Cruciformity

My friend Nick put me onto this free online short film by Spike Jonze. If you’ve seen his recent movie, Where the Wild Things Are, you’ll know that he portrays everyday people really well. This is really very beautiful.  Check it out: imheremovie.com.

Well, on Tuesday night I went to see Amazing Grace with a good friend… I thought that I’d write down some of my thoughts.

I really enjoyed it! William Wilberforce was an inspirational person whose conscience drove him to do something both difficult and important. As a movie, I thought that the script was good, and that most of the acting was done quite well. On the other hand, there were some really awkward moments that either the director or the editor could have spared me.

Most refreshing was the clear presentation that Wilberforce’s actions grew out of a Christian conviction. There were a couple of scenes in particular that almost brought me to tears - Firstly, Wilberforce’s wonder at God and all he had done; and secondly, John Newton’s line: “All I know is that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Saviour!”

Most disappointing was what I thought was the film’s failure to relate the song Amazing Grace to the abolition of Slavery. How could this be the title of the film and yet so little filter through? As I looked for what motivated the characters against slavery, it drew mostly from the cruel stories of African slave ships and the conviction that all people are created equal. This was good and clear. But I failed to see the connection between this and the freedom God has given people in Christ. John Newton, writer of the song was pictured as an eccentric and a slave of his conscience - and his song speaks so clearly of freedom!

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me….

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.

T’was Grace that taught…

my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear…

the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares…

we have already come.

T’was Grace that brought us safe thus far…

and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me…

His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be…

as long as life endures.

When we’ve been here ten thousand years…

bright shining as the sun.

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise…

then when we’ve first begun.

I find it difficult to put my finger on. Surely the Christian response isn’t motivated by guilt but by grace. Perhaps what wasn’t communicated in the movie is what Paul writes to Titus and to the Ephesians:

“For the grace of God has appeared, with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,” (Titus 2:11-12 HCSB)

“For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 HCSB)

I guess my critique stems largely from my cynicism of Hollywood. Was this presentation an historically accurate reflection on Newton, Pitt and Wilberforce, or, rather, it feeding off the popular trend for social justice with Bono, Geldof, and McCartney? Surely ‘Amazing Grace’ is more amazing than people properly meeting their responsibilities to other people… I would love to hear your opinions on this…

Despite these feelings, and now that I’ve got them off my chest, I came away really wanting to be like William Wilberforce. I want to do the right thing and not be swayed by the difficulties that might stand in the way. I hope that God gives us more people like him.