Saturday, February 26, 2011

The origin of "Amazing"

It's raining outside. As I stare out the window ignoring my studies, my mind usually gravitates towards movies, food and surf. However, I am hit with an outrageous almost insane thought (and it still concerns a movie):

My wife Courtney and I love the flick Amazing Grace . It is our favorite "shared" movie. Watching it for the first time in 2006, the movie brought me to tears. It was the first time I heard this sweet quote by Francis Bacon, “It is a sad fate for a man to die too well known to everybody else and still unknown to him.” But even greater than this, the portrayal of William Wilberforce, John Newton and their shared conviction struck a chord in my heart. But first, let me give some background. It will not ruin the movie.

Despite his birth into the ‘despised’ merchant class, William Wilberforce was able to join the British House of Commons in 1780. He was only twenty-one. As a young and honest man, Wilberforce became torn between politics and the church when he rededicated his life to Christ under the tutelage of John Newton, a repentant monk who is inflicted by his own past as an ex-slave trader. John Newton’s autobiographical song “Amazing Grace” moved Wilberforce in his efforts to envision a day which the British slave trade would no longer exist within the western world. God’s “Amazing Grace” has that effect.

Years earlier, John Newton (b. 1725) was brought up listening to Isaac Watts’ book of hymns. Although his mother cared for him, John Newton’s father, a sea skipper, expressed little love for his son. Thus, Newton lived a double life of morality and sin that would sway like the sea winds he would later navigate. Many of us come from these divided households. Despite contrary belief, even his converted Christian faith experienced this duality when he was a slave trader. Ironically and he would agree hypocritically, Newton had composed the hymn “How Sweet the Name of Jesus” while on these commercial voyages!

Let me restate this. John Newton was converted to Christianity as a slave a trader and remained one for some time. During a storm at sea in 1749, he needed a power that was not his to literally stay the course. Later explained by John Wesley to be experimental religion, Newton grabbed the ships wheel calling for the power of the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit proved His existence, John Newton was compelled to live the Gospel, as it is entirely true. However “still blind,” Newton remained a slave trader viewing his ‘cargo’ as a status lower than a type of animal. As a Christian, he would stuff slaves into boxes six feet long, sixteen inches wide and five feet tall to compensate for a thirty percent loss of life incurred in these two to three month trips at sea.

This is awful, a reminder that we are all corrupt capacities we have, our sins of omission and our constant need of God's grace.

In 1754, Newton was moved to customs officers in Liverpool, England. Here, he became interested in the Methodism, particularly in the social conscious of John Wesley. (Since his visit to the American colonies in 1735, John Wesley viewed slavery as a “horrible crime.”) In 1757, Newton did some theological research. It was a process. By 1763, he recanted his commercial life of slave-trade profit becoming an Anglican priest for the second remainder of his life.

For his sermons, Newton, alongside a melancholy William Cowper, wrote common hymns for the common people. “Amazing Grace” originated from a sermon given on January 1, 1773. Based on David’s response to God’s grace-filled blessings (1 Chron. 17:16-17), it was also the autobiographical testimony of the life Newton lived. Newton related and associated himself with with St. Paul. Both had received undeserved acceptance by God. Both received his Grace. Like the apostle to the Gentiles, John Newton eventually recognized that true religion (James 1:27) was not the unique possession of any particular ethnic and/ or literate group.

In 1779, John Newton moved to the St. Mary Woolnoth Church in London. This was where he converted and subsequently convinced William Wilberforce to combine his Christian principles with his political ideas (1789). As stated above, “Amazing Grace” became the arsenal for Wilberforce’s mission to end slavery in the British Empire. Aided by Prime Minister William Pitt, a small band of radical thinkers and unlikely supporters, Wilberforce annually and resolutely presented his bill for abolition to Parliament. It would take years of opposition, pain and disillusionment before William could carry freedom to the 700,000 slaves in 1833. By 1840, slavery was completely abolished.

The movie Amazing Grace concentrates on the last paragraph above. I felt the back story, the previous paragraphs, was necessary for you if you watch the movie (it's from a history report I did last year). Furthermore, it is also included because it is the impetus for the thought I received while looking out the window. Full circle.

Regarding Newton's anguish, he received God's grace, His unmerited favor. Do you know what God's grace means? Rather than define it, allow me to paint a picture. Better yet, I am going to use imagery borrowed from Brother Lawrence, a 17th century Carmelite monk. I just read about him recently:

  • Brother Lawrence constantly Practiced the Presence of God. "He felt as if God were taking him by the hand and leading him before the courts of heaven to show everyone the unworthy wretch whom it was His will to shower with Grace.”

No one could argue that John Newton felt like this "unworthy wretch." Again as a young (and foolish) Christian, he would stuff slaves into boxes six feet long, sixteen inches wide and five feet tall to compensate for a thirty percent loss of life incurred in these two to three month trips at sea.

Yet, he recognized this, his wrong, his selfishness, his sin and his separation from the heart of God (even when he knew Him). Newton repented. He turned to God and created a movement that abolished the slave trade. He died a free man.

Now finally, here is the picture.

As Newton died, he walked toward God seeing Him face to face. But before he can embrace his Creator and Redeemer, he is overwhelmed by a dark procession, a celebratory mob. Thousands of hands singing, dancing, hugging, kissing Newton and loving him. They sang Newton's name beautifully. He is their brother.

These folks celebrating are the slaves that died upon Newton's voyages... There are still tears on John Newton's face. Tears of Joy. Tears of reunion. This is my thought as I watch the rain come down.

Make change. Celebrate change. Start inside. Let's be transformed non-conformists (Rom. 12:2). To be a "transformed non-conformists" was the call of Martin Luther King, Jr whom we celebrate this black history month. He received this call from Jesus Christ whom he followed, whom Newton followed, whom you can follow.


Andy

"The question is not whether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go; my own conviction and that of those around me seemed insufficient for the day." ~ Abraham Lincoln.

Ps - Also, check out this rad tune, Zion and Babylon, by Josh Garrels. It gives a great portrayal of humanity and God separated: Recorded. Live. Lyrics.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

That last bit about Newton being greeted by the former slaves he used to trade was quite a powerful image. Thank you.

Jenn said...

Love it Andy! My growth group watched this movie together about a month ago. Very inspiring movie.