"BUT IT'S ONLY FICTION!" -- Why Christians should respond to The Da Vinci Code:
- There are many on-the-record statements from Dan Brown and his publisher . . . to the effect that they were rather pleased to be able to present "alternate" or "hidden" or "lost" historical ideas to a new audience.
- The way in which the book was written leads a reader who may be ignorant of history to believe that DVC is, indeed, presenting credible historical material.
- A recent survey of Canadian readers found that of those who had read DVC, a third of them believed "there are descendants of Jesus alive today and a secret society exists dedicated to keeping Jesus' bloodline a secret."
- Discussion boards on the Internet show very clearly that a good proportion of people . . . either believe the most preposterous theories outright or, at the very least, believe that they certainly "could be" true, and so what?
SOURCE: Da Vinci Code Madness, Amy Welborn. March 25, 2006 See also: The "It's Just Fiction!" Doctrine: Reading Too Little Into The Da Vinci Code, by Carl E. Olson. Ignatius Insight March 14, 2005
Resources
- Jesus DeCoded. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. "Providing information for anybody who wishes to inquire about Jesus Christ and Christian Origins due to claims in the national media."
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What do you say to a Da Vinci Code Believer?, by Amy Welborn.
What's Wrong with The Da Vinci Code?, by Father John Wauck.
The Real Leonardo, by Elizabeth Lev.
- The Da Vinci Dialogue "Highly regarded Christian leaders and scholars volunteered to tackle the controversial topics within The Da Vinci Code, including:
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What is Opus Dei?, by John Allen, Jr.
Missing from “The DaVinci Code”, by Monsignor Francis J. Maniscalco
What really happened at the Council of Nicaea?, by Patrick Henry Reardon
(and many others)
- Cracking The Da Vinci Code Catholic Answers Special Report. 2004.
- The Da Vinci Code: Of Magdalene, Gnostics, the Goddess and the Grail, resources compiled by Leadership University Editor/Webmaster Byron Barlowe.
The Da Vinci Code - Seriously? - A Review of Over 30 Apparent Inaccuracies, by James E. Snapp, Jr. February 7, 2004.
- History vs. The Code - "aims to examine the historical claims made in Dan Brown's novel and compare them to the historical evidence. Unlike many other online resources about this novel, its intention is not to simply examine some of those claims, but to provide a comprehensive analysis of all of them. Its intention is to look at these topics from a purely historical perspective, without any religious bias or orientation."
Blogs
- The Da Vinci Hoax Blog, by Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel. "Continuing to expose the errors of the DVC."
- The Da Vinci Code and Opus Dei, a personal blog of Fr. John Wauck, a priest of the Opus Dei Prelature. See the truth about the Da Vinci Code and Opus Dei.
- Da Vinci Facts - "A guide to accurate facts about The Davinci Code movie and book, the history of Christianity, and the Catholic Church."
- Open Book, by Amy Welborn, author of De-Coding Da Vinci and De-Coding Mary Magdalene.
- Catholic and Enjoying It, by Mark Shea, co-author of The Da Vinci Deception.
- Insight Scoop, by Carl Olson and Mark Brumley. Carl Olson is co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax; Ignatius Press is a leading Catholic Publishing House and formal english publisher of Pope Benedict XVI.
Countering The Da Vinci Code - In the News
2006
The Atheist and the Code: An Interview with Tim O'Neill, by Carl E. Olson. Ignatius Insight June 22, 2006.
Debating 'Da Vinci', by Jeffery L. Scheler. U.S. News & World Report May 22, 2006.
A Da Vinci Code FAQ - Interview with philosopher Dr Richard Umbers. Mercatornet.com May 16, 2006.
How dark the con of Dan, by Archbishop George Niederauer. The Tidings May 12, 2006.
Why Jews Should Worry About ‘The Da Vinci Code’, by David Klinghoffer. The Jewish Week May 12, 2006.
