5 Minutes in Church History with Stephen Nichols

Episode: Derek Thomas on the Welsh Revival
Date: June 18, 2025
Host: Stephen Nichols (B)
Guest: Dr. Derek Thomas (A)

Episode Overview

This brief, engaging episode centers on the Welsh Revival of 1904–1905, as recounted by Dr. Derek Thomas, a native of Wales and a knowledgeable church historian. The conversation explores the origins, spread, legacy, and enduring cultural impact of the Welsh Revival, including personal family memories and peculiar continuities in Welsh society today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Beginnings and Expansion of the Welsh Revival

• Origins in 1904 Newquay:
  Dr. Thomas traces the revival’s beginning to Methodist preacher Joseph Jenkins in the small coastal Welsh town of Newquay. His preaching sparked a powerful response in the congregation, marked both by deep emotional impact and rapid spread.

  "It began with a Methodist preacher by the name of Joseph Jenkins in a coastal town off the Irish Sea called Newquay...he and some others he was preaching. And something happened in the preaching. The congregation began to be greatly affected. It had emotional aspects to it and it spread." — Dr. Derek Thomas [00:45]

• Spread Through Evan Roberts:
  The movement quickly grew, in part due to a young seminarian, Evan Roberts, who heard of the awakening and traveled to join the work. Roberts was noted for his passionate participation, his claimed visions, and his ministry alongside several women.

  "The problem with Evan Roberts was that there were other things, like visions. And there was a ministry of several women that accompanied him on these revivals." — Dr. Derek Thomas [01:37]

Social Ripple Effects and Local Impact

• Revival’s Reach into Villages:
  Dr. Thomas notes the remarkable church-building boom following the revival. Even small Welsh villages, like his own childhood home, saw the construction of sizable churches to accommodate swelling crowds.

  "You can go to any town or village. The village that I grew up in, for example, had five churches in it, and there was a population of probably less than 2,000. And these were large churches built in 1904." — Dr. Derek Thomas [01:51]

• Personal Family Memory:
  Dr. Thomas offers a touching glimpse into his family legacy:

  "My grandfather, who didn't speak English, had a Bible, a Welsh Bible, on his kitchen table. And he remembered the 1904 revival in the village that he grew up in." — Dr. Derek Thomas [02:28]

Lasting Cultural Echoes: Hymn Singing at Sports Events

• From Church to Stadiums:
  The religious revival left an unexpected cultural legacy. In modern Welsh football (soccer) and rugby matches, the tradition of congregational hymn singing persists, even among people far removed from church life.

  "In 2025, these are completely unchurched people, probably never been in church in their entire lives. But they know Welsh hymnody and they can sing. And the Welsh are noted for being singers." — Dr. Derek Thomas [03:08]
  "Just as you have the phenomenon in English soccer of very rude things being said...in Welsh rugby matches. They sing hymns that you and I would sing in church." — Dr. Derek Thomas [03:27]

• A Lingering Ritual, Now Secular:
  The singing is now a learned, generational ritual—rich in melody but generally lacking spiritual intent.

  "They go as children and they learn the words from the parents, and it's kind of handed down, but it has no spiritual content to it." — Dr. Derek Thomas [03:47]
  "It's just this sort of thing that's done." — Stephen Nichols [04:01]

Recommended Resources for Further Study

• Dr. Thomas recommends two notable resources:
  • The definitive book on the revival by Eifion (Ivan) Evans, published by Brinterian Press.
  • A YouTube lecture on the Welsh revival by Geoff Thomas.

"If anyone was really interested in reading about the Welsh revival, the sort of specialist is Ivan Evans, E I F O N Evans. And he has written a book, probably the definitive book on the Welsh revival, very readable... And then there's a YouTube lecture on the revival by Geoff Thomas, our friend, which is fascinating." — Dr. Derek Thomas [04:03]

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• On the churches of Wales:
  "The village that I grew up in...had five churches in it, and there was a population of probably less than 2,000." — Dr. Derek Thomas [01:51]
• On hymn singing at football games:
  "They sing hymns that you and I would sing in church." — Dr. Derek Thomas [03:31]
• On the shift from spiritual to secular:
  "...it has no spiritual content to it." — Dr. Derek Thomas [03:47]

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [00:45] — Origins of the Welsh Revival in Newquay
• [01:37] — Introduction of Evan Roberts
• [01:51] — Spread of revival to Welsh villages, increase in church building
• [02:28] — Family testimony and story of Dr. Thomas’s grandfather
• [03:08] — Cultural legacy: hymn singing at Welsh football and rugby matches
• [04:03] — Reading recommendations and suggested lectures

Closing Thoughts

This episode provides a succinct but rich overview of the 1904–05 Welsh Revival, blending historical summary, personal narrative, and cultural observations. Dr. Thomas illustrates both the depth of religious fervor experienced in Wales over a century ago and its lasting, if often secularized, imprint on Welsh national identity. The suggested resources invite listeners deeper into the story, while anecdotes about Welsh sports crowd hymnody underscore how history lingers in unexpected ways.