Rev. Chip Murray, producer

The Rev. Cecil Murray, who stepped down in 2004 as pastor at First AME Church, is co-producer on Color of the Cross, a new film that will feature a black actor portraying Christ. From Gabriel Snyder's story in today's Variety:

He said he hopes the film will reverse negative stereotypes of African Americans.

"We really need to do something about the negative imaging of black America," he said. "Black America is the only culture that worships in the form of foreign symbols. The good that can be done is that it can help lift people's interest and combat racism and discrimination."

While acknowledging the potential for controversy, Murray said the notion that Jesus was African isn't far-fetched.

"It's more likely that Jesus was black than it was that Jesus was European," he said. "It's not an assertion that is a difficult one."