Robert Tudur Jones (28 June 1921 – 23 July 1998), better known as R. Tudur Jones, was a

Welsh nationalist Welsh nationalism ( cy, Cenedlaetholdeb Cymreig) emphasises and celebrates the distinctiveness of Welsh culture and Wales as a nation or country. Welsh nationalism may also include calls for further autonomy or self determination which includes ...

and one of the country's leading

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

s. His nationalistic stance, combined with

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

doctrine, created an integrated vision that was significant to the religious life of Christian Wales in the later half of the 20th century.

Early life

Jones was born at Tyddyn Gwyn,

Llanystumdwy Llanystumdwy is a predominantly Welsh-speaking village, community and electoral ward on the Llŷn Peninsula in Wales. It lies in the traditional county of Caernarfonshire but is currently administered as part of the unitary authority of Gwyned ...

, north Wales but soon the family moved to

Rhyl Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community (Wales), community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Flintshire (historic), Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at ...

. Christian faith was the foundation of family life as his parents experienced the spiritual zeal of the

1904–1905 Welsh Revival Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number), the natural number following 18 and preceding 20 * one of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (film), a 1987 science fiction film Music ...

. The family were members of the local Welsh

Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

and while other children recited verses on the Sunday morning, as it is a tradition in

nonconformist Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...

churches, he would recite a whole chapter. Though being raised as a Christian, it is said that the turning point in his life was at an

evangelistic In Christianity, evangelism (or witnessing) is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians who specialize in evangelism are often known as evangelists, whether they are in ...

crusade at Rhyl Pavilion where he believed he encountered God. Jones' interest in

ecclesiastical history __NOTOC__ Church history or ecclesiastical history as an academic discipline studies the history of Christianity and the way the Christian Church has developed since its inception. Henry Melvill Gwatkin defined church history as "the spiritual ...

started when he was a pupil at Rhyl Grammar School. There his history teacher, S. M. Houghton, taught him about the

Puritans The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. P ...

and he read

New Testament Greek Koine Greek (; Koine el, ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, hē koinè diálektos, the common dialect; ), also known as Hellenistic Greek, common Attic, the Alexandrian dialect, Biblical Greek or New Testament Greek, was the common supra-reg ...

with the headmaster. After Grammar School he won a Scholarship to

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship St ...

. His father, however, insisted that he attend the

University of Wales The University of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Prifysgol Cymru'') is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff � ...

instead. He graduated in 1942 from the

University of Wales, Bangor Bangor University ( cy, Prifysgol Bangor) is a Public university, public university in Bangor, Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales. It received its Royal charter, Royal Charter in 1885 and was one of the founding institutions of the federal University of Wales ...

, with a degree in

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

and afterwards went on to a

Bachelor of Divinity In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology ...

degree in theology in Bangor. Then he left Bangor for

Mansfield College, Oxford Mansfield College, Oxford is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. The college was founded in Birmingham in 1838 as a college for Nonconformist (Protestantism), Non ...

, where he researched for his

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...

degree.

Career

Returning from Oxford in 1948, now married, Jones was ordained as minister of Seion Welsh Congregationalist Chapel,

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...

. After only two years he left Seion to pursue an academic career. In 1950 he was appointed as tutor in Church History at

Bala-Bangor Theological Seminary Bala-Bangor was a theological seminary belonging to the Welsh Independents ( Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg), an association of Welsh congregationalists. It was founded in 1841 at Llanuwchllyn, then moved to a permanent location at Bala, Gwyne ...

, Bangor, north Wales, and by 1965 he had risen to be the principal of Bala-Bangor, which post he held until the Welsh Congregationalists merged their two colleges, Bala-Bangor and the Memorial College,

in 1988. After his semi-retirement in 1988 he accepted a post as an honorary lecturer in the theology department of the University of Wales Bangor, a post he held until 1997.

Theology

Most of Jones' publications were of an historical nature. Nevertheless, his theology and his opinions on doctrine would surface regularly in his work. He was a firm

, and although it is tempting to classify him as

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...

(see also his fellow Welsh Christian scholars

Bobi Jones Robert Maynard Jones (20 May 1929 – 22 November 2017), generally known as Bobi Jones, was a Welsh Christian academic and one of the most prolific writers in the history of the Welsh language. A versatile master of poetry, fictional prose and cri ...

and R. Geraint Gruffydd), he distanced himself from the

pietistic Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christian life, including a social concern for the needy and ...

evangelicalism that rose from the ashes of the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival. He opposed

liberal theology Religious liberalism is a conception of religion (or of a particular religion) which emphasizes personal and group liberty and rationality. It is an attitude towards one's own religion (as opposed to criticism of religion from a secular position, ...

and feared

humanism Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...

's effect on the people of Wales.

Nationalist

Jones not only contributed to Wales at a spiritual level but also got involved in the

nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...

struggle through his leadership role in

Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...

and his support of

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg The Welsh Language Society ( cy, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, often abbreviated to Cymdeithas yr Iaith or just Cymdeithas) is a direct action pressure group in Wales campaigning for the right of Welsh people to use the Welsh language in every as ...

(the Welsh Language Society). He was vice president of Plaid Cymru for a period and stood elections in the party's name in

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

during the 1959 and 1964 elections. His nationalistic arguments are put forward in his book ''The Desire of Nations'' where he notes that his nationalism "asks nothing for itself that it does not wish for others."

Publications

Jones is listed to have published over 341 books and articles mainly on

. Among his main publications on ecclesiastical history are ''Hanes Annibynwyr Cymru'' (''History of the Welsh Congregationalists'') and ''Ffydd ac Argyfwng Cenedl – Cristnogaeth a Diwylliant yng Nghymru 1890–1914'' (''Faith and the crisis of the Nation – Christianity and Culture in Wales 1890–1914''). He also published some work giving political discussion such as his book on nationalism ''The Desire of Nations''.

Notes

Resources

*ap Huw, Alwyn ('Hen Rech Flin')
Y Gwir am Dr Tudur
*Davies, Gwyn, ''Light in the Land: Christianity in Wales 200–2000'' (2002) *Pope, Robert : ''A Giant of Welsh Protestantism – R. Tudur Jones 1921–1998'' (2003) {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, R. Tudur 1921 births 1998 deaths Alumni of Mansfield College, Oxford Alumni of Bangor University Plaid Cymru politicians Welsh Calvinist and Reformed theologians Welsh Congregationalist ministers Welsh-speaking clergy Calvinist pacifists Historians of Puritanism 20th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians 20th-century Welsh historians 20th-century Congregationalist ministers