Amazing Grace, the movie, can spur discussion

Most churchgoers know the story behind John Newton’s much-loved hymn, “Amazing Grace.” Now, the feature-length movie of the same name provides the historical context for the song. Released to coincide with the 200 th anniversary of the Slave Trade Act in the British Parliament, Amazing Grace tells the story of William Wilberforce’s uphill battle to maintain his passion and fervor and see his calling through to the end of the British slave trade.

The movie will be released on DVD in early June, and when combined with one of the study guides that have been developed, it’s an excellent option for intergenerational Sunday school classes during the summer months. Specifically, the movie and the study guides can open eyes to the continuing presence of slavery in our time—a worldwide blight which, according to the International Justice Mission, constitutes the third largest source of income for organized crime, exceeded only by drugs and arms dealing.

Christianity Today’s “Family Corner” gives Amazing Grace a PG rating, noting that “there are some graphic descriptions of how the slaves were treated on the ships, but no violence is depicted other than a man beating a horse. Viewers under 12 or so will likely be bored by the film’s historic content and talky tone, but can otherwise handle it if they’re familiar with the subject of slavery from school.”

Two suggested resources are Amazing Change from International Justice Mission and the Bible study guides from the World Evangelical Alliance.

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