Page "Amazing Grace" Paragraph 23

The communal understanding of redemption and human self-worth has changed since Newton's time.

Since the 1970s, self-help books, psychology, and some modern expressions of Christianity have viewed this disparity in terms of grace being an innate quality within all people who must be inspired or strong enough to find it: something to achieve.

In contrast to Newton's vision of wretchedness as his willful sin and distance from God, wretchedness has instead come to mean an obstacle of physical, social, or spiritual nature to overcome in order to achieve a state of grace, happiness, or contentment.

Since its immense popularity and iconic nature, " grace " and the meaning behind the words of " Amazing Grace " have become as individual as the singer or listener.

Bruce Hindmarsh suggests that the secular popularity of " Amazing Grace " is due to the absence of any mention of God in the lyrics until the fourth verse ( by Excell's version, the fourth verse begins " When we've been there ten thousand years "), and that the song represents the ability of humanity to transform itself instead of a transformation taking place at the hands of God.

" Grace ", however, to John Newton had a clearer meaning, as he used the word to represent God or the power of God.