Amazing Grace
Director: Michael Apted. Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch, Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, Rufus Sewell, Youssou N’Dour, Ciaran Hinds, Toby Jones. (2006, 120 minutes)
This award-winning movie is the inspiring story of William Wilberforce, who fought against the most heinous injustice of the colonial period—the slave trade. In the 18th century, Britain had a flourishing slave trade feeding the labour force in the far-flung plantations across the colonized continents. Wilberforce was a brilliant student and a good orator. He tells his friend, William Pitt, that God found him rather than he found God. His spiritual mentor is a onetime slave trader John Newton whose classic hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ provides the title to the movie. Newton, still haunted by the guilt of thousands of Africans he sold into slavery across the oceans, now serves as a pastor in his church. Newton has firsthand knowledge of the cruel world of slavery from both sides and wants “those dirty filthy ships” harboured in Britain’s ports “out of the water.” The slaves, kidnapped from African shores, were tied from neck to feet in chains transported across the seas during which half of them died of hunger and diseases before they reached the slave markets. Wilberforce’s initial efforts in the British Parliament for abolition are utterly defeated. Newton urges him on to engage in politics because politics is his God-given mission. William is also energized by his fiancée Barbara, who shares his evangelical spirit and public ideals. His illustrious friend William Pitt, who became Britain’s youngest prime minister, becomes his greatest support as joint campaigner. They struggle for two decades against powerful forces who wanted the slave trade to continue, and who made huge fortunes through this trade. Wilberforce exposes the horrors of the slave trade to the public and wins his case. In 1807, the Act of abolition is passed with overwhelming majority. Today, he is hailed as the pioneer of human rights and above all an inspiring icon of Christian witnessing in public life.
Catholicism
Video documentary, “Word on Fire” series. Runtime 50-53 minutes per episode. Host: Fr. Robert Barron. 2007.
Catholicism is a series of ten related documentaries hosted by Fr Robert Barron (currently Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles), showing the Church’s history, culture, theology, philosophy, art, architecture and literature. The documentary takes us to over fifty locations in fifteen countries around the globe, stretching from the Holy Land to Italy, France, Spain Mexico, Ireland, Uganda and also India, where Kolkata is focused on with emphasis on Mother Theresa’s work.
The very first episode focuses on the mystery of the Incarnation set against the poignant visuals of the Holy Lands directly connected to the Biblical events, and crosses over to Rome. Barron highlights the distinctiveness of Jesus among the great teachers and founders of religions, and also clears some prejudices against Mary. Some of the pilgrim centers are less known outside the Western world, as, for instance, the ancient island near Donegal in Ireland, known as “St Patrick’s Purgatory,” where the penitential practices were attended by thousands of people who fast and pray for three days and nights, walking barefoot or on their knees.
The most vibrant churches are found today in Africa. One of the visits focuses on the Uganda martyrs –converts to the faith executed by the king of Buganda. Barron notes that the strength of the Church since the martyrdom has grown exponentially, exemplifying Tertullian’s dictum” “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” The feast of the martyrs is annually attended by about five lakh people. The film takes us also to the sites of modern martyrdom, especially to Poland, where, at Auschwitz, over a million persons became victims of the holocaust. One of the most remembered is the mystic and thinker Edith Stein. For those who would like to conduct study programs like adult catechism, these come in handy, accompanied with a study guide.
Prof Gigy Joseph
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