The John Newton Story

Overview

How could a man guilty of selling Africans into slavery compose one of our most beloved hymns? Irreverent, foul-mouthed John Newton was as a deserting sailor, then became a slave, and finally a slave trader. He shamelessly transported kidnapped Africans across the Atlantic Ocean in his ship. But after a dramatic conversion, John begins to comprehend the great evil of slavery. After returning to England, John becomes a respected pastor and writes hymns and sermons that change the world. John hopes to forget his slaving days, but when his friend William Wilberforce begs him to join the fight to end the slave trade, John must make a choice. Will he confront the terrible sins of his past and speak out to end the injustice of slavery?