In this episode and in honour of Moore Theological College’s 170th anniversary, we bring you a second special episode taken from the 2025 Donald Robinson Library lectures on the topic of “The Clapham Sect and their influence on Sydney”.

Michael Gladwin, Lecturer in History at St Mark's National Theological Centre in the School of Theology at Charles Sturt University, examines the role of John Newton. Newton was the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace” and former slave trader turned pastor, and he served as both architect and encourager of the first Anglican mission in Australia. Through Newton’s correspondence and networks, Michael shows how Newton’s theological depth, pastoral wisdom, and missionary foresight influenced the birth of evangelical Anglicanism in the Southern Hemisphere.

Please note: This episode is a companion to last week’s episode, in which Mark Thompson tells the story of how Richard Johnson became the first chaplain to the colony in New South Wales and shaped gospel ministry in early Australia. If you missed that one, I encourage you to go back and listen.

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View this talk and Q&A on the Moore Theological College website.

You can find the other talks from the 2025 Donald Robinson Library Lectures on YouTube: “The Clapham Sect and their influence on Sydney”.

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Please note: The episode transcript provided is AI-generated and has not been checked for accuracy. If quoting, please check against the audio.