
I read today that a new movie about William Wilberforce will be coming out in February 2007 in limited release. . The website is www.amazinggracemovie.com.
"William Wilberforce was born in Hull, England in 1759, and first elected to the House of Commons at the age of 21. During his time in Parliament, Wilberforce led the political battle to abolish slavery and its trade throughout the British Empire. He introduced numerous bills to Parliament in the 18th and early 19th centuries, all of which were defeated. In hopes of persuading the British government to support abolition, Wilberforce and his fellow abolitionists scoured the England, collecting evidence of the slave trade’s crimes. As part of this effort, Wilberforce collected 390,000 signatures from British citizens in support of the anti-slavery cause. Finally, after 20 years of struggle, Wilberforce saw the end of the British slave trade when his 1807 abolition bill passed by a large majority. Twenty-six years later, just three days before his death, slavery was abolished across all British colonies as well. Despite chronic illness and repeated defeat of his anti-slavery bills in Parliament, Wilberforce persisted in his mission to abolish injustice in the world. For his abiding courage and conviction, Wilberforce earned the title, “conscience of Parliament.”
There are several books that will be coming out in January and February about the life and work of Wilberforce. According to Tim Challies,
"John Piper's short Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce will be available in January. I assume this is the same text that was published as a chapter in The Roots of Endurance. This was, in turn, based on Piper's biographical address at the 2002 Bethlehem Conference for Pastors. You can read or listen to the speech here. In February Zondervan will be publishing Kevin Belmonte's William Wilberforce: A Hero For Humanity. Also in February, Harper San Francisco is releasing Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas. Regal Books will bring us Real Christianity: A Nation Was Blind Until One Man Made Them See, Bob Beltz's modern paraphrase of Wilberforce's original book about the authentic expression of the Christian faith."
Along with this is a campaign called The Amazing Change. This isn't very tame and seems a little dangerous. I like it.