The runaway best selling novel "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown is by all accounts a well written, highly captivating story with a very controversial theme-a potent combination that has spawned a host of network specials and documentaries, a virtual cottage industry of “books about,” and now a soon to be released feature film. The book has captured the fascination our culture seems to have with the occult, with “new age” philosophies, and with anything that gives credence to the increasing skepticism with which we tend to view traditional institutions-including, in this case, the Church.
Da Vinci’s False Claims
The background theme of the book, and the alleged "facts" that support it, revolve around the discovery of a centuries old conspiracy by the Church to conceal the "truth" that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross as the Bible says, and was therefore not resurrected. Instead the book asserts that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene (who was actually the chief apostle), and started a family whose descendents are alive today. It further alleges that Christ was not the Son of God, and that the notion of His divinity was first postulated some 300 years after his death at the Council of Nicene where the emperor Constantine declared it. According to the Book, the Nicaea Council, under the direction of Constantine, then chose the books to be canonized as the New Testament-including the four gospels (out of 80 written)-to support his male dominated prejudices for the Church. This, the book claims, was in opposition to the existing "divine feminine" precepts that had evolved from Mary and the prevailing pagan and gnostic concepts of the ancient Roman culture that the Church had embraced.
How Should The Church Respond?
Because of "Da Vinci's" direct and eloquent challenge to the very underpinnings of the Church, what should the Christian’s response be? The current thinking in the Christian community is decidedly mixed. Some still want to ignore it in hopes it will go away, some want to aggressively boycott theaters in hopes of a box office flop, and still others are actually encouraging Christians to both see the film and read the book so that they will be more conversant with the contents and better prepared to credibly refute its claims.
We believe the best response to the film lies in considering "Da Vinci" simply as an opportunity to strengthen our faith, and an opportunity to share the truth of Jesus with non-believers. Because of the immense popularity of DaVinci and the inordinate public attention it has garnered, we believe the release of the film offers an opportunity for Christians to stand for truth, on a scale that we will not often see in our lifetimes. Clearly, we should not ignore Da Vinci’s challenge to our beliefs, but our response should not be hostile and attract inordinate attention to the film either. Likewise, while we need to understand Da Vinci’s perversions, but we don’t need to subject ourselves to them in the process by sitting through the movie.
Old News
DaVinci's basic story line was already being circulated in pagan and gnostic circles during the first century, and re-circulated in occult and new age literature since then. Many books have been written about it over the ensuing years, including most recently "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" whose author is now suing Dan Brown for plagiarizing his version of the ancient story. The great blessing, of course, is that God allowed these heresies to surface in apostolic times, so that we might have the judgment of His Word upon them before the canon of scripture was closed. For the mature Christian, this is more than sufficient and nothing more needs to be said.
For those who’s faith is less mature, however, and for those who are seeking truth, harboring doubts, or just plain skeptical of claims the Bible makes about Jesus and the divine inspiration of scripture, perhaps more is needed. DaVinci’s presentation of "historical records" as being "factual evidence" that trumps mere beliefs held only by faith makes a compelling argument that needs to be addressed. Happily, the God of the Bible-unlike the deities of other religions-does not ask us to believe on faith alone. He has communicated with us miraculously through His Word, but He has also come into the world and left His marks very clearly in history for us to discover.
The Historical Record
Leaving aside the fact that scholars have proven the Bible to be-by far-the most historically reliable document of ancient history, even a cursory review of other historical records quickly reveals how clearly false DaVinci’s claims of "fact" are. It is not our purpose here to detail the scores of false claims DaVinci makes and document all the conclusive proof that is readily available-there are many fine books, DVDs and other resource materials that effectively accomplish that, and we are happy to provide a list of references.
We do want to suggest, however, that it is not necessary for Christians to expose themselves to 90 minutes of blasphemy in order to refute its claims, any more than we need to view 90 minutes of pornography to know that it is repulsive. If the truth of DaVinci turns on the divinity of Christ, His death and resurrection, and the manipulation of scripture at the Council of Nicene to conceal the truth and establish a false religion, our task is simple. We may simply rest in the conviction that the Bible is a divinely inspired and true historical record, and make our case accordingly, or we can actually go to the still-existing records of the Council of Nicaea and look for ourselves.
Historians still have the Council agenda, the minutes, and the 29 rulings voted on by the 300 odd Bishops, including the results of the vote. There is no hint of controversy about Biblical Canon, no discussion of the Gnostic gospels, and no question whatsoever about the divinity of Christ. The Bible text we have now-the same one which had been established hundreds of years prior to the Nicaea Council-was overwhelmingly endorsed once again, as it had been at previous councils. The Council of Nicaea simply provides another in an unbroken series of letters, church meeting records, conferences, and other historical documentation that confirms and reconfirms the Bible as we know it.
An Opportunity to Share the Truth
The release of the movie "The DaVinci Code" and the publicity surrounding it will likely draw a huge amount of media attention, and be the subject of much conversation-and controversy-in our communities. We should not, however, view the book and movie as merely a thinly veiled attack on Christianity, but rather as an opportunity in our culture that will surface questions about Biblical truths that might not otherwise have been raised. Questions about what the Bible really says about this man Jesus, and whether the Bible is really a message from God will provide a wonderful opportunity to engage in conversations about our faith and the conviction we have that the gospel message is true.
For some, it will also provide a needed opportunity to "sanctify Christ as Lord in [our] hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks [us] to give an account for the hope that is in [us], yet with gentleness and reverence." (1 Peter 3:15) While its true that we are not all called and gifted as evangelists, we are all-each and every one of us-called to be witnesses. For those who may feel they are not yet "ready to make a defense," this is the perfect opportunity to strengthen your faith, and to make yourself ready for those who God may put in your path as a result of this movie.
For all of us, it is time to pray that God will use this movie to raise questions in the hearts of those who see or hear about it, and "that God would open to us a door for the word" (Colossians 4:3)—a blessed opportunity to speak on His behalf to the lost sheep He cares so deeply for.
