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Christianity Today, February, 2007 |

The Wilberforce Strategy

Britain's great abolitionist worked to change society's values, not just its laws.

Charles Colson with Anne Morse | posted 2/19/2007 08:50AM

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The key to Prison Fellowship's success is something all Christendom must learn: Preach the gospel while also winsomely working for justice and truth, so that lives and communities can change. Observers can see a microcosm of this strategy at work in PF's InnerChange Freedom Initiative: transformed people living in a transformed culture. This is what John Calvin called making the invisible kingdom visible.

Amazing Grace is a beautiful film that warns us we cannot fast from politics, as former White House aide David Kuo recently suggested. And Wilberforce's half-century campaign reminds us that we must tirelessly persevere in battles against modern moral horrors: abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, aids—and, tragically, African slavery.

At the same time, like the Great Abolitionist, we must open our neighbors' eyes to the truth: A moral basis is essential to support a just society. Once they understand this, our neighbors can say, in the words of former slave trader John Newton (colorfully portrayed in the film): "I once was blind, but now I see!"

Related Elsewhere:

The Amazing Change campaign includes a petition to end slavery.

CT Movies has a special section on Amazing Grace.

For more on Wilberforce, see Christian History and Biography issue #53, "William Wilberforce and the Abolition of the Slave Trade" and in its list of 131 Christians everyone should know. Christian History Corner featured Wilberforce in a discussion of "ordinary saints" in wartime.

Michael Gerson, former Bush speechwriter and adviser says Wilberforce is an example of faith in politics in 'How Then Shall We Politick?'

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February 2007, Vol. 51, No. 2

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Scott C.

Posted: February 26, 2007 1:02 PM

I thought this was a very powerful article describing the faith and perseverance of a politician who fought the tide and turned it towards right and moral thinking. Thank God for those who face the daunting opposition and choose to act, and not only act, but do so in the face of defeat and opposition. I also find it interesting that John P's only comment is about David Kuo, who DID call on Christians, and not just Christians, but specifically evangelical Christians to "fast from politics". David was prominently placed on many media talkshows and I personally heard him say those words in his interview. He is entitled to his opinion, and perhaps that is what God wanted him to do, yet there he was speaking and being used as a political tool prior to the election. Is that the fast he called for? No, he was selling his book and promoting his agenda. Thanks to Charles Colson for your stedfast call to Christians to vote and be involved for the right causes.

Dick M.

Posted: February 26, 2007 10:01 AM


Chuck Colson has it right,teach morality & society will change for the better but because of what has happened in the last 50 years the struggle will be long & difficult.I hope it wll happen before Jesus returns.I pray that it will.

Christina Archer

Posted: February 21, 2007 9:47 AM

I am opposed to American Christianity's attempts to link with ideology; ideology of the right or left. I don't think that Jesus said one word about changing the society at large. That does not mean that we have to accept societal horrors and injustices. We must lead people to change, but our trinity of Father/Son/Holy Spirit can start the change in hearts. I respect Mr. Colson and have little respect for George Bush II. Does this lack of respect for a fallible human being make me less Christian? Whenever Christianity meets the state, Christ becomes corrupt. He is the answer. A human being does not have any.

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