Not for the faint-hearted, but fantastic!
After reading a biography of William Wilberforce and seeing the film Amazing Grace, it's fascinating to read what the man actually had to say himself. A Practical View of Christianity, written at the height of his political career, is not a book of politics but a self-described "manifesto", an in-depth analysis and critique of popular notions of Christianity in the England of his time. Searing, convicting, thought-provoking, and clearly written from a place of deep love of God and people, Wilberforce painstakingly deconstructs commonly-held notions of faith and supports it overwhelmingly with scripture. It is an overwhelming book - both for its language and the ideas he presents, as relevant today as when it was first published (in 1797!). Fabulous! To say that I couldn't put it down wouldn't be quite true, though, because you have to put it down to digest what you have read. I love these sorts of works; they unfold all their secrets as though they had all the time in the world and didn't have to be neatly gotten through in an hour between television programs. If you're tired of watered-down, simpering "Christian" books, and want something vital to chew on and think over, then read this. No conscience-salving here - this will shake you up and get you on your knees.
