The Relationship Between Evangelical Christian

Throughout the extracts presented on the writings of William Wilberforce the strength of his Evangelical Christian identity is clearly evident at the highest level whereby his belief in the testimony of the Bible and complete trust in the reliability of Scripture is demonstrated by his prose which rarely if ever calls upon Biblical references to support his arguments. His approach is very much based on the premise that his convictions are verifiable to anybody who has, or should if in any doubt, take the time to study the Bible in detail.This position is clearly laid out in his introduction to the Practical View where he asked ‘not to be condemned (by the reader) without a fair inquiry whether or not his statements accord with the language of the scared writings’ (Anthology I, p. 272). He sets out very clearly in chapter VI of the Practical View (Anthology I, p.

277) his belief that it has been undeniably proven throughout history that religion has a positive effect on political communities which links directly to the external happiness of the inhabitants of a nation, and that Christianity has a peculiar excellence in this respect regardless of its truth or falsehood.This belief is later reinforced with regard to Christianity and moral standards where he states ‘It is a truth which will hardly be contested, that Christianity, whenever it has prevailed, has raised the general standard of morals to a height before unknown’ (Anthology I, p. 278). Similarly, Evangelical Christian identity is evident in the overall intent of his writing in the Practical View which sets out to renew the devotional life of its readers and broaden the popular appeal of Christianity, in particular the real Christianity which he describes, all of which conforms to the manifesto of Evangelicalism and Methodism.Writing in the midst of the first Industrial Revolution, Wilberforce sets out that as much as we are indebted to the commercial spirit, it is the move towards capitalism (using here the modern day term) which is at the heart of a decline in morality amongst the middle and higher classes.

Men operating in such prosperous times become focused on the acquisition of wealth which in turn can lead to rank and power, leaving little time or inclination to think about religion.Whereas previously the higher classes were guilty of having let moral standards decline at the highest rate, he suggests that the growing prosperity of the middle classes enables them to indulge in comforts and vices previously unobtainable to them and a general moral decline then diffuses down throughout all levels of the community. His warnings of this demise are intended to act as a wakeup call for the nation to reverse this trend through the only remedy open in his eyes which is an adherence to Evangelical Christianity and in particular his interpretation of real Christianity.Selfishness is singled out as the grand malady within political communities and all levels of society (Anthology I, p. 286). He states that ‘the opposite to selfishness is public spirit - the grand principle of political vitality’, and goes on to remark that ‘Christianity in every way sets herself in direct hostility to selfishness’, (Anthology I, p.

286) one clear example of an Evangelical Christian value which he believes should be deployed in national life.Wilberforce labours long on the moral decline of the higher and middle classes through commercialism and threatens of a place in time when Christianity has completely disappeared from the conduct of men, such that infidelity will become a fashionable measure. It is this ultimate outcome that he suggests his readers (and the British nation) should recognise as a very probable trajectory for Christianity in Britain given his current evaluation of religious decline.Throughout his presentation of moral decline within political circles and society in general there are never any specific examples given of political or public events which have taken an unfavourable course as a result of his perceived decline, which leaves the question open as to how far he truly believed standards had declined in Britain at the time of writing versus stage setting for what he believed was to come based on his strong Evangelical beliefs.During his diatribe on selfishness being the moral distemper of political communities he remarks that ‘I might here enlarge with pleasure on the unrivalled excellence, in this very view, of the constitution under which we live in this happy country’ (Anthology I, p. 286), which seems as if he is stepping out to exclude the British government of which he was a very active member, in amongst his discourse on the decline of moral standards and pursuit of self gratification amongst men of rank and power.

In defence to the potential argument that the level of religious commitment which Wilberforce contends would leave no time for men to conduct ordinary business life and ultimately be detrimental to the well being of society he contests that ‘surely it must be confessed to be a matter of small account to sacrifice a little worldly comfort and prosperity, during the short span of our existence in this life, in order to secure a crown of eternal glory’ (Anthology I, p. 284).Here he is urging the nation to make serious consideration to set aside time to follow his prescribed real Christianity using his unquestionable Evangelical Christian identification of the absolute existence of an afterlife and the crown of external glory. Again something which is highlighted during his introduction to the Practice View, ‘we must stand before the judgment seat of Christ’ (Anthology I, p. 272).

He continues to build his argument for a universal humanity following his depiction of real Christianity which would provide any country with a peaceful and harmonious society whereby men would go about the discharge of their own duties without breaking in upon the rights of others. Such a community he suggests would be respected and beloved abroad and any hostilities would be strictly defensive. Due to the domestic union created by their Christian identity their national force would be double the strength of a similar nation based on a false religion, Christian or otherwise (Anthology I, p. 285).Despite his entire lament throwing scorn on the moral and religious decline in Britain he switches gears somewhat when comparing against other nations.

We are depicted as a role model being the most moral and humane of nations particularly in relation to other faiths such as Hinduism in India which he contrasts as a ‘heathen institution’ (Anthology I, p. 299 in his An Appeal to the Religion, Justice and Humanity of the Inhabitants of the British Empire, in Behalf of the Negro Slaves in the West Indies 1823.It is in this particular writing which I believe we find one of the strongest links between Evangelical Christian identity and a sense of national duty. ( Here he writes to the nation to make an appeal which should strike a chord with any citizen with a sense of humanity, his main point of contention being the fact that for two centuries communities formed from Christian origins in British colonies have been holding African slaves without providing any form of Christian education.

Effectively a manufactured Pagan environment, in his words, subjected on inhabitants who ‘had the strongest possible claims on us, both for the reparation of their wrongs, and the relief of their miseries’ (Anthology I, p. 299). The fact that this has been brought about by what he affirms to be the most moral of nations staggers belief and is an anomaly which will excite the astonishment of future ages (Anthology I, p. 299).It is in this particular area that Wilberforce set out to repair the lack of Christian education in the British colonies through his involvement in missionary activities such as the Church Missionary Society.

With regard to his sympathy for a universal humanity I believe the above example demonstrates that he did not appear to be focused on the Christian identity of the British nation in its current state as a model, but rather an ideal or ultimate goal to which Britain could aspire to further uplift the wider role she played as a model for other countries.