A Practical View Of Christianity

"An annotated reissue of the first British edition of 1797, A practical view of the prevailing religious system of professed Christians, in the higher and middle classes in this country, contrasted with real Christianity, by William Wilberforce. First Hendrickson edition published in 1996. Reissued as part of the Hendrickson Christian classics series in 2006"--Title page verso.

Dwell awhile on the state of the ancient world; not merely on that benighted part of it where all lay buried in brutish ignorance and barbarism, but on the seats of civilized and polished nations, on the empire of taste, and learning, and philosophy... Behold their sottish idolatries, their absurd superstitions, their want of natural affection, their brutal excesses, their unfeeling oppression, their savage cruelty! -from "Inadequate Conceptions of the Corruptions of Human Nature" Its full title is A Practical View of Preferred Christians of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians in the Higher and Middle Classes in This Country Contrasted with Real Christianity, and it rings with the indignation and fervor only a new convert can bring to such a subject. In 1784, Wilberforce, a member of the House of Commons and formerly a bon vivant in demand for dinner parties and card games, was a newly minted Evangelical Christian; by 1797, he'd grown so appalled at the state of the souls of the British people that he published this manifesto, floridly scolding his fellow countrymen for their deficient Christianity. Flowery language aside, this incensed protest could well have been written today. British abolitionist and politician WILLIAM WILBERFORCE (1759-1833) founded the Society for the Suppression of Vice and was active in the Association for the Better Observance of Sunday.

Renowned abolitionist William Wilberforce turns his gifts of wit and analysis to the Christian faith, revealing and discussing differences between cultural and practical Christians. Wilberforce is eager to draw a distinction between those who merely follow the traditions and motions of Christianity as a matter of formality - so-called 'cultural Christians' - and those who actively seek to behave and lead life in a Christian manner. For the author, this means strict adherence to a moral code, and backing one's faith up with consistent action that is righteous and clearly inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ. Real Christianity, claims Wilberforce, is altogether less common than the inauthentic and hollow 'cultural Christianity' that pervades society. Optimistically however, Wilberforce believes that anyone born in a Christian society can with effort and will become practical Christians.

Reproduction of the original: A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in the Higher and Middle Classes in this Country by William Wilberforce