Many well-known Christian hymns are tied to writers who owned enslaved people, defended slavery, or benefited from slave economies. John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace, was a former slave trader who later repented and became an abolitionist, meaning the hymn’s legacy is inseparable from both participation in and rejection of slavery. George Whitefield, a major religious figure whose revival movement helped popularize hymns like “Father of Mercies, in Thy Word,” owned enslaved people and openly advocated for slavery in Georgia to support his ministry. Isaac Watts, who wrote “Joy to the World” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” did not enslave people himself but profited from investments tied to the slave economy, benefiting from systems built on forced labor. Meanwhile, Martin Madan, a hymn writer and theologian, explicitly defended slavery as biblically justified, leaving no ambiguity about his views. Together, these examples show that many hymns still sung today emerged from a religious world deeply entangled with slavery and racism, making historical awareness essential when engaging with this music.
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