Tradition, transformation, and hope – what future for Welsh Christianity?
Ahead of Easter, and this year’s Llanw Christian festival in Llangrannog, Rhys Llwyd caught up with Arfon Jones, a veteran of the Welsh language Christian scene – and no stranger to a prison cell
In the heart of Wales, where rugged landscapes meet the melodic mutations of the Welsh language, Christianity has long been intertwined with the fabric of Welsh identity. From the rural enclaves of the North to the bustling streets of Cardiff, the journey of Welsh Christianity has witnessed cultural and religious shifts that echo through the valleys of our social history.
Arfon Jones is a figure deeply entrenched in the Welsh language Christian scene, whose life journey reflects the evolution of Welsh Christianity from tradition to innovation, from conformity to activism. His childhood in rural Denbighshire reads like that of a character straight out of Emyr Humphreys’ A Toy Epic, where chapels stood as bastions of faith and community. Recalling his early years, Arfon reminisces: ‘Chapel was a natural part of the Welsh-speaking community’s identity.’ In those days, attending chapel three times on a Sunday was the norm.
Chapel wasn’t just a place of worship; it was the heartbeat of the community, where participation was total. Arfon fondly remembers the Sunday School marches, the annual Gymanfa Ganu, and the thriving local Eisteddfods where Welsh culture flourished. Yet, amid the cultural richness, a deeper personal journey was unfolding for him — a journey of faith and identity.
For Arfon, pivotal moments of awakening punctuated his journey, leading him to embrace a more profound understanding of his Welsh identity and Christian faith. Reflecting on his teenage years, he recalls a ‘gradual conversion experience’ that transcended cultural norms, leading him to a deeper commitment to both his faith and radical Welsh politics, mainly Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) and the peace movement.
Amidst the winds of change blowing across Wales, Arfon found himself at crossroads — navigating the tension between tradition and modernity, between Welsh Christianity and broader social movements. It was a time of protests, of questioning, of forging a path that honoured both faith and culture at a time when some gatekeepers said he would have to choose: were you for Christ or for the Welsh language? Through it all, Arfon remained steadfast in his commitment to both, spending the best part of the 1970s at Bala-Bangor Theological College under the leadership of R. Tudur Jones, who was both Wales’ leading theologian and one of Plaid Cymru’s towering intellectuals.
Bala-Bangor College also laid claim to being Wales’s largest road sign storage unit as its attic was rammed with English-only signs removed by Arfon and his faith-inspired co-activists. Dafydd Iwan’s protest songs and verses from Old Testament prophets sung in perfect harmony together for these young Christian radicals who believed Christian revival and political freedom were but two sides of the same coin. This was Welsh nonconformity’s answer to Liberation Theology – and Arfon was right in the middle of it.
During this period Arfon decided against ordination as he didn’t want to be tied down by the expectations of ordained ministry, and despite having dedicated his life to the Church and its renewal he remains to this day no more than an ordinary member of his local church. Once asked if he supported the Ordination of Women he answered swiftly ‘No!’ – for the same reason he was against all ordination, especially that of men! More recently he published a book arguing for the radical inclusion of Women in all aspects of the work of the church.
Because of his frequent internments in prison and unpaid fines, due to his involvement in non-violent protests, his time at Bangor drew to a close with no theology degree certificate to show for it. The academy finally rectified this by awarding him an Honorary Doctorate in Theology in 2022, acknowledging his massive contribution to theology and Bible translation, something the humble Arfon Jones found most amusing.
Within the church, Arfon straddled the worlds of traditional Welsh nonconformity and evangelicalism. Having first worked for Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg (Welsh Congregationalist), he got himself into a spot of bother when he promoted a ‘Rhown gapeli Cymru ar dân!’ (Set Welsh chapels on fire!) campaign. A call to fiery spiritual renewal, it was a somewhat provocative slogan considering it came during the height of Meibion Glyndwr’s holiday home burning campaign!
