented documentaries for both Italian and British television and is a regular contributor to the Guardian, the Independent and the Telegraph.
Lucy Winkett
Lucy Winkett is Canon Precentor of St Paul's Cathedral in London. Before she was ordained, she was a professional singer and is currently responsible for the Cathedral's music and liturgy.
John Davies
Born in Walton Hospital, John grew up in a house on the banks of the Mersey.
Nigel Varndell
Nigel Varndell has been at Christian Aid for over ten years, working in fundraising, advocacy and Church relations before ending up as the Inter-faith manager.
Andrew Nugent
Former trial lawyer Andrew Nugent was called to the bar before he was called to the monastery and has travelled from being novice-master to master of crime fiction.
Ruth Harvey Regan
Four years ago Ruth left church. In leaving she lost her faith, identity and community. She has since been engaged in a creative journey of recovery discovery, learning to stay with uncertainty and lostness long enough for a sense of hope and faith to begin emerging from the darkness.
Philip Roderick
Philip is percussionist and composer with Sheer Sound, Founder-Director of The Quiet Garden Movement, author, speaker, leader of Contemplative Fire and recovering hyperactivist.
Morna Hooker
Morna Hooker studied Theology at the University of Bristol, and then undertook biblical research. She moved to Cambridge in 1976 as Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity and a founding Fellow of Robinson College.
Sister Frances Dominica
- How do children cope with death and bereavement?
- Interview : Jonathan Mayo meets Sister Frances Dominica
Born in Scotland in 1942, Sister Frances Dominica trained as a nurse at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street and at the Middlesex Hospital London. In 1966 she joined the Society of All Saints, an Anglican Religious Community, becoming Mother Superior from 1977 to 1989.
Douglas Alexander
Douglas Alexander MP was appointed Secretary of State for International Development in June. He was previously Secretary of State for Transport and Secretary of State for Scotland. Born in Glasgow in 1967 he was educated in Scotland and Canada, going on to study at Edinburgh University and the University of Pennsylvania. He worked as a lawyer before entering Parliament in 1997. He is married with two children.
Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg released his first album, Life's a Riot, almost twenty-five years ago. Dubbed �Britain�s finest rock poet� by the NME, he has collaborated with Johnny Marr, Natalie Merchant, REM and the late lamented Kirsty MacColl. But almost as much as for his music, Billy is known for his humanitarian commitments � politicised by Margaret Thatcher, he supported the Miners� Strike of 1984/85 and formed Red Wedge, an alliance of left-leaning musicians, in support of Neil Kinnock�s Labour party in 1987. More recently, in collaboration with US band Wilco, he brought some of Woody Guthrie�s unpublished lyrics to life in the Mermaid Avenue albums, released to worldwide acclaim and included in Rolling Stone�s most influential albums of the 1990s.
John Tavener
Classical music royalty will be in our midst throughout the weekend as Greenbelt is privileged to welcome Sir John Tavener, one of the countrys most popular living composers. Several of his works are being performed over the weekend, including Agraphane, sung by Patricia Rozario, the composers favourite soprano.
Steve Stockman
Steve Stockman is a Chaplain at Queens University Belfast, regular contributor to BBC Radio Ulster and author of Walk On;The Spiritual Journey of U2 which is now translated into seven languages!
Marc Ellis
- Is Israel different?
- Unholy alliance: religon and atrocity in our time
- Towards a Jewish theology of liberation
Marc H. Ellis is University Professor of Jewish Studies and Director of the Center of Jewish Studies at Baylor University. He has lectured and travelled extensively throughout the world and is the author of more than twenty books.
Wahida Shaffi
Wahida Shaffi is a freelance consultant and researcher. She is a qualified social worker with a background in social and community work. She has worked with children and families, the youth and older people, providing support, advice on a broad range of issues to both practitioners and the wider community.
Bruce Stanley
Bruce Stanley is a Spirituality Populariser and Life Coach. His workshops will provide an opportunity to put yourself through a life MOT.
Cole Moreton
Cole Moreton is executive editor of the Independent on Sunday as well as a broadcaster and author who is currently working on his third book. He was recently shortlisted for 'Interviewer of the Year' at the British Press Awards.
Dilly Baker
Dilly works in a developmental role for Scargill, an ecumenical centre in the Yorkshire Dales that has recently been delivering a groundbreaking project, MythBusters celebrating identity and diversity amongst school age children.
GP Taylor
- The Media and the mind battle for of our children.
- How to write a Christian best seller for a secular market
- Q & A with G P Taylor
If youre an aspiring writer of fiction, G.P. Taylors return to Greenbelt is not to be missed. Funded by the sale of his beloved Harley Davidson, his self-published, first novel, Shadowmancer, knocked J.K. Rowling off the top spot in the UK book charts. Hotter than Potter, it stayed there for a record 15 weeks.
Tony Juniper
Tony Juniper has been an environmental campaigner for nearly 20 years. Since 2003 he has been the Executive Director of Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland and from 2000 has been the Vice Chair of Friends of the Earth International, the global federation of 68 national Friends of the Earth organisations.
Mark Townsend
Mark Townsend is a nationally acclaimed magician and author. He is also a clergyman. He has a compelling sense that magic and mentalism should allow people to explore their spirituality.
Fuad Dagher
Tess Ward
Tess Ward was co-celebrant of the Greenbelt Communion 2005 and author of The Celtic Wheel of the Year O books 2007. She is a hospital chaplain in Oxford and trying to give more time to being creative and growing her work as a celebrant at peoples ceremonies of ages and stages.
