I remember the first time I heard the name "Wilberforce". It was in Greensboro. I thought, "wilba - who"? Now the name William Wilberforce is about to become well known in the U.S. ... and rightly so. The movie which tells his story, Amazing Grace, opens this Friday (2/23).
William Wilberforce's single-minded conviction and Christian worldview compelled him to lead the abolitionist movement in England ... more than 50 years before the American Civil War.
Wilberforce was the leader of a weekly Pigfest called the Clapham group that met for years in England. (note: his example of Pigfesting is one of the inspirations for my own pursuit of Pigfests as a model for changing culture). Wilberforce, who served in parliment, had two goals. Abolish the slave trade (and later slavery). Reform the morals of England. He basically accomplished both. His example of engaging culture is the modern day model to follow in Christians redemptively engaging culture for the kingdom of Christ.
The movie of his life, Amazing Grace, opens this Friday, February 23d. I will be there for the opening viewing.
Join me in celebrating the life of Wilberforce and the example of Christian activism done the right way. Go see the movie in its opening weekend. Your attendance during opening weekend counts way more than in the closing weeks of the movie. Brave the lines and go.
Hey faith bloggers, let's make a focused effort to blog about William Wilberforce this week. I will blogspot and link to Wilberforce posts and ask the big guns ( Evangelical Outpost and Jollyblogger ) to use their blogging muscle to give some legs to the blogspot-link effort.
Other voices:
Create A Clapham Circle
Mr D,
Thanks for the note about WW and the AG movie! I am pounding through a recently-purchased copy of Kevin Belmonte's Hero for Humanity and I am amazed by the life, times, and trials of Wilberforce. One of the most unique points I have noted is his ability to work with those of all political parties to further legislation, etc. "Measures, not men." One of his favorite sayings.
Later.
Posted by: BWB | February 17, 2007 at 19:46
Just a heads up to look out for a documentary presented by Moira Stuart (A well-known newsreader in the UK) questioning Wilberforce's central role in ending slavery. Amongst other points, it highlights that he acted to end the slave *trade*, not slavery (though he thought the former would lead to the latter); that a bill Wilberforce had nothing to do with had already ended the slave trade in practice if not in name before his bill became law; that Thomas Clarkson was perhaps as important a figure, though not so visible; that most countries involved in the slave trade consider him important, but not the central figure; and that his elevation to 'hero' tends to mask the atrocities that were committed during the slave trade and after as we focus on this good thing that we did.
I'm making no judgement on these ideas, because I clearly don't know enough to weight them fairly, but it's an interesting watch if you can find it somewhere.
Posted by: Paul | March 16, 2007 at 17:55