“Amazing Grace” isn’t just the title of a beloved hymn and an upcoming motion picture. It’s also the name of a new movement aimed at combating human trafficking around the world. On Feb.18, churches across the globe are expected to participate in Amazing Grace Sunday by singing the hymn in remembrance of William Wilberforce and other evangelicals who more than 200 years ago fought for abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. Wilberforce’s mentor, John Newton, wrote the lyrics of the hymn “Amazing Grace.” The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) is sponsoring the event in hope of uniting churches to fight modern occurrences of slavery. Today an estimated 27 million people across the globe are forced into child labor, bonded labor and sex trafficking, the NAE reports. The Amazing Grace Sunday campaign will precede the Feb. 23 release of the Amazing Grace film, which chronicles Wilberforce’s fight to end the British slave trade. Look for full coverage of the film in the February issue of Charisma.
Photo Credit: Kevin Belmonte, historic consultant for Amazing Grace.
