This week in Christian history: ‘Amazing Grace’ first sung, Robert Boyle's thunderstorm conversion experience
'Amazing Grace' hymn first performed – Jan. 1, 1773
This week marks the anniversary of when “Amazing Grace,” one of the most famous songs ever written, was first performed at a venue in Olney, England.
The song was written by John Newton, a former slave trader who, after a born-again experience during a storm at sea, became a minister and ultimately supported the abolition of slavery.
On New Year’s Day, “Amazing Grace” was sung by Newton’s congregation at the Great Hall of Lord Dartmouth, a venue known for hosting public gatherings and prayer meetings.
It had been written the month before and was originally named “Hymn 41.” While the song initially failed to gain popularity in England, it quickly became a hit among Protestants in British colonial America and the newly independent United States.
“For a song with a 250-year history, the beauty of 'Amazing Grace' is its ability to shapeshift. It's a religious text or not. It's a hymn or a gospel song or a folk song,” NPR's Samantha Balaban reported in 2024.
“It spurs protesters to march forward or calms an angry crowd. It's a song of hope or mourning or celebration. It's a song you can sing with others or listen to in the quiet of your own home.”
