... huh, I had no idea that Tim Minchin was associated with atheism? So thinking about him with that in mind might have made the choice more edgy or interesting. But I mostly felt like he didn't really commit to the role and the emotions in it enough to pull it off.

It's funny that it would be controversial to me, because the musical doesn't even really engage with the issue of Jesus's divinity - not even the Apostles are really thinking in those terms.

I *suppose* one could read the 1973 version's depiction of Gethsemane - where it has the weird art history powerpoint presentation about the crucifixion in the middle of the song - as being a vision from God about the meaning of Jesus's death in future history? But it's real, real vague. The musical just doesn't seem interested in that.