Mark Vernon is a writer, broadcaster and journalist. He began his professional life as a priest in the Church of England. His academic interests led him from physics to philosophy via theology; he also has a PhD from Warwick University in philosophy, degrees in theology from Oxford University and Durham University, and a physics degree from Durham University.

His most recent books are two on God - God: All That Matters (Hodder) and The Big Questions: God (Quercus). He has also written books on friendship, wellbeing and the good life.

Mark writes regularly for the Guardian and Times Literary Supplement, and occasionally for other publications including the Financial Times, New Statesman and Management Today. He also broadcasts, his last documentary being a two-part series for BBC Radio 4, In Doubt We Trust. Mark is an Honorary Research Fellow at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is a keen blogger, at www.markvernon.com