Church History: The Legacy of William Wilberforce

March 25th marks the anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in Great Britain. In 1807 the British Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act, eradicating the inhumane export of African slaves throughout the Empire. About 25 years following that, slavery would be completely outlawed within the British Empire. The major contributor to this movement was William Wilberforce, an evangelical Anglican, who—upon encouragement from “Amazing Grace” hymn writer John Newton—saw it as his God-given calling to extinguish the sin of slavery in his land.