Creative Capital at Work
The Clapham Group is named after a community of abolitionists from the late 18th century, led in part by William Wilberforce. They were leading social reformers, addressing social ills such as alcoholism, out-of-wedlock births, abuse of child workers, lack of education for women and lower classes, and animal cruelty. While faith united their community, they pursued these concerns through a broader framework called the “reformation of manners,” working alongside people of varied beliefs connected by a shared cause.
The Original Clapham Sect
One of their prominent members was Hannah More, a playwright and poet. She contributed to their causes by creating and promoting “creative capital” to both raise awareness and cultivate empathy. She was, in a sense, a pioneer in cause marketing. We write about her efforts in both a blog post and our Salt and Light substack. Clapham’s sister production company, More Productions, is named after her.
We are excited to invite you to join us in three More Productions projects this February that address issues related to religious freedom and spiritual conviction: a short animated film event at the Museum of the Bible with the lead actor of The Chosen; a premier at the https://www.kennedy-center.org of a scripted film about a brotherhood of monks in Texas; and the release of a graphic novel about a religious liberty advocate killed in Pakistan for his opposition to the country's blasphemy laws.
The 21
Last February, MORE Productions released the animated short film The 21, honoring the Egyptian Coptic martyrs who were executed for their faith in 2015.
Animated by more than 70 artists from 24 countries, and inspired by traditional Coptic iconography, the film tells a story of courage, forgiveness, and love. As the 11th anniversary of their martyrdom approaches, we continue to honor these men and share their witness.
We’re honored to announce that on February 22, the Museum of the Bible will host a walk-through display on the history of the Coptic people and their martyrs, a screening of The 21, and live remarks from Jonathan Roumie, the film’s producers, and His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan.
Join us for this evening of remembrance and reflection.
El Tonto Por Cristo
On February 9th, El Tonto Por Cristo (The Fool for Christ) will premiere at the Kennedy Center.
Written and directed by Josh David Jordan, the film is described as a “black-and-white meditation on the life of a modern-day Holy Fool—rooted in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, yet wide open to anyone longing for mystery, meaning, and mercy.”
Here at Clapham, we’re particularly excited about this project not only for its artistry, but because our creative sister company, MORE Productions, contributed to the film’s development.
El Tonto Por Cristo invites reflection and dialogue, reminding us how a story can surface shared questions and unexpected common ground. Watch the trailer and consider joining us for the premiere.
Blood and Water
Blood and Water is a full-color graphic novel honoring Shahbaz Bhatti, a Pakistani Christian and religious liberty advocate assassinated in 2011 for defending Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death under blasphemy laws.
Working closely with Shahbaz’s family and friends, MORE Productions produced this 120-page illustrated tribute to his life and courageous faith. Find more information on the novel here.
The book will be officially published on February 28, 2026, leading up to the March anniversary of Shahbaz’s death.
Learn more and preorder the book here:
https://ignatius.com/blood-and-water-6bwh/
We’re grateful to share these works with you and hope you’ll join us in carrying their stories into the world.
