The L.A. Fishwrapper Times goes all positive on Christianity.  It seems a whole lotta Black actors have gotten together on a dramatized version of the Bible.  Sounds like it could be pretty good, if they stick closely to their source material.  

    Last January, in the parking lot of the West Angeles Church of 
    God in Christ, Robi Reed had a moment that propelled her career 
    toward evangelism.

    After the Sunday service, Reed, a veteran casting director whose 
    credits include "Antwone Fisher" and "Malcolm X," walked up to 
    fellow churchgoer Denzel Washington and asked after his family. 
    The longtime friends exchanged pleasantries until Reed casually 
    mentioned her latest project. "I'm producing and casting an audio 
    Bible with an African American cast. It's the Old and New Testaments."
    Reed remembers that Washington interrupted her, saying, "I have 
    to do it."

Started with a couple of people getting together after church.  Sounds like a promising start.

    Washington was the first A-list star of more than 200 celebrities—
    including Samuel L. Jackson as God, Angela Bassett as Esther, 
    Blair Underwood as Jesus and Cuba Gooding Jr. as Judas

Samuel l. Jackson is great and all, but couldn't they have gotten James Earl Jones for that part?

    Reed was grateful when some cast members confided that they 
    had longed for a faith-based project. She didn't just hear it from 
    gospel stars such as Kirk Franklin and Shirley Caesar; she heard it 
    from rappers Faith Evans and Heavy D., and actor Cuba Gooding Jr. 
    She marvels, "Cuba has a strong love for God. I had no idea." At 
    the end of his recording session, he opened up. "He said, 'God is 
    everything. He's the reason I'm here, the reason I have my life, 
    my career.' "

When doing a dramatization of a Bible story (let alone the whole Bible), I think it's good to have faithful Christians involved.  Otherwise you end up with Noah's Ark.

    During a 40-minute telephone chat, words pour from the Oscar 
    nominee (Angela Bassett) as she explains that taking on the role 
    of Esther for "The Bible Experience" was an easy choice.

Esther, a young virgin, played by a 48 year old?  Eh, I suppose...the voice of ten year old Bart Simpson is provided by a 49 year old (as of tomorrow) actress.  Doesn't matter so much when it's just voice work.

    And if there ever is a film version, she'll be the first in line.

Er, now we have a problem.  Maybe she should shoot for the role of Vashti.

    In 1992, he (Blair Underwood) directed, executive produced, co-wrote 
    and starred as Jesus in "The Second Coming," a short film in which 
    Christ comes back to earth as a man of color. Fourteen years later, 
    he says, "The Bible Experience" allowed him to portray Jesus as a 
    man rather than a deity.

"A man rather than a deity"?  I'm starting to think I'm not gonna want to buy this.

    Like Bassett, Underwood attends church regularly, but his is a more 
    private spirituality. He wants to understand what Jesus meant and 
    to learn how the Bible applies to his life without getting bogged down 
    in dogma. "I think religion can be very divisive," he says. 

    As an adult, (Tisha) Campbell-Martin (who narrates the part of Mary 
    Magdalene) says, she's determined to weave aspects of many faiths 
    into her life. She's building her dream home with a prayer room that 
    overlooks a garden. It will have an altar, pillows on the floor, fresh 
    flowers and loads of reading material. "I have the Torah here. I have 
    the Bible. I have Buddhist books. The underlying message is love and 
    understanding yourself and being awakened by your own spirituality."

They said there are over 300 artists involved.  I wonder what percentage of them were actual Christians.  If too many are like these two, I sense another Noah's Ark.  If they have Judas palling around with Esau, I'll be howling.