What Were The Religious Beliefs Of William Wilberforce In Comparison With Those Of His Contemporaries?

William Wilberforce had strong views on the human condition. His ideas were in line with some of his contemporaries. However, for the most part, his views set him apart from the Enlightenment thought of the time.

The essay by Wilberforce, with the lengthy title, 'Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians Contrasted with Real Christianity' gives us a hint of how he opposed 'prevailing' thought.

A central point in the essay is the belief that human beings are by nature sinful and in need of redemption. This is expressed when he writes that only god can bestow on humans the 'undeserved goodnes which has awakened them from the sleep of death'.

The Olney hymns, from Wilberforce's period, also express a theme of deliverance: 'Amazing grace (how sweet the sound) That sav'd a wretch like me!'

In contrast, many of Wilberforce's contemporaries did not reflect this notion. His arguably pessimistic view of human nature contrasted strongly with the idealism that was prevalent in Enlightenment thought of the time. The French revolutionaries sought to create an 'ideal society'; this was a far cry from Wilberforce's view that humans are inherently flawed.

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