Mark Vernon is a writer, broadcaster and journalist who began his professional life as a priest in the Church of England. He has a PhD from Warwick University in philosophy, degrees in theology from Oxford University and Durham University, and a physics degree from Durham University.

He went freelance 10 years ago following the publication of an article in the Independent newspaper on supermarket loyalty cards and now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Philosophers’ Magazine, TLS, Financial Times and New Statesman, alongside a range of business titles, including Management Today. He also broadcasts, notably on BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time. His academic interests led him from physics to philosophy via theology. Michel Foucault introduced him to the ancient Greeks on friendship; he thinks that Plato has it just about right on that one at least.

Vernon is also an Honorary Research Fellow at Birkbeck College, University of London. He has also authored After Atheism, an account of his spiritual journey which rejects both theism and atheism and makes a passionate case for agnosticism.