Product Description

Most Christians know John Newton as a man who once captained a slave ship, was dramatically converted to Christ on the high seas, and later penned one of the greatest hymns of the faith, "Amazing Grace." But he also had a huge impact on his times as an icon of the evangelical movement, as a great preacher and theologian, and as a seminal influence on abolitionist William Wilberforce. Newton's friendship with Wilberforce is portrayed in the major motion picture Amazing Grace.

Jonathan Aitken's new biography John Newton explores all these facets of Newton's life and character. It is the first biography to draw on Newton's unpublished diaries and correspondence, providing fresh insight into the life of this complex and memorable Christian. The result is a fascinating, colorful, and historically significant portrait of John Newton, a self-described "great sinner" redeemed by a great Savior through amazing grace.

"A new life of John Newton is a fitting celebration of the bicentennial both of Newton's death and of the abolition of the slave trade, Wilberforce's triumph in which Newton played a key role. Master biographer Jonathan Aitken is in fine form, sympathetic, insightful, scholarly, and vivid, and his book, like its subject, must be rated spectacular."
J. I. Packer, Board of Governors' Professor of Theology, Regent College

"A riveting historical account of the life of this notorious eighteenth-century sinner who was dramatically saved by God's grace. This book should be required reading for any person who loves history, loves the song, and is serious about following Christ."
The Honorable Jack Kemp, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; former U.S. Congressman

"A rip-roaring adventure, a passionate romance, and an astonishing journey of faith all in one. I knew the story well, but this telling made a deep impression on me."
Os Guinness, author of The Call

"Jonathan Aitken has written such an intimate account of one of the great saints of God that I can now say I have been mentored by John Newton!"
Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Florida

"Jonathan Aitken's fast-paced, well-researched, and detailed book shows why Newton was such an important figure. This is a book to read, ponder, and read again."
Mark Noll, Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame

"A fresh, insightful, and inspiring account of this great figure. With that rare skill of a superb biographer, Aitken brings Newton to life for a new generation of admirers."
Alister McGrath, Professor of Historical Theology, Oxford University

"In careful and colorful detail, Aitken resurrects this nearly forgotten giant of the faith and establishes Newton in his rightful place as one who has altered the course of western history."
Robert Lupton, President, FCS Urban Ministries, Atlanta

"Skilled biographer that he is, my friend Jonathan Aitken has brought to life one of eighteenth-century England's most influential Christians. The story of amazing grace both in the life of Newton and in the song that has become the Christian national anthem."
Chuck Colson, founder, Prison Fellowship

"Only God could take a vile slave trader and turn him into a useful instrument in abolishing the slave trade and igniting a gospel revival, the flames of which are burning still. The story of Newton's life inspires all who seek to follow the path of Jesus today."
Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University; Executive Editor, Christianity Today

"John Newton not only wrote one of the greatest hymns of all time-he lived one of the greatest stories of salvation."
Rodney Stark, Author of The Rise of Christianity

"Even more amazing than Newton's life with all its drama and color is the reminder of how completely revolutionary is God's agenda to change the world his own way and through imperfect, broken people. Newton is just another entry to God's long resumé of his amazing grace in changed lives."
James MacDonald, Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows, Illinois

"An informed, authoritative biography of the man who played a critical role in helping William Wilberforce abolish the slave trade. His life story is absolutely spell-binding. I could not put the book down."
Armand M. Nicholi Jr., M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; author of The Question of God

"Jonathan Aitken has written a book that, enriched by fresh research into unpublished papers, will enhance his reputation as one of today's foremost biographers."
Rev. Dr. Michael Green

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #209567 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Review
"I highly recommend this excellent work it's one that will transform not only minds but hearts!" Joni Eareckson Tada "Master biographer Jonathan Aitken is in fine form, sympathetic, insightful, scholarly and vivid, and his book, like its subject, must be rated unobtrusively spectacular" J.I. Packer "Aitken brings Newton to life for a new generation of admirers" Alister McGrath "Secular and religious readers will alike profit enormously from this book" Rev. Dr. Michael Green"

About the Author

Jonathan Aitken is a well-known British author and former politician. He was a Member of Parliament for twenty-three years, serving in the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and also as Minister of State for Defense. His political career ended when he pleaded guilty to charges of perjury as a result of having told a lie on oath in a civil libel lawsuit. During an eighteen-month prison stay, he converted to Christ. He is president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a director of Prison Fellowship International, and executive director of The Trinity Forum in Europe. He is the author of twelve books, including the award-winning Nixon: A Life and Charles W. Colson: A Life Redeemed.

From AudioFile
Jonathan Aitken gives an authentic picture of the life and times of John Newton, best known as the creator of the timeless hymn ÒAmazing Grace.Ó Newton was also a preacher, theologian, and serious influencer of abolitionist William Wilberforce, who instigated the successful campaign to ban the British slave trade. AitkenÕs dynamic range and effortless narration capture NewtonÕs dramatic disregard for authority, including his escape attempt from the Navy, which demoted him to the lowest rank of seaman. His seamless narrative portrays NewtonÕs rise to captain of his own slave ship, on which he sailed the Ivory Coast, where he was taken captive himself and experienced terrible brutality at hands of another slave-trader, an experience that transformed him. Aitken delivers a credible biography, which includes a foreword by Philip Yancey. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

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Customer Reviews

A Great Addition to Your Library
While not everyone knows the name of John Newton, everyone knows his song and at least a bit of his story. Immortalized in the words of "Amazing Grace," the most-recorded song in history, everyone knows that John Newton was wretched and miserable until saved by a grace that forever transformed his life. Two centuries ago, fewer people knew his song, but far more knew his story. That story is told again and told afresh in Jonathan Aitken's new biography John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace.

