The Hymns of John Newton

“During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods’ appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death. The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. “What’s the rumpus about?” he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.””*

John Newton presents an interesting challenge to many in today’s hyper politically correct age. The one thing never extended by mere man to man is grace, that unearned, underserved forgiveness and love which only can come from the font of all grace.

As a young man he worked on various slave ships and at the age of twenty he was captured and became the slave of Princes Peye of the Sherbro people. Even after his rescue he returned to work on slave ships. In time he even owned slaving ships.

Newton had continued in the slave trade long after his conversion. His heart was so hardened, it took many years to soften. Once he left the slave trade, he wrote a pamphlet describing the horrendous conditions on these ships and calling for the abolition of slavery. He spent the remainder of his life fighting for the end of slavery in Great Britain. This work was accomplished a few short months before his death.

As the servant who has been forgiven much best understands the full measure of grace, Newton would return to this theme in much of his writing. His most famous hymn, “Amazing Grace”  stands as a testament to the source of his hope.

*[Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997), 45.]