William Wilberforce (1759-1833) was a truly inspiring man. An evangelical Christian, he was the key voice that led to the abolition of Slavery in the British Empire, which then led it's ultimate abolition worldwide. Abolishing slavery was, according to Wilberforce's critics, impractical, idealistic and fantastically uneconomic. But Wilberforce was convinced that Slavery was an evil that needed to be eradicated, and was finally fulfilled a mere three days before his death.
What would have happened if William Wilberforce had followed the conventional wisdom of today and kept his religious beliefs separate from his political opinions?, or not tried to "impose his beliefs on others"?, or had allowed the desire to be "relevant", "tolerant" and "popular" to outweigh any desire to stand for what was right?
This is a fascinating look at William Wilberforce's life. The energy, persistence and unashamedly evangelical faith is a shining example to all Christians today. The parallels for the Christian today who holds the unpopular positions that following Christ entails, should be abundantly clear.
About Murray Andrew Pura:
Murray Andrew Pura has earned degrees from Acadia University (MDiv) and Regent College (ThM) and has published several articles on William Wilberforce. He is also the author of a number of books and pastors a Southern Baptist Church in Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada.
