William Richard Williams (theologian)
Encyclopedia
Reverend Professor
William Richard Williams (April 4 1896 – December 18 1962) was the Principal
of the United Theological College Aberystwyth
, the first Secretary of the Council of Churches of Wales, and later its President.
in Gwynedd
to Richard and Catherine Williams, Williams moved to Aberystwyth
with his mother on the death of his father in 1912 after winning a scholarship to University College, Aberystwyth where he graduated in Greek
and Philosophy
. He served in the British Army
during World War I
, after which he studied at Lincoln College, Oxford
, graduating with a first class
BA
degree
in Theology
. He was ordained
in the Presbyterian Church of Wales
in 1921, and served as a minister in Gowerton
in Glamorganshire
from 1921 to 1922 and at Argyle English Church in Swansea
from 1922 to 1925.
Williams was an assistant lecturer at the United Theological College Aberystwyth
from 1925 to 1927, and Professor
of the Philosophy of Religion
from 1927 to 1928), and of Greek
and New Testament
exegesis from 1928 to 1949, when he was appointed Principal of the College, a position he held until his death in 1962. In 1928 he married Violet Irene Evans of Swansea, and they had a son, W.R. Williams.
He was the Moderator of the General Assembly in 1960, and Moderator of the South Wales Association in 1962. Williams was a promoter of ecumenism
in Wales, and was the first Secretary of the Council of Churches of Wales, and its President at the time of his death in 1962. In 1961 he was elected Chairman of the British committee of the Presbyterian Alliance. He was a member of the joint-committee which was appointed to prepare a new English
translation of the Bible
, and in 1961 he was appointed Director of a committee which was set up to prepare a new Welsh
translation of the Bible. He was also a contributor to The Dictionary of Welsh Biography Down to 1940
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
William Richard Williams (April 4 1896 – December 18 1962) was the Principal
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the United Theological College Aberystwyth
United Theological College Aberystwyth
The United Theological College located in Aberystwyth, in the county of Ceredigion in mid Wales was the ministerial training college of the Presbyterian Church of Wales and an associate college of the University of Wales...
, the first Secretary of the Council of Churches of Wales, and later its President.
Biography
Born at PwllheliPwllheli
Pwllheli is a community and the main market town of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, north-western Wales. It has a population of 3,861, of which a large proportion, 81 per cent, are Welsh speaking. Pwllheli is the place where Plaid Cymru was founded. It is the birthplace of Albert Evans-Jones -...
in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
to Richard and Catherine Williams, Williams moved to Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
with his mother on the death of his father in 1912 after winning a scholarship to University College, Aberystwyth where he graduated in Greek
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. He served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, after which he studied at Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
, graduating with a first class
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. He was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
in the Presbyterian Church of Wales
Presbyterian Church of Wales
The Presbyterian Church of Wales , also known as The Calvinistic Methodist Church , is a denomination of Protestant Christianity. It was born out of the Welsh Methodist revival and the preaching of Hywel Harris Howell Harris in the 18th century and seceded from the Church of England in 1811...
in 1921, and served as a minister in Gowerton
Gowerton
The village of Gowerton is situated about 4 miles north west of Swansea city centre, Wales. Gowerton is often known as the gateway to Gower. Gowerton's original name was Ffosfelin...
in Glamorganshire
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
from 1921 to 1922 and at Argyle English Church in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
from 1922 to 1925.
Williams was an assistant lecturer at the United Theological College Aberystwyth
United Theological College Aberystwyth
The United Theological College located in Aberystwyth, in the county of Ceredigion in mid Wales was the ministerial training college of the Presbyterian Church of Wales and an associate college of the University of Wales...
from 1925 to 1927, and Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of the Philosophy of Religion
Philosophy of religion
Philosophy of religion is a branch of philosophy concerned with questions regarding religion, including the nature and existence of God, the examination of religious experience, analysis of religious language and texts, and the relationship of religion and science...
from 1927 to 1928), and of Greek
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
and New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
exegesis from 1928 to 1949, when he was appointed Principal of the College, a position he held until his death in 1962. In 1928 he married Violet Irene Evans of Swansea, and they had a son, W.R. Williams.
He was the Moderator of the General Assembly in 1960, and Moderator of the South Wales Association in 1962. Williams was a promoter of ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
in Wales, and was the first Secretary of the Council of Churches of Wales, and its President at the time of his death in 1962. In 1961 he was elected Chairman of the British committee of the Presbyterian Alliance. He was a member of the joint-committee which was appointed to prepare a new English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, and in 1961 he was appointed Director of a committee which was set up to prepare a new Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
translation of the Bible. He was also a contributor to The Dictionary of Welsh Biography Down to 1940
Dictionary of Welsh Biography
The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is a dictionary of biographies of Welsh men and women who have made a unique contribution to Welsh life over seventeen centuries...
Publications
- Arweiniad i Efengyl Ioan. Dolgellau: E. W. Evans, 1930. viii, 102p. N.
- Cenadwri epistol y Philipiaid. DR, 1949 t. 75-9.
- Cynhadledd Edinburgh 1933. FFR Mawrth 1933 t. 163-7.
- Efengyl yn ol Marc. DR, 1941. t. 109-16.
- Yr Eglwys, Cymdeithas a'r Wladwraeth. EFR II, 3, 1937 t. 54-9.
- Epistol at yr Effesiaid a'i genadwri. DR, 1949 t. 129-32, 161-5, 216-9, 283-7.
- Yr Epistol at yr Hebreaid, gyda nodiadau eglurhaol. Caernarfon: Y Gymanfa Gyffredinol, 1932. 264 t. N. C.
- Epistol Cyntaf Ioan. Y Gymanfa Gyffredinol, 1943. 92t. N. C.
- Owen Prys. Yn Morris W. : Deg o Enwogion. Llyfrfa'r Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, 1959 t. 45-52. N. C.
- Y Parch. David Morris Jones, M. C., M. A., B. D. DI 8, 1957 p. 2-3
- Y Parch. E. Gwyn Evans: y dyn a'i nodweddion. DR, 1959 t. 6-10.
- Y Parch. G. Roberts Jones. DR, 1955 t. 49-51.
- Y Parch. R. J. Rees, M. A. DR, 1954 t. 73-5.
- Prifathro Howell Harris Hughes. DR, 1939 t. 209-12.
External links
- Williams on the Ceredigion County Council website
- http://yba.llgc.org.uk/en/s2-WILL-RIC-1896.htmlWilliams on Welsh Biography Online from the National Library of WalesNational Library of WalesThe National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
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