The Da Vinci Code and American Culture
Tom Hanks stars in new film undermining tenets of Christianity
Published April 13, 2006

GRACEVILLE (FBW)–In 2005, Time magazine named Dan Brown one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Dan Brown has risen from college professor of English at Amherst College to an international personality because of a series of best-selling books. Brown’s suspense-filled and controversial The Da Vinci Code has been on The Publisher’s Weekly list for best-selling fictional works since the release of the book three years ago.

Did Jesus marry Mary Magdalene?
Published April 20, 2006

GRACEVILLE (FBW)–Dan Brown, in his best seller The Da Vinci Code, sets forth the view that Jesus married Mary Magdalene. His fictional characters, Harvard professor Robert Langdon and Sir Teabing, offer the following evidence in support of the marriage (pp. 243-250). First, Jewish society considered male singleness as a violation of social decorum. Second, if Jesus were a bachelor, one of the canonical gospels would have mentioned his singleness. Third, the Gospel of Philip and other Gnostic Gospels explicitly affirm the marriage between Jesus and Mary. Fourth, the Gospel of Mary records an encounter in Mary Magdalene’s words in which Peter expressed jealousy because Mary received special revelation; Jesus intended to found the church upon special teaching given to Mary. Fourth, the Catholic Church covered up the marriage by vilifying Mary as a prostitute.

Did Constantine ‘promote’ Jesus?
Published April 27, 2006

GRACEVILLE (FBW)–The identity of Jesus is the crucial issue in the relationship between the Christian faith and the 21st century religious world. Jesus serves as an important figure in several non-Christian religious movements. Jesus, for example, is an important person in the writing of the Quran and the Muslim religion. The New Age religious movement affirms that as people develop Christ-consciousness the Age of Aquarius dawns. The Jesus Seminar advocates demoting Jesus from divine status to human status.

Did Constantine ‘invent’ the New Testament?
Published May 4, 2006

GRACEVILLE (FBW) – Dan Brown’s phenomenal best-seller The Da Vinci Code attacks the essence of Christianity by attacking the deity of Christ. Constantine, the fourth-century Roman Emperor, used the Council of Nicaea to “promote” Jesus from mortal to deity, Brown asserts. To certify this promotion of Jesus, Constantine further “invented” a new Bible by imperial financing that excluded other gospels by the power of the Roman Emperor.

How should Christians respond to The Da Vinci Code?
Published May 11, 2006

GRACEVILLE (FBW)–Dan Brown’s phenomenal best-seller is a fictional book. Why should Christians be concerned about a book of fiction? First, although written as a fictional novel, Dan Brown claims he based his book on factual data. Second, history reveals the power of novels to shape culture. Third, Brown’s novel will lead many people to adopt the position that the novel’s unhistorical premises about Jesus are correct. According to Lee Strobel, a recent survey revealed that one out of three Canadian readers believes that descendants of Jesus live on earth today. Further, George Barna’s research reveals the shocking influence of the book. Barna commented, “After all, 53% of a national sample of adults who have read The Da Vinci Code from cover to cover stated that the book had been helpful in their “personal spiritual growth and understanding.’”

Related Coverage

Book refutes spiritual relativism in The Da Vinci Code
Published April 27, 2006

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LWCR)–It’s only fiction.

La. convention offers Da Vinci Code ‘Fact or Fiction’ DVD
Published May 4, 2006

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)–Did Jesus Christ have a wife? Is the Bible a mere compilation of ancient manuscripts? Will the upcoming Sony release of The DaVinci Code create a panic in the Christian community?

National apologist: Prepare, leverage The Da Vinci Code dialogue to share truth
Published May 11, 2006

GALLATIN, Tenn. (BP)–Christians should take advantage of the opportunity paid for by Hollywood to engage the culture about the Bible, Mike Licona, a leading expert in defending Christianity, said.