How The Da Vinci Code Doesn't Work by Tracy V. Wilson. [HowStuffWorks.com examines Dan Brown's use of "science, technology, art and history."
The Priory Of Sion: Is The "Secret Organization" Fact Or Fiction? CBS News - "60 Minutes". April 30, 2006.
The Code and Gnosticism: A Response to Steve Kellmeyer, by Carl Olson. April 17, 2006. (On Dan Brown's use of gnosticism in the DVC).
The Da Vinci Code’s Sources: Did Dan Brown Really Borrow From Holy Blood, Holy Grail?, by Carl Olson. IgnatiusInsight. February 27, 2006.
Dissecting "The Da Vinci Code" Interview With Apologist Mark Shea. Zenit News Service. February 23, 2006.
Opus Dei 101
Investigating a “history” class, by Susan Vigilante. National Review Online [NRO] January 26, 2006.
"Da Vinci Code" -- a Blessing for Opus Dei? Interview with Marc Carroggio (Opus Dei). January 12, 2006.
"The Da Vinci Code" --- the book and probably the film --- presents Catholics with one set of problems, and those are best dealt with by knowing the facts of our Church's faith and its history. A broader challenge is an entertainment establishment that doesn't know very much about Catholicism, doesn't like what it thinks it knows, doesn't want to learn any more, and can't leave Catholic faith, practice and imagery alone. -- Archbishop George Niederauer, Diocese of San Francisco.
2005
2004
The Da Vinci Crock, by Laura Miller. Salon.com December 29, 2004.
Dismantling The Da Vinci Code, by Sandra Miesel. Crisis July 8, 2004.
Clueless "Code" Craze Goes On, by Carl Olson. A review of Secrets of the Code: An Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind The Da Vinci Code. Edited by Dan Burstein (New York: CDS Books, 2004). Our Sunday Visitor, July 11, 2004.
The Perfect Post-Modern Novel?, by Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel. Ignatius Insight July 2004.
Speaking in Code A roundup of the many anti-Da Vinci Code books from Christian publishers, compiled by Ted Olsen. Christianity Today June 4, 2004.
Facts vs. Fiction in The Da Vinci Code, by Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel. June 2004.
Relative Revelations: Dan Brown’s Code should be Left Behind, by Carl E. Olson. National Review May 4, 2004.
Decoding The Da Vinci Code: An interview with Carl Olson, by Kristin Deasy. The Gonzaga Witness. March 31, 2004.
The Truth Behind "The Da Vinci Code" Interview with Carl Olson. Zenit News Service. March 13, 2004.
The Da Vinci Fallacy Interview with Amy Welborn. Zenit News Service. April 7, 2004.
Christians counter The Da Vinci Code Christian Century March 9, 2004.
Cracking the Anti-Catholic Code, by Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel. Envoy Magazine.
Debunking The Da Vinci Code: "Jesus, the Bible and the 1st Ecumenical Council", January 18, 2004; What's Wrong with The Da Vinci Code, January 25, 2004. Sermon by Father Steven Tsichlis, St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church. Irvine, CA.
2003
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The Da Vinci Code Mysteries: What the Movie Doesn't Tell You - 100 Questions and Answers
The Da Vinci Code intrigued readers with its surprising claims about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, early Christian history, and Leonardo da Vinci.
The film, based on the novel, dramatizes these claims and will bring them to an even broader audience. So, what's the truth?
- Has the Catholic Church really hidden the truth about the "real" Jesus and what he taught?
- Were Jesus and Mary Magdalene really married?
- Did Leonardo da Vinci really reveal these secrets through codes in his art?
Discover the truth -- the truth "The Da Vinci Code" movie won't tell you -- through the answers to 100 questions by Amy Welborn, author of the award-winning de-coding Mary Magdalene.
