Responding to The Da Vinci Code

            On May 19^th The Da Vinci Code[1] will be released to theaters nationwide. The movie, based on the best selling book by Dan Brown[2], has created controversy for months now as the book has for years. But rather than complaining about the evils of the Hollywood machine (which, admittedly do need complaining about), Christians should see this controversy as an opportunity for outreach.

Some Approaches to Controversy

            I plan on writing more generally about how we can deal with controversial media in my June article. Here I want to focus on The Da Vinci Code specifically and so am only going to make some brief suggestions about dealing with controversial media:

            1. Some Christians are called by God to a ministry of responding to anti-Christian media. Such people should be lovingly vocal, should see the movies or read the books they’re talking about, and should defend the faith.

            2. All Christians should be informed about mass media that may attack their faith so that they can give answers to or find answers for their non-believing friends who are still seeking for the truth. Though we may not read the books or see the movies, we should be aware of the issues and be able to find resources to help when we’re called upon to witness.

            3. Though organized protests can gain a large audience, they need to be accomplished with loving attitudes and they run the risk of backfiring: of making people want to see a movie that much more.

Background on The Da Vinci Code

            If enough friends and students ask my opinion about it, I’ll probably see The Da Vinci Code when it comes out on video. With regard to the book I turn to a review prepared by my good colleague, Dr. David Fiensy which has helped me summarize some of the more controversial elements of the story.[3] The novel is a work of fiction in more ways than one. It claims that

• Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ wife and was meant to participate in the leadership of the church.
• The Holy Grail is not a cup but the womb of Mary Magdalene which carried the daughter of Jesus, Sarah.
• Mary and Sarah moved to France after Christ’s death and began a royal line that still exists in several European families.
• The Vatican doesn’t want this secret out lest it destroy Christianity by creating doubt about the Divinity of Christ.
• More than 80 gospels were considered for the New Testament, but the final choice of the four we have was made by the pagan emperor Constantine. (This is, of course, wrong. Though there were a few extra gospels, they never had any real acceptance anywhere while the New Testament gospels were accepted very early throughout the church.)
• Jesus was not considered Divine until the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. and that by a very close vote. (Also wrong: the council only decided what language to use to describe Jesus’ Deity which was well established in the New Testament).
• Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene as is supposedly evidenced by two second or third century gospels, the Gospel of Phillip and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene. (But these suspect gospels never say the two were married—the author infers it from statements made in the texts which require a biased interpretation.)

Many more historical inaccuracies can be found in the book.

            Dan Brown’s primary source for his unhistorical history is a book called Holy Blood, Holy Grail (1983) in which the history above first appeared. The history is the invention of three men, one of whom placed himself in the lineage of Jesus. The book and some faked historical documents on which it is based have been utterly refuted in books and on documentaries which have appeared on A&E and The National Geographic channel.

Some Resources

            I have relied heavily on the expertise of others for learning about problems with The Da Vinci Code. Here are some resources you may find helpful in your own study:

On-line:           christianitytoday.com

            Search for the article, “Breaking The Da Vinci Code.”

                       apologeticsindex.org/d50aad.html

            An excellent resource with numerous links.

Books:              The Da Vinci Hoax by Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel

                         Breaking the Da Vinci Code by Darrell L. Bock

                        The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code by Richard Abanes

            I don’t think we have to fear The Da Vinci Code though we should be concerned and prepared. We just need to share with people that the history behind the fiction novel and movie is as fictional as the story itself. If the story turns out to be an entertaining one that people are nevertheless willing to let go as only entertainment, we can hope that most people who see it may get just curious enough to ask us some important questions while not being taken in by any deceptions. As for those who might be deceived, we can pray the Lord will bring them in contact with Christians who have prepared themselves to speak the truth about this movie—perhaps some of us.