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Actor James Earl Jones passed away on September 9, 2024, at the age of 93. The distinguished performer was best known for playing Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise and Mufasa in The Lion King. Following his death, fans have taken to the internet to pay tribute to him, who died while practicing Catholicism.
X user @caleb_clingan5 took to the social networking site on September 10 to share a YouTube video of James Earl Jones reading the Bible. The platform user said in the tweet, “How did I have no idea James Earl Jones recorded an audio version of the Bible? This is epic! RIP to an absolute legend.”
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Several YouTube users have posted the audio rendition of Jones reading the Bible online. The video's comment section was flooded with condolence messages, alongside many praying for him.
Catholic Weekly was one of the many outlets that reported that the entertainer had converted to the Catholic faith. Some comments under the YouTube video read:
Reacting to the news of his death, some people called him a "legend" and prayed for him.
More about James Earl Jones’ Christian faith as actor passes away at 93
In an article by James Earl Jones published in 1993, the actor delved into his discovery of religion and how he became a devoted Christian. The Arkabutla, Mississippi-born, revealed that he moved into his grandparents’ home near northern Michigan while he suffered from stuttering. He shared that this was the first time he came across the Catholic faith.
“He [Jones’ grandfather] was short and he had a prodigious amount of energy. He event built a church to please Grandmother, a fervent worshiper of the Lord. All sorts of people were invited to our little church; white, black and American Indian came together in a non-denominational fellowship,” he wrote.
Jones told readers that his grandfather’s commanding voice initially discouraged him from going to Sunday school. Experiencing stuttering only made his insecurity to attend school more difficult.
Following his education with Professor Donald Crouch, an English teacher, when he was 14, Jones was reportedly open to finding purpose through God. Following the completion of his ROTC training with the army, he became an ardent follower of Catholicism.
“It was in the Army that a Jesuit chaplain helped me understand who God really was and opened the door to which Professor Crouch had led me,” Jones explained.
Speaking about Jones’ voice and his narration of the Bible, Greg James, the then-president of TOPICS, said in an interview with The Seattle Times in 2006:
“Even if he didn’t do this Bible and you said, ‘whose voice sounds like God?’ It would be James Earl Jones. He just has such a beautiful, rich voice, it’s amazing.”
James Earl Jones was among the few performers to hold an EGOT (Emmy, Oscar, Tony, and Grammy). He acted in multiple movies, including Conan the Barbarian, Field of Dreams, Clar and Present Danger, Dr. Strangelove, and Coming to America.
