What Theos does

Theos is a UK-based Christian think tank founded in 2006 and operating as part of the British and Foreign Bible Society umbrella charity, headquartered in London at 24–28 Bloomsbury Way. It conducts research and publishes analysis at the intersection of religion, politics and contemporary society, producing reports (e.g., 'Living Stones', 'A Theology of Investment', 'A Theology of Power', 'A Theology of Hope', 'Playing God'), books authored by its fellows, and commentary on faith in public life. Its core outputs are research reports, two podcasts (The Sacred hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield and Reading Our Times hosted by Nick Spencer), public events and lectures including the flagship Annual Lecture, and consultancy services on faith-related policy questions.

The organization's distribution is open-access: PDFs are free on the website, podcasts are available on Apple and Spotify, and content is amplified through regular citations in mainstream UK media (The Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail, BBC). It serves academics and researchers, policymakers and politicians, media professionals, religious organizations including the Church of England, and the interested general public. Its model is multi-source grant and earned income: approximately half of core funding comes from the Bible Society, with additional grants from charitable trusts (William Leech, Halley Stewart, Laing, Sainsbury), consultancy fees, a Friends and Associates supporter programme at £75/year (£40 for students), and ticket revenue from select events. The 28-person team is led by Director Chine McDonald, with Senior Fellow Nick Spencer anchoring the research output.

Name

Theos

Legal name

Theos Think Tank

Website

https://theosthinktank.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Theos is a London-based Christian think tank (founded 2006) operating under the British and Foreign Bible Society. It produces research reports, podcasts, books, and events on religion, politics, and society for policymakers, academics, media, religious organizations, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG)

Keywords

• Religion society research
• Faith policy analysis
• Public theology research
• Religious think tank
• Social commentary research

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Trust Funding: The majority of published research is funded by charitable trusts including the William Leech Research Fellowships, Halley Stewart Trust, Laing Family Trusts, and Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. This funding is always acknowledged on the research unless a funder has requested otherwise.
2. Bible Society Core Funding: Theos receives approximately half of its core funding from the British and Foreign Bible Society, its parent umbrella charity.
3. Consultancy Research: Theos provides consultancy research services to a range of clients, generating revenue from applied research engagements.
4. Friends and Associates Programme: Individual supporters can join as Friends for £75 per year (£40 for students) with benefits including free hard copies of reports and exclusive communications.
5. Event Revenue: Theos hosts public events including debates, discussions, and lectures, with some events requiring ticket purchases (e.g., Theos 20 events at the National Gallery).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Theos is a UK Christian think tank that conducts research and publishes reports, books, podcasts, and commentary analysing the intersection of religion, politics, and contemporary social issues. It also hosts public debates, lectures, and panel events, and offers paid consultancy research to external clients. The organization operates as part of the British and Foreign Bible Society charity family.

Product overview

Theos is a Christian think tank (part of the British and Foreign Bible Society) offering a unified portfolio of research, commentary, and public engagement services. Its core offerings include published research reports on religion, politics, and society; two flagship podcasts (The Sacred and Reading Our Times); public events including annual lectures and panel discussions; and consultancy services. The organization also runs a supporters programme for individual and organizational members. There is no software product or platform—the organization functions as a traditional think tank focused on scholarly research and public discourse.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Reports Published research reports analysing the role of religion in contemporary British society, freely available as PDF downloads. Topics include cathedrals, theology of investment, theology of power, theology of hope, motherhood, and science-religion intersections. Audience: academics, policymakers, journalists, faith communities, and the general public.
• The Sacred Podcast Podcast hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield exploring how to have better public conversations about values despite differences, featuring interviews with prominent public figures, authors, and thinkers. Distributed via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
• Reading Our Times Podcast Podcast hosted by Nick Spencer exploring books and ideas shaping contemporary society through conversations with authors and intellectuals. Distributed via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
• Events and Annual Lectures Public debates, panel discussions, seminars, and the flagship Annual Lecture examining religion and society. Held at venues including the National Gallery and St Martin-in-the-Fields. Some events require ticket purchase. Includes the 'Theos at 20' anniversary series marking the organisation's 20th year in 2026.
• Consultancy Services Custom research and consultancy services delivered to external clients on faith, religion, and society topics, generating revenue from applied research engagements.
• Theos Supporters Programme (Friends and Associates) Annual membership programme for individuals and organisations supporting Theos at £75 per year (£40 for students). Benefits include free hard copies of all published reports, a regular e-newsletter, invitations to the annual Theos Associates reception, and advanced invitations to the Annual Lecture.