Nick Baines
Nick Baines is the Bishop of Croydon. He was a professional linguist before ordination and has worked all over England. He has written four books and broadcasts regularly on national radio and TV. He also does interfaith dialogue in Central Asia.
John Henson
John Henson is a graduate in theology from Oxford and s now a Baptist minister. A member of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, he has lectured on faith and gender at the invitation of the EU. He is married with three children and is the author of 'The Gay Discple'.
David F. Ford
David F. Ford is Irish and was educated in Trinity College Dublin, Cambridge, Yale and Tubingen universities. He is now Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme.
Micheal O\'Siadhail
Intense, engaging and accessible, poet Micheal OSiadhail returns to Greenbelt with his latest collection, Globe (Bloodaxe, 2007), an exploration of how a world is shaped. Sarah Crown, writing in The Guardian, describes the book as a timely and disquieting dissection of the planets parlous state.
Wisam Salsaa
He's a Palestinin tour guide, a Catholic and helps to run his father's olive wood factory. He is married with 2 daughters Leah and Sarah. He offers the perspective of a young Palestinian who can trace his family roots back for generations in Bethlehem and an insight into the difficulties of daily life living under occupation.
Andrew Graystone
Andrew Graystone is the rector of the Churches' Media Council and a prolfic producer, writer and presenter for BBC Religion and BBC Radio 4.
Andrew Rumsey
Andrew Rumsey is Vicar of Gipsy Hill in South London. A seasoned Greenbelt speaker and performer, Andrew also writes for the satirical website Ship-of Fools.com. Speaking this year on genealogy, Andrew is, he informs us, a direct descendent of Henry VIIIs sixth wifes cousin.
Andrew Tate
When he's not watching re-runs of the West Wing, Dr. Andrew Tate lectures in English and American Literature at Lancaster University.
Church Urban Fund
Sabina Alkire
Sabina Alkire is an economist and a non-stipendiary Anglican priest. She directs the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative, a new research centre at the University of Oxford, and is a Research Associate at Harvard's global equity initiative.
Ann Pettifor
Ann Pettifor is the part-time campaigns director for Operation Noah, the climate change campaign based at Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI).
Carolyn Hayman
Throughout a varied career in government, business and the not for profit sector, Carolyn Haymans focus has been on startups and innovation, most recently as co-founder with Scilla Elworthy of Peace Direct, which supports and promotes local peacebuilding. Her driving passion is always to showcase grassroots talent to those with power.
Janey Lee Grace
Janey Lee Grace is passionate about all things natural and green. She wants to help people change their lives by introducing them to the concept of easily available natural alternatives and directing them to the products that really work. Janey inspires people to live with fewer toxic chemicals in their lives and to encourage people to feel they can be part of the new 'ethical eco movement' without needing to feel any sense of guilt for the bits they aren't getting right. She sums up this struggle that we all face day to day as 'Imperfectly Natural'.
Rhidian Brook
Rhidian Brook is an award-winning novelist, screen and short story writer. His first novel, The Testimony Of Taliesin Jones (Flamingo, Harper Collins) won the 1997 Somerset Maugham Award, A Betty Trask Award and The Authors Club Award. The Testimony Of Taliesin Jones was made into a film starring Jonathan Pryce and the late Ian Bannen. Penguin USA published the novel in America, Jan 2002. His second novel Jesus And The Adman (Flamingo, Harper Collins) was published in 1999 to laudatory reviews. His novels have been translated into French and Portuguese.
Aimie Littler
Aimie Littler directs 'The Truth Isn't Sexy' Campaign against sex trafficking. She has a background in Cultural Studies, acting and design.
Bev Thomas
Bev Thomas is a freelance consultant and lecturer. For the last 20 years she has worked as a trainer and speaker on social justice and 'race' issues.
Sarah Williams
Sarah Williams is the Campaigns Officer with Anti-Slavery International and lives in London. She has a degree in social and political sciences and is doing an Msc in global politics.
Andrew Pendleton
Andrew Pendleton is journalist by profession and is currently working for Christian Aid as its senior policy officer on climate change and sustainable development.
Anthony Reddie
Anthony G. Reddie is a Black theologian and Christian educator working for the British Methodist Church and the Queens Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham.
Shannon Hopkins
Shannon Hopkins has been a key player in developing the 'Truth Isn't Sexy' Campaign. For the last decade she has been catalysing projects around mission, arts, culture and business in the UK and USA. She is passionate about mission and justice and empowering others to realize and utilize their gifts.
Angela Sarkis
Angela was appointed to the position of YMCA National Secretary, from 1 August 2006. Prior to this she worked as an independent Management consultant in the public and voluntary sector. During this period she also served as a BBC governor and a member of the correctional services board and the Home Office.
Matthew Reed
Matthew Reed is the Church and Community Director for Christian Aid. At the age of 38 he is the youngest member of the directorate. Matthew received a BEng degree from Nottingham in Production Engineering and Management, and then spent a year as an outdoor instructor at a school in Zimbabwe before reading theology at Oxford.
Dr. Hany El-Banna
Dr Hany El Banna is co-founder and President of Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), an international relief and development organisation which aims to alleviate the poverty and suffering of the world's poorest people.
Niall Cooper
Niall Cooper has written, spoken and broadcast extensively on the themes of housing, community, poverty and the relationship between faith, action and social justice.x
