The Code's Dangerous Agenda
Randy Hohf
Why has Dan Browns mega-bestseller, The Da Vinci Code, an admittedly fictional work, generated such concern among Christian leaders, apologists and authors? Several books and hundreds of articles have been written to refute a work that is nothing more than make-believe entertainment. So what is all the fuss about? Believe it or not, this work of fiction may prove to be the most serious and influential attack against the Christian faith in modern times. The unprecedented popularity of TDVC (over 40 million sold) and its bold claims to the historical accuracy of the details around which the fictional story is written combine to make its blatant assault on the Bible and the Christian faith especially disturbing.
If The Da Vinci Code had been presented as pure fiction, there would be little to be concerned about. However, the book is prefaced on its first page with the word FACT in bold, upper case letters, followed by the claim that, among other things, "all descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate" (presumably including its descriptions of how we got the Bible). In November of 2003, the author declared on Good Morning America that if he had written it as nonfiction, he would not have changed a thing.
Many have believed him. The New York Daily News said that his research is impeccable. Publishers Weekly called it "an exhaustively researched page-turner." USA Today stated, "Codes popularity shows that readers are clamoring for books which combine historic fact with a contemporary story line." The Chicago Tribune called it "A thundering, tantalizing, extremely smart fun ride transmitting several doctorates worth of fascinating history and learned speculation; brain candy of the highest quality." The Library Journal calls it "a compelling blend of history and page-turning suspense." And to top it all off, Time magazine recently named Dan Brown one of the worlds 100 most influential people, among the likes of President Bush and the Dalai Lama (Lisa Cockre, The Da Vinci Code Intrigue; Outreach Magazine).
In Canada, the National Geographic Channel commissioned a survey in 2005 in anticipation of a full day of programming inspired by The Da Vinci Code. It found that 32% of Canadians who have read the novel believe that the theories outlined in it are true (ibid).
Part of what gives this novel apparent credibility is the fact that most of the attacks against the Bible come from the mouth of a royal British historian by the name of Leigh Teabing. Brown has cleverly written this fictional character to instill confidence in his wild assertions. And just what are the assertions? There are too many to list, but here are two examples:
On page 231, Professor Teabing boldly declares, "The Bible is the product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book. More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John among them. The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great."
On page 234 he further says, "Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christs human traits and embellished those gospels that made Him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned. The [Dead Sea and Nag Hammadi] scrolls highlight glaring historical discrepancies and fabrications, clearly confirming that the modern Bible was compiled and edited by men who possessed a political agenda: to promote the divinity of the man Jesus Christ and use His influence to solidify their own power base." The true agenda of The Da Vinci Code goes beyond entertainment. Browns intent is to rewrite history, discredit the Bible and destroy our faith in Christianity. Why? Browns deeper purpose is to revive and popularize the ancient views of Gnosticism, a heretical sect that threatened the Christian faith in the first and second centuries. This in turn gets to the real motive of the book, which is to legitimize the sexual perversion that is tied to this ancient heresy.
Unfortunately, most people today are ill-equipped in ancient history. Thus, Browns book gives non-believers a convenient excuse to reject the Bible and believers cause to question their faith. But perhaps Browns agenda will backfire. The Da Vinci Codes attacks on the Bible are easily refuted by the facts. If the surprising and troubling claims of this book will bring about an honest dialogue about the historical basis of the Bible and the Christian faith, then the truth will be served. For truth has nothing to fear from open and honest investigation.