The Da Vinci Code
The best-selling book by Dan Brown is a work of FICTION - and that is what
readers of the book and viewers of the film need to remember.
The book contains many assumptions that are historically
inaccurate and claims that Jesus did not die as the Bible
proclaims but instead married Mary Magdalene. It says that their 'bloodline' is the 'Holy
Grail' and that a secret organisation has covered up the secret.
So how should Christians
respond?
We need to understand the issues and what
the book is about so we can speak to our friends and neighbours and work
colleagues about the book and show them the historical and factual errors and
explain the real message of the gospel.
Some groups have protested and
campaigned against the movie but we are not doing that.
Our detailed email on the movie and how we can respond
was sent on 18 May 2006.
It is
attached below....
Reading the book or seeing
the film?
We recommend that Christians do not see the movie
or read the book. The first concern is that the film promotes messages that are
in direct opposition to the Christian gospel. We don't need to fill our heads
with Dan Brown's false messages. One does not need to gamble or watch
pornography to know that these things are bad for us!
Secondly we don't
want to give them our money and support such films and books!
Thirdly there are elements in the
book that are morally unacceptable. One particular scene has been highlighted by
Ted Baehr of MovieGuide, a Christian group that analyses movies from a Christian
perspective. It is a pagan sex scene where this occurs in a ritual with others
watching.
The Director has said the film will
be 'faithful' to the book - the film is rated M in Australia.
For those who choose to
see the film or read the book, the following resources will provide
information to assist you in discerning what is true and what is false in
The Da Vinci Code...
Resources
Some excellent books and resources have been prepared
to help everyone use the film to engage in discussion with friends and neighbours
about the errors and flaws in the movie and the true gospel message... Here are
a few...
Articles
The Gospel according to Dan
Brown
by Bill
Muehlenberg
A great article explaining the claims of the book, and then
refuting them.
Attached below. Also on Bill's website - click here
.
The Da Vinci Code:
Fiction masquerading as fact
by Russell Grigg, Creation
Ministries.
Decoding
the Da Vinci Code
Bishop N.T. Wright (Durham), Response Magazine, SPU, Summer
2005.
Not
InDavincible -
A
Review and Critique of The DaVinci Code
J. P. Holding, Tektonics Apologetics
Ministry.
What’s wrong with The Da Vinci
Code?
One page flyer, Tektonics Apologetics
Ministry.
The
Da Vinci Decode
A book available to download. From Seventh Day Adventist
ministries.
Websites:
Truth About Da
Vinci
This site www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com is
being hosted by Westminster Theological Seminary and went live on Good Friday,
April 14.
It includes contributors such as renowned author and speaker
Os Guinness; Redeemer Presbyterian Pastor Tim Keller; authors of the
best-selling Cracking Da Vinci's Code Peter Jones and Jim Garlow;
Dallas Theological Seminary Professor and author Darrell Bock; and many others.
It is engaging, well presented and is a
great resource to help you.
Endorsing the site is MOVIEGUIDE®’s publisher Ted Baehr,
commenting, "This site is both for the people wanting to go to the film so they
can talk about it with their friends, or for those who choose not to support the
film financially. Whatever your position, this site adds accuracy, credibility
and scholarship to the discussion. It is an excellent on line resource. Bravo!"
Click
here
for the
website.
The Da Vinci Code - A
Biblical Response
Christian Broadcasting Network
website.
This is very helpful because it has two lists:
"The Da Vinci
Code Says" and "History Says" with BRIEF sections on 'Jesus', 'The Dead Sea
Scrolls', 'Gnostic gospels', 'bloodline of Jesus', 'the Bible', 'Leonardo da
Vinci' etc.
It also has a great list of resources, websites etc....
Click
here
.
Da Vinci Quest
Campus
Crusade for Christ has produced these resources so that you can seize this
unprecedented opportunity to equip believers to answer the challenging
questions raised by The Da Vinci Code about the deity of
Christ and his Word -- opening up the most positive, compelling and welcomed
dialogues about the real and relevant Christ....
Click here for the website.
They have books and a 20 page companion guide to the movie available.
(PS: We have some of these in the office -
free but we ask you to provide $2 in postage please - stamps will be fine!)
A FREE downloadable 30 page booklet with a series of study guides suitable for small groups, Sunday
school etc is available. It has
been written by Josh McDowell.
Click here.
NEW!
Word-on-the web Bible Studies
Church Army evangelist, Andrew Wooding (UK), published seven daily emails looking at
aspects of The Da Vinci Code in bite-sized 300-word chunks.
They
were available through Word-on-the-web. Click here for website.
Andrew comments: “These are ideal for fans of The Da Vinci
Code, for those who looking for truth, and for Christians who want to be
informed about what all the fuss is about. Rather than critiquing the book and
the film, I will be exploring what God might be saying to us through the
popularity of the book. What nerves is it touching for 40 million people to want
to read it and the millions more who are awaiting the film’s release?”
Click
here for
his review of the film.
Challenging da
Vinci
An innovative website has been set up by Sydney Anglicans to
counter the stories told in the Da Vinci Code movie and book. Anglican Media
Sydney will run 20-second ads on 250 screens in 15 multiplexes in
Sydney,
Wollongong and Shellharbour. The
ads, which promote a new website created by the organisation.
Click here for the
website.
Forums: They are conducting FORUMs to discuss the
movie in Sydney, Brisbane and Hobart. Click here for details.
Media articles:
Movie release media
reports: 18 May 2006
Critics
slate The Da Vinci Code
From AFP, 17/05/2006
"Da
Vinci Code" secret is out: most critics hate it
Reuters, China Daily,
17/5/2006.
Media Release: Summarising
the critics comments
Da Vinci Code' Bombs With
Critics
Christian Wire Service, Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, 18 May
2006.
Media prior to movie
release:
Church
spends $50K to debunk Da Vinci claims
By Sarah Price, April 30, 2006,
Sydney Morning Herald.
Movie
raises ire across the globe
By Sarah Price and Annabel Crabb, April 30, 2006, Sydney Morning Herald. Author: Jenny Stokes | Modified: 31 January 2008 |
