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English Anglican clergyman, former slave ship captain, and prolific writer of hymns.John Newton's life is a stark tale of transformation. Born in London, he was press-ganged into the Royal Navy as a young man. He later became involved in the Atlantic slave trade, captaining slave ships. A dramatic near-death experience during a violent storm at sea in 1748 led to a profound spiritual conversion. Though he continued in the slave trade for a few more years, his views radically changed. He left seafaring, studied theology, and became an ordained priest in the Church of England. He served as curate in Olney, Buckinghamshire, where he formed a close friendship with poet William Cowper. Together, they produced the 'Olney Hymns' collection, which included Newton's most famous composition, 'Amazing Grace.' Newton later served in London and became a powerful voice in the abolitionist movement, writing the influential pamphlet 'Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade' and supporting William Wilberforce.

• Newton's early life was marked by rebellion and hardship. After deserting the Navy, he was captured, publicly flogged, and demoted. He was even enslaved himself for a period on a plantation in Sierra Leone before being rescued.
• His conversion on May 10, 1748, during a storm so severe he expected the ship to sink, was the pivotal moment. He famously dated his conversion from this event, though he acknowledged his spiritual understanding deepened gradually over subsequent years.
• Despite his conversion, Newton continued working in the slave trade for nearly six years, a period he later deeply regretted and described as a state of 'gross inconsistency.' He left the trade in 1754/55 due to health issues, marking his complete break from it.
• His collaboration with the depressive poet William Cowper in Olney was highly productive. Cowper wrote many hymns, while Newton contributed 280, including enduring classics like 'Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken' and 'How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds,' besides 'Amazing Grace.'
• In his later years, Newton became a prominent abolitionist. His first-hand experience gave his writings against the slave trade, particularly his 1788 pamphlet 'Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade,' immense credibility and moral weight, significantly aiding the abolitionist cause led by his friend and protege William Wilberforce.