"Some people have the talent to change the direction of the world. Some have the talent to change the direction of the church. All of us have the abilities to change the directions of individual lives. And we are accountable to do so. The keys of influencing the world are discipline, persistence, and patience. The key to influencing the world in the right way is the gospel. If you are one of those people endowed by God with a set of talents that will allow you to accumulate influence in the world and eventually power, you ought to set about that business now."
Hugh Hewitt, In But Not Of
The movie Amazing Grace was even better than I had hoped. The writing was top notch. The acting was outstanding. The cinematography was excellent.
There were some great lines from the movie. The best was probably delivered by an aging John Newton:
"Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly. I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior."
But there was also some great lines delivered as Wilberforce was wrestling with a decision to continue his political career after converting to Christianity. His friend Pitt asks, "are you going to you use that beautiful voice to praise God or to make bills?" [I may have that wrong, but that is the gist of the quote].
Why the disjunctive in Pitt's question? Why the "or" in the question? Why not both?
I felt like standing up in the theater and yelling .... YES and YES!
Wilberforce, a Cambridge grad, had a keen intellect, a shred wit and a powerful voice that some called the "voice of an angel." He was fascinated with debate. As a young man, he used to hang out in the gallery at parliment and watch the debates about the war against the Colonies. He pursued politics and won a seat in the House of Commons after barely reaching the age of eligibility (21 years of age). Wilberforce was a presence in the House of Commons. He had the talent to influence the world.
The key to influencing the world the right way, is the gospel of Jesus Christ ... as Hugh Hewitt notes (see opening quote).
That is the beauty of the life of Wilberforce. He blended political effectiveness and influence with a passion and committment to Christ. No sacred - secular divide. No "privatized" faith. His faith in Christ affected everything.
The film also did an excellent job highlighting the remarkable contributions of abolitionist Thomas Clarkston. In an interesting case of synchronicity, Clarkston is someone who figures prominently in the book on Starfish and Spiders that I have been blogging about. He was the champion that that energized the abolitionist movement using the Quaker network in England. The Quakers, considered weirdos (on the margins of society sorta like Hare Krishnas), had a decentralized network that helped Clarkston in his tireless efforts to energize the abolitionist movement. It eventually reached the tipping point.
The contributions of both Wilberforce * and * Clarkston were crucial. Centralization ( the politician ) and decentralization ( the salesman ).
Go see the movie. It is seriously that good.
His biography is even better, online at Google books:
Posted by: ElizabethB | March 11, 2007 at 23:42