Well, why shouldn't I write about movies?  After all, last night was the Academy Awards.  "Departed" was voted the Best Picture.  I haven't seen the movie, and that is not the reference which I am making, anyway.  I wrote about another good movie some months ago.  It was "Facing the Giants."  Many of you have seen it.  It is VERY good.  I have another one to recommend.  It came out last week and is now playing in theaters.  It is "Amazing Grace."

Before you click off this site, thinking that I am just writing about a movie about a song, let me tell you that there is more to it than that.  Much more.  The movie is about a British MP, William Wilberforce, who was the driving force behind the effort 200 years ago to have slavery abolished in the British Empire.   Does this interest you yet?  Wilberforce was a man of rare ability.  He was a close friend of British Prime Minister William Pitt, who wanted Wilberforce in the government with himself.  The movie explores this friendship.

And what about the grand old hymn?  Yes, it is there, too.  Quite often, in fact.  Wilberforce's pastor was John Newton, who is played very well by Albert Finney.  Newton was for many years captain of a slave ship.  Then he was converted.  Truly converted.  He gave up his occupation, disavowed slavery, and wrote the words to "Amazing Grace."  These words were a source of inspiration for Wilberforce throughout his life.  I was truly inspired and uplifted.  I think that you will be, also.

Let me add one more point.  The Wesleys are not in this movie, but in the background of Wilberforce's life was the Wesleyan movement which had begun to permeate Britain and add a dimension of evangelical Christians who were socially active.  Without the Wesleyan movement, I doubt that there would have been a William Wilberforce.  This is instructive for us today in that evangelical Christianity needs to maintain its social conscience and to continue to remind society of what is right and what is Godly to do.  This movie may help to inspire someone to take up a similar mantle today.