Emeritus Professor Robert Maynard Jones (born 1929) a Christian and a Welshman, best known as Bobi Jones is probably the most prolific Welsh writer in the history of the language. A versatile master of poetry, fictional prose and criticism, he is now in his seventies and still producing work of a high standard. He was born in Cardiff in 1929, educated at the University of Wales, Cardiff and University College, Dublin, Professor Jones held the chair in Welsh at Aberystwyth from 1980 until his retirement. (see also R Geraint Gruffydd) Image File history File links Bobi Jones File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christs commandments and is one who faithfully upholds his teachings. ... The Welsh are a Celtic ethnic group primarily associated with Wales and the Welsh language. ... Cardiff (Welsh: Caerdydd is the capital and largest city of Wales. ... The University of Wales, or Prifysgol Cymru in Welsh, is a federal university founded in 1893. ... Cardiff (Welsh: Caerdydd is the capital and largest city of Wales. ... Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath),is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland, located near the midpoint of Irelands east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin region. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Aberystwyth (from the Welsh Mouth of the Ystwyth) is a historic market town, administrative centre and seaport of Ceredigion (Cardiganshire), Mid Wales. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Professor Emeritus R Geraint Gruffydd, MA DPhil FBA is a scholar of Welsh language and literature and is also an amateur theologian. ...

The Author

"Bobi Jones is an author of great significance, not least for non-Welsh speakers. Himself having learnt Welsh, his work offers an insight, more so than the work of most authors whose first language is Welsh, into the significance of Welsh language and culture, particularly because of the strong intellectual or reflective element in his work. Deeply involved with the language and its culture, passionately committed to the best things in Welsh life, there is in his work - even at moments of high intensity - an element of detachment, an ability to step aside and see the wonder of Wales, its beauty and its tragedy, with an outsider's reflective, almost analytical gaze." - John Emyr

The Christian

Bobi Jones is a Christian leaning firmly on Calvinism. He attended a denominal chapel in Aberystwyth up until a Welsh Evangelical Church was established in the town. He therefore followed the trend of evangelicals of the time in leaving the old denominations (see also Evangelical Movement of Wales and Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones). He found that evangelical churches best suited his reformed theology. He has a regular article in the Welsh-language magazine of the Evangelical Movement of Wales, 'Y Cylchgrawn Efengylaidd', discussing the rich Christian heritage of Welsh literature. Image File history File links Bobi Jones File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Calvinism is a system of Christian theology advanced by John Calvin, a Protestant Reformer in the 16th century, and further developed by his followers, associates and admirers. ... Evangelical has several distinct meanings: In its original sense, it means belonging or related to the Gospel (Greek: euangelion - good news) of the New Testament. ... Evangelicalism, in a strictly lexical, but rarely used sense, refers to all things that are implied in belief that Jesus is the savior. ... Note that this kind of denomination is not that of a coin or banknote. ... History The Evangelical Movement of Wales was born in the 1940s, it came to light as a counter move by reformed Christians (see Reformed theology) to the liberal theology which got in to the protestant denominations of Wales during the 20th century. ... Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones Dr D Martyn Lloyd-Jones (December 20, 1899 - March 1, 1981) was a protestant Christian who headed much of the evangelical movement of the 20th century. ... Reformed theology is a branch of Protestant Christian theology based primarily on the theology of Jesus. ...

The Welshman

Bobi Jones is a Welsh nationalist and is a strong supporter of the Welsh language. He would argue that culture and the nation are ordained of God and that therefore sustaining their existence is a form of praise to God. His ideas on nationalism and on politics in general are best put forward in his book Crist a Chenedlaetholdeb (Christ and Nationalism) published in 1994. Welsh nationalism is the Welsh expression of nationalism, a movement that became popular in nineteenth-century Europe and gradually became a global phenomenon in the twentieth century. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

His view on sustaining the Welsh language and how he contributed to the struggle is unique. Many Welsh scholars such as R Tudur Jones contributed to the struggle through their support of pressure groups such as Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg; while Bobi Jones has been a supporter of such campaigns, his major contribution to the promotion of the language is in the field of teaching Welsh to adults. R. Tudur Jones R. Tudur Jones (1921-1998) was a Welsh Nationalist and a Protestant Christian. ... A special interest is a person, group, or organization attempting to influence legislators or other public officials in favor of one particular interest or issue. ... What is Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg? Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society) is a pressure group campaigning for the future of the Welsh language. ...

The logo of CYD, of which Bobi Jones was a founder

As a Welsh learner himself, he held that the key to the restoration of the Welsh language was winning over the non-Welsh speakers of Wales as opposed to putting all energy in campaigning for the rights of existing Welsh speakers. He felt that in addition to protesting their rights from the government, Welsh speakers should act positively themselves. Bobi Jones’s positive contribution was to engage in teaching Welsh to adults. He was the founder of CYD which stands for Cymdeithas y Dysgwyr (Learners' Society). CYD is a society which arranges night classes for Welsh learners throughout Wales. He is their honorary President to this day. Despite being a republican he taught Welsh to Prince Charles when the latter attended Aberystwyth University in the summer of 1969 leading up to his investiture as Prince of Wales. Image File history File links Logo CYD File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Logo CYD File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Better known as CYD Cymdeithas y Dysgwyr is a movement that offers social opportunity to bring Welsh learners and speakers together. ... Republicanism is the view that a republic is the best form of government. ... His Royal Highness The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB, OM, AK, QSO, PC, ADC ( Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor ) ( born 14 November 1948), the eldest son of HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is Heir Apparent to the thrones of... University of Wales, Aberystwyth   The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, a Member Institution of the federal University of Wales, was the first university institution to be established in Wales. ... 1969 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... The Badge of the Prince of Wales is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ...

Sources

• Jones, Bobi : 'Gweld gwerth' in magazine 'Taliesin' : 200?
• Jones, Bobi : 'Language regained'
• Emyr, John : 'Bobi Jones' : 75th volume in the 'Writers of Wales Series' published on behalf of the Welsh Arts Council

External links

• CYD

• Evangelical Movement of Wales