What about The da Vinci Code?     Book


"The reason for the astonishing popularity of The da Vinci Code on the one hand, and for the huge current media hype about the so-called 'Gospel of Judas' on the other, is that so many in our day are eager for enlightenment, hungry for spirituality, and yet desperate to avoid the way of the cross, the genuinely revolutionary kingdom of Jesus."-- NT Wright

"I know there are people who believe Brown's fantasies about the Holy Grail, the descendants of Jesus, the Knights Templar, Opus Dei and the true story of Mary Magdalene. This has the advantage of distracting them from the theory that the Pentagon was not hit by an airplane."-- Roger Ebert

The Rector Comments on The da Vinci Code

Anybody who doubts the possibility of immortality should reflect on urban legends. In spite of their absurdity, urban legends will not die. They cannot be killed. No amount of historical fact or research can diminish their tenacious grip on popular imagination.

Recently I looked up the most popular urban legends, and discovered that there is a website that lists the 25 most popular urban legends of the past WEEK!

What surprised me about the list was their failure to mention The da Vinci Code.

Yet even thoughtful Americans who never believed that dinosaurs live on an island off the coast of Costa Rica (Jurassic Park) nor that students hacked into a secret Chinese spy satellite system superior to anything flown by American or Russian military (The Broker) somehow believe that Dan Brown's fiction is based on documented "fact."

Not everything in Dan Brown's book is completely false. After all, it is true that the Louvre is in Paris and that da Vinci painted both the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa.

Enjoy Brown's book for what it is: A puzzling who-done-it mystery. A conspiracy yarn that stirs up our inner paranoid. A fast-paced thriller with a touch of sexual tension. (Ok, so there's too much dialogue and not enough flirting, but it's still fun!) But don't swallow it. If you wonder whether that there might be any basis for some of the the wild and silly claims made by the characters, then by all means, do some research. I won't reiterate here the many errors claimed as historical facts by the book's characters: That has already been done well enough by others. Some of those are listed below, and I'll invite you to read them.

Will I go see the film? Probably. I LOVE movies. While most reviewers panned it, Roger Ebert gave it a pretty good review -- although his hilarious review is likely far more entertaining than I expect the film is. (Click here for Ebert's review). Actually, Ebert's review is not only hilarious, he also gives excellent perspective on the book. I did enjoy the book (although Brown's writing doesn't keep me up late at night, in contrast to John Grisham and Michael Crighton) and I'm a Tom Hanks and Ron Howard fan. So I'll probably see it (although I'll probably wait 'til it's out on video, and see it on the cheap!) But will I believe any of it? Not a chance. Not because it fails to fit my faith, but because it is completely baseless. Good fiction? Yes. Good history? Well... no, of course not.

Do I think that The da Vinci Code is dangerous? No, no more than any other work of fiction. In itself, it is no more dangerous than Clement Moore's classic poem, The Night Before Christmas. Both Brown's novel and Moore's poem make reference to persons who actually appeared in history -- but neither give any real information. The actual history of St Nicholas, Jesus, and Mary Magdalene are ignored for the sake of the poem and novel -- and the film, of course. But that doesn't make these things dangerous. What's dangerous is not the existence of fanciful writing, but a culture that is willing to read fancy as though it were historically accurate.

To be sure, The da Vinci Code, as he affirms on his website, definitely reflects Dan Brown's historical and religious beliefs (inspired by people such as Elaine Pagels). But unless you're equally ready to believe that the Elves really did sail west out of Middle Earth at the end of the War of the Rings or that wizards and witches really do study at a secret Hogwarts academy, I wouldn't expect you to take Brown seriously. For serious fare, check out the books, articles and websites listed below.

Grace and Peace to you,
Rick Laribee+

Before "Discussing The da Vinci Code"

Before discussing The da Vinci Code at a party with your friends, at least read one or two articles. I'd recommend starting with "Why the Lost Gospels Lost Out" and "Redeeming the da Vinci code".

Listen to Krista Tippet interview Luke Timothy Johnson about the real origins of the New Testament on public radio's weekly broadcast, Speaking On Faith

Fox News summaries the controversy:

Fox News writes: "A line from Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" tells you why it's easily the most disputed religious novel of all time: "Almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false." Click here for more.

Other helpful articles and sites are listed at here.

Another collection (thanks to Mark Norman at Grace Community Church) is listed below

Online Articles and Websites 
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