Andrew Jones (a leading global voice in the emerging church conversation and culture) highlights film-this-blog’s-been-following Amazing Grace, a Walden Media production focusing on William Wilberforce, a 19th century British statesman and reformer and his 20-year fight to abolish the British slave trade and role in passing legislation to abolish slavery in the British colonies. Jones muses:I was talking to some CMS mission personnel who have seen a preview of the film and there is already discussion about how this movie could support their existing efforts in bringing Christ's freedom to those bound up in forms of slavery, like African Snow, a play about slavery in the 21st century, and Free for All, a youth theatre troupe that will tour the cathedrals of UK over the next year. According to Russell Price, who is heading up CMS theme of Setting Captives Free in this years Greenbelt Festival, Walden Media are steering the marketing away from their previous associations (disney?) and may, in fact, ask the church crowd to help with the promotion.I think—no, I shout—a hearty Amen. What fodder for thought, connecting this film with modern slavery—like, oh say, the enslavement of children by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda (a humanitarian crisis near and dear to this blog’s heart)? Check out Jones’ links to African Snow and the CMS site. Many kudos to the TallSkinnyKiwi.
Do you think the blogosphere will give favor to this release? I know we didn't do much at all for LWW and even less for Passion. But what if this movie was connected to some of our own efforts to stop slavery and enable freedom. Is it OK to talk about collaboration in promoting this movie if there is a win-win situation? And does it have to happen haphazardly or could we be more strategic, if we believed in the goals of this movie? What do you think?
(Image: Walden Media)