Quantifiable outcome

• Regularly quoted in mainstream UK media across broadcast, print and digital platforms

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Christian AidcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025Theos partnered with Christian Aid on multiple theological research reports including 'A Theology of Investment' (exploring biblical perspective on investment), 'A Theology of Power' (examining power through a biblical lens), and 'A Theology of Hope' (to mark 80 years of Christian Aid). These co-authored reports explore Christian theological perspectives on contemporary issues.
• British and Foreign Bible SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheos is part of the umbrella charity British and Foreign Bible Society. The Bible Society provides approximately half of Theos's core funding and hosts its database. The relationship includes reporting to the Bible Society CEO and trustees. Other organizations within the Bible Society family include Bible Society Resources Ltd, Christian Research, and Open the Book.
• CCLAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCCLA, an investment fund for charities, churches and the public sector owned by its clients, sponsors Theos's Annual Lecture. This is a marketing partnership providing sponsorship for Theos flagship annual event.
• National GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheos partnered with the National Gallery to host 'Theos at 20' anniversary events including 'Art, creativity and what it means to be human in the age of AI', celebrating two decades of the organization.
• St Martin-in-the-FieldsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheos partnered with St Martin-in-the-Fields church for events including 'Science, Faith and the Future of Humanity' featuring Dr Francis Collins and Dr Nick Spencer.
• EventbriteminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvent management platform used by Theos to organize events and send reminder emails to those who have booked tickets.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pew Research Center: Major non-partisan research organization producing data-driven analysis on religion, society, and public life. Comparable to Theos in producing authoritative analysis cited by media and policymakers, though operating at much larger scale and geographic scope.
• Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI): US-based nonprofit research organization studying the intersection of religion, culture, and politics. Comparable in research methodology (polling, public opinion analysis) and target audience of journalists, policymakers, and academics interested in religion's public role.
• Demos: Major UK cross-party think tank producing policy research across many domains. Director Chine McDonald is a Demos trustee, evidencing direct overlap; both organizations target UK policymakers, media, and the general public with research-driven commentary.
• Policy Exchange: Leading UK centre-right think tank producing research across education, faith, communities, and public policy. Highly comparable in operating model (reports, events, media engagement) and in serving policymakers and journalists in the UK.
• IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research): One of the UK's leading progressive think tanks, producing research across economic and social policy. Comparable in policy-research format, audience (policymakers and media), and aspiration to shape UK public debate.

Emerging players

• BioLogos Foundation: US-based Christian organization exploring science and faith. Comparable to Theos's science-and-religion research strand (e.g., Nick Spencer's 'Magisteria' and 'Playing God') and overlapping audience of theologians, scientists, and interested lay readers.

Others

• Templeton Foundation: Global philanthropic foundation funding research at the intersection of science, religion, and human progress. Comparable as a funder of religion-and-science research, and a potential partner/funder for Theos's Science and Religion program, though not a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Ekklesia: UK-based Christian think tank that researches theology, politics, and social justice. Like Theos, it operates from a faith-grounded perspective and publishes commentary and reports on religion in public life, making it the closest direct competitor in the UK Christian think-tank space.
• The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion: Cambridge-based research and public engagement organization on science and religion. Directly comparable to Theos's 'Science and Religion' series and Nick Spencer's 'Magisteria' and 'Playing God' works, with overlapping scholar network and similar audience.
• Faith in Public (formerly Centre for Theology and Public Issues): UK think tank focused on faith in public life and theology's contribution to contemporary debates. Closely comparable to Theos in mission, audience (churches, policymakers, academics), and product format (research reports, events, commentary).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theosthinktank
• Facebookfacebook.com/theosthinktank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/think-tank-theos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Theos