Bulk Discount! - The Da Vinci Code Mysteries - Packet of 10
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De-Coding Mary Magdalene: Truth, Legend and Lies by Amy Welborn. Our Sunday Visitor (March 2006)
Recent best-sellers have popularized a historically and spiritually false view of Mary Magdalene. A saint who has been revered by the Church for centuries, Mary Magdalene's life and actions have been exploited and distorted, her historical significance marginalized by lies such as:
- Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus and bore his child
- Mary Magdalene is the "real" Holy Grail
- The Gnostic gospels tell us the truth about Jesus and Mary Magdalene that the Christian Church has suppressed
- For centuries, Mary Magdalene was demeaned by Christian tradition as nothing more than a prostitute
Learn the truth -- not the fiction -- about the extraordinary woman who was one of the earliest disciples of Jesus and a powerful witness to his death and resurrection.
Reviews / Excerpts / Resources
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The Da Vinci Deception: 100 Questions about the Facts and Fiction of The Da Vinci Code, by Mark Shea, Edward Sri. Ascension Press (February 14, 2006).
Why has The Da Vinci Code sold tens of millions of copies worldwide? Is the book’s phenomenal success due to its compelling characters, thrilling plot points, or impeccable research? No. The Da Vinci Code has become an international hit because of its lurid prose and its sensationalistic—even blasphemous—claims regarding the "true" history of Christianity. In the end, it is nothing more than a thinly veiled assault on the person of Jesus Christ and His Church. Millions of people, who are not experts in history, art, theology, or archeology, are being led astray by The Da Vinci Code’s fraudulent assertions and invented history.
On May 19th, The Da Vinci Code will be released as a major motion picture. Film critics have predicted it will be one of the year’s biggest blockbusters. The Da Vinci Deception is a powerful antidote to the spiritual poison found in The DaVinci Code. This easy-to-read, question-and-answer book tackles the key errors in this devastating cultural phenomenon. It is the perfect giveaway to family, friends, parishioners, and anyone you think may be in danger of having their faith in Christ and His Church eroded by the mockery of Truth that is The Da Vinci Code.
Reviews / Excerpts / Resources
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The Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing the Errors in The Da Vinci Code by Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel. (Ignatius Press, July 2004)
Reviews / Excerpts / Resources
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De-Coding Da Vinci: The Facts Behind the Fiction of The Da Vinci Code by Amy Welborn. Our Sunday Visitor (April 2004)
De-Coding Da Vinci: The Facts behind the Fiction of The Da Vinci Code addresses the misrepresentation of history, religion and art in The Da Vinci Code. Did Leonardo actually build these codes into his paintings? Was the Priory of Sion a real organization? Is the Holy Grail really, as he says, Mary Magdalene's womb and now her bones, and not the Last Supper cup? Is Opus Dei really what The Da Vinci Code says it is? What was Constantine's true role in early Christianity? Was Jesus human or divine or both? Was He married to Mary Magdalene? Do secret writings not in the Bible really contain truths about Jesus, Mary Magdalene and the sacred feminine?
Complete with discussion questions and suggestions for further reading in every chapter, this is the perfect book to accurately answer questions as well as inspire further conversation. It can be used either as a personal resource to expand one's knowledge of the issues raised by The Da Vinci Code or to lead a discussion for a book club, a church group or to discuss with friends who've read the book and have questions that need to be answered.
Reviews / Excerpts / Resources
Also by Amy Welborn:
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Fact and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code by Steven Kellmeyer. Bridegroom Press (March 2004).
Addresses 72 different issues raised by the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code, including What Catholic elements make the book so popular? What does Dan Brown get wrong about Opus Dei? Where did the Bible come from? Was there a smear campaign against Mary Magdalene? -- and more.With graduate degrees in both European history (Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, IL) and theology (Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH), Steve Kellmeyer is admirably suited to weigh the claims made in The Da Vinci Code against the historical and theological evidence. Join him as he works page by page through the novel, highlighting the fact and the fiction!
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