As a Youth Worker he suffered a breakdown — ‘a dark night of the soul’ — and ended up unemployed for almost two years. He later shared that part of this breakdown was birthed out of carrying the personal tension that was seen within the Church at the time between three traditions Arfon valued: reformed, radical and charismatic. Arfon believed that a true evangelical faith should not only be faithful to historic doctrines, but also radically involved with social justice causes, as well as being spirit filled.
Health restored, Arfon reappeared when he began his tenure as Director of the Evangelical Alliance in Wales. This marked a bridge across cultural and theological divides, as he sought to foster understanding and respect across denominational lines and between the church and civic society. For Arfon, evangelicalism wasn’t a foreign import — seen by some as English at best, American at worst — but a deeply rooted expression of the Christian faith, grounded in the New Testament’s message of ‘good news’, and also a fundamentally Welsh tradition looking back to people like Williams Pantycelyn and beyond.
Yet Arfon acknowledges the challenges of navigating cultural perceptions, where evangelicalism is sometimes misconstrued as politically charged, especially so in the days of Donald Trump and his so-called ‘evangelical’ supporters. Despite these nuances, he remains steadfast in his identification as evangelical, rooted in a vision of faith that embraces activism, social justice, and a vibrant relationship with God. There is a sense in which evangelicalism, not Arfon, has shifted over the years. So although he still identifies as evangelical, it remains to be seen if the gatekeepers of evangelicalism today considered Arfon to be among the elect.
Arfon’s most notable endeavour, perhaps, has been his involvement in the contemporary translation of the Bible into Welsh — an ambitious project that sought to make the Scriptures accessible to a new generation. Reflecting on the journey, Arfon shared his passion for ensuring that the Bible remains relevant in a rapidly changing world.
His work on beibl.net exemplifies a collaborative approach to translation, where the wisdom of scholars intersects with the insights of everyday Welsh speakers. After finishing a draft of a book he would not only send it to be reviewed by a Biblical scholar, but also by regular readers and would then take all feedback on board before proceeding with the next draft. The idea was not only to have a faithful translation, but also one that would actually be understood and used. For Arfon, the Bible isn’t just a relic of the past but a living, breathing testament to God’s enduring revelation — a source of hope in a world beset by uncertainty. Beibl.net was finally published in print in 2015 and is now promoted as an authoritative translation of the Bible by The Bible Society.
As Arfon surveys the contemporary Welsh church landscape, he encounters both frustration and hope. He laments the fossilisation of many churches, where tradition often eclipses innovation, and ageing congregations struggle to engage with a rapidly evolving society. Yet, amidst the challenges, Arfon finds cause for hope in the pockets of vibrant Christian communities, where faith is lived out with zeal and compassion. Arfon himself is involved with a new vibrant Welsh language church in the Grangetown area of Cardiff, Angor Grangetown.
This Easter week he was busy over his notes in preparation to deliver the keynote addresses at the Llanw festival. At a time where Welsh Christianity is seeing rapid decline, Llanw is one new initiative that has seen progress and growth: a family focused festival held every Easter bringing several hundred Christians from across Wales together in one place, this year in Llangrannog.
Arfon’s message to the faithful next week will be a call to rediscover the essence of Christianity — to move beyond cultural trappings and embrace a faith that is dynamic, inclusive, and transformative. For him, the church’s role in a post-Christian society isn’t to cling to the past but to chart a new course — one that embodies the radical love and compassion of Jesus Christ.
In the twilight of Welsh Christianity’s past and the dawn of its future, Arfon Jones stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of faith and resilience. His journey reflects the ebb and flow of Welsh history — a tapestry woven with threads of tradition, transformation, and hope.
As Wales charts its course in the twenty-first century, Arfon’s work serves as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us that Welsh Christianity still has a future — a future rooted in faith, forged in community, and bound by the timeless message of love and redemption. An attractive gospel for an angry age that demands perfection but offers little grace and forgiveness.
Rhys Llwyd is Pastor of Caersalem Caernarfon and has written extensively on the connection between culture and faith in Wales including his book Tynged Cenedl: Cenedlaetholdeb Gristnogol R.Tudur Jones which was published in 2019.