ROBERTS, RICHARD (1874 - 1945), preacher, theologian and author

Born 31 May 1874, son of David and Margaret Roberts (nêe Jones). His father was minister of the CM church of Rhiw, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Merionethshire. He was educated at the Liverpool Institute High School, U.C.W., Aberystwyth and Bala Theological college. He was a minister with the Forward Movement in the Cardiff area 1896-98. He became assistant and secretary to principal Thomas Charles Edwards, Bala, 1899-1900. He was minister of the Welsh church of Willesden Green, London, 1900-03. In 1902 he married Anne Catherine Thomas and they had three daughters. He was minister of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Bayswater, 1903-10 and Crouch Hill Presbyterian Church, 1910-15. In 1911 he was elected president of the Metropolitan Free Church Federation. One of the founders of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, he was its secretary, 1915-16. After migrating to America he held the pastorates of The Church of the Pilgrims, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A., 1917-21; The American Presbyterian Church, Montreal, 1921-26; Sherbourne Church, Toronto, 1927-38. He was lecturer in theology at Emmanuel College, Toronto, 1929-32. He joined the United Church of Canada following the Union in 1925 and was Moderator of the United Church of Canada 1934-36. He and his wife moved to New York and it was there that he died 10 April 1945. He participated in the conferences of the Student Christian Movement, COPEC, and the Ecumenical Movement. In Autumn 1944 he delivered the Wood Lecture at the University of Mount Alison, Canada on ' Freedom and Society '.

He received the degree of D.D. from Victoria University, Toronto and the University of Vermont, U.S.A. In 1937 he received the same degree honoris causa from the University of Wales. He also received the degree of D. Litt. from the Univesity of Syracuse, U.S.A. As an author he contributed articles to Cymru, The Hibbert Journal and published many books among which are the following: Robert Owen, part 1, 1907; part II, 1910 (part of a prize essay at the Liverpool national eisteddfod, 1900); The Renaissance of faith, 1912; The Church in the Commonwealth, 1916; The Unfinished programme of democracy, 1919; The Jesus of poets and prophets, 1919; The Untried door, 1920; The New man and the divine society, 1923; The Gospel at Corinth, 1924; The Christian God, 1928; The preacher as man of letters, 1930; The Strange man on the Cross, 1934; The Contemporary Christ, 1938.

Author

• Derwyn Jones

Sources

• Who's who in Wales, 1941-50
• Y Goleuad, 18 April, 9 May, 18 July 1945
• Y Drych, 15 May 1945

Additional Links

• VIAF: 85178728
• Wikidata: Q20734304

Published date: 2001

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