John Newton lived a life that could only have been more dramatic if it were the product of fiction. Forced into naval service when he was young, Newton endeared himself to no one, living a life of utter disregard for authority. While attempting to desert he was captured and dropped to the lowest ranks of seamen. He eventually found a way to be released from the military and wormed his way onto a slave shape with which he sailed down the long coast of Africa. Being deserted for a time on that dark continent, he was made the slave of a slave-trader and suffered terrible abuse at the hands of his captor. After a time he was rescued and became the captain of his own slave ship. But then, during a long passage across the Atlantic Ocean, he began to read a Bible and underwent the remarkable transformation chronicled in the song he wrote years later.

Newton worked in secular employment for a time but soon felt the call to ministry and was ordained an Anglican priest, a position he retained until his death in 1807. In the intervening years he became widely-known through his biography and through his efforts to abolish the slave trade. He served as mentor to William Wilberforce who fought a long but ultimately successful campaign to ban the British slave trade. It was two hundred years ago that this battle was won and two hundred years ago that Newton died. As Eric Metaxas has written a new biography of Wilberforce to mark the occasion, Aitken has done the same with Newton.

And it is quite a good biography. Aitken, who has previously chronicled the lives of Richard Nixon and Chuck Colson is a recent convert who underwent quite a radical conversion. He does a fine job of bringing the life of his subject to a whole new generation. While it may lack the depth of some of the greatest biographies of the greatest Christians, it is eminently readable and enjoyable from the first page to the last. A unique contribution of this book is that it relies on diaries and correspondence that have previously been unpublished. Newton's own writing, and especially his letters, provide a good deal of the book's content and some of its most edifying. In fact, the content and depth of these letters persuaded me to seek out a volume published by Banner of Truth titled simply The Letters of John Newton.

The theme of this biography can be aptly summarized by the final words spoken by this hero of the faith. "I am a great sinner, but Christ is a great Savior." This account takes us from Newton's days of joyous depravity to his dramatic conversion to his new life and ultimately to the moment he went to meet the great Savior he had come to know and love. It is a worthwhile addition to any library.

An amazing LIfe and an adventurous read
I have been involved with church music ministries for the last 15 years, and I don't think that six weeks have past without either performing, or being asked to perform the most popular hymn ever written: Amazing Grace. This song has been featured in almost every hymn collection published since its inception, and as of today, itunes has 150 different versions available for download. With such popularity you would think the hymn's enigmatic writer, John Newton, would be more celebrated today.

I hope that will change with a new biography written by Jonathan Aitken entitled, "John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace." Like most people, I knew Newton was a seafaring slave trader in his younger years and that he had a remarkable conversion experience at sea during a terrible storm, but I didn't realize that his life was the kind of epic adventure you would normally associate with a Cecil B. Demille movie.

Aitken's biography is one of the most compelling historical books I've had the pleasure to read. It is thorough, well researched without being dry, and written by a man who knows something about "being lost but found," since Jonathan Aitken became a believer while serving time in prison for perjury in an infamous London trial. Throughout the pages of Newton's life you are confronted with a man that knew the depth of his sin, but by God's grace, lived to preach, write and sing about God's forgiving grace found in Jesus Christ.

First rate biography
Jonathan Aitken has written an excellent biography, one of the best Christian biographies I have read. Newton is a great subject for a biography for he had a long and amazing life. Aitken is well qualified to write about "From Disgrace to Amazing Grace". He writes with style. His chapters are refeshingly short and to the point. The story is thrilling with "many dangers, toils and snare". One looses counts of the dangers from which the young Newton escapes. It is the story of a great sinner who was found by a great Saviour. Aitken tells the tale with real spiritual as well as historical undrstanding of his subject so that in concluion he can point the reader to spiritual lessons to be learned from Newton's life. For example. God's timing is not ours. Newton had to wait six years from applying, to be finally ordained as an Anglican minister. His marriage is an exemplary and touching story. Newtons spitiuality and prayer life are a real challenge. Aitken shows how faithful and inovatory Newton was as a pastor and how he helped many, especially his best friend William Cowper. Without Newton there would have neem no great poet only a forgotten suicide. Similarly, without Newton we would probably not have has Wilberforce, politician and reformer. Aitken also tells the story of Newton's famous hymn, its composition and rise to fame. Aitken faithfully relates Newton's faults too. His support of the American rebels had to be withdrawn but one is led to understand why many in England, especailly non-conformists, were suppporters of the rebels. Newton was an eirenic man who eschewed party labels and associated with Christian irrespective of denominational labels. This is a great biography and I hope we will have more from this fine Christian author.