Since the release of The DaVinci Code a cultural phenomenon has erupted over the contents of this unoriginal novel. An array of books has been published to refute the claims of Dan Brown’s book. From Breaking the DaVinci Code, and The DaVinci Deception, to The DaVinci Myth, and Dan Brown is the Devil (okay, I made that last one up), more ink has been spilled over this book than any novel in recent memory. With the release of the movie, the rhetoric will only increase.
What is the Biblical response of Christians to this attempt to undermine our beliefs? Do we boycott the book/movie, crying “heresy” and preventing anyone from exposure to the lies and shady historical claims of the author? Is the modern Church strong enough to withstand this assault on our beliefs?
There are many nuances to this debate, but at least we are having a cultural discussion about Christ, which is always good. Heretical claims have been brought against the truths of scripture for thousands of years. As clever a writer as Dan Brown is, his ideas are not new. When claims against the deity of Christ arose in the past, what was the reaction of the Church? Historically, as was the case with the Council of Nicea, the Church came together and reaffirmed the doctrines of Christianity based on a commitment to the foundations of the faith. The fear of the modern church is that those Christians who see the movie or read the book will not know enough about their own faith to gauge accurately as false the claims of The DaVinci Code. The question is, “Whose fault is that?” Is it the fault of Dan Brown that we have an ignorant mass of sheep in our churches? Is it the fault of Ron Howard or Tom Hanks that new believers could not know fact from fiction? How is a boycott of the book/movie going to fix the real problem of ignorant Christians? If the Church did its job and educated the body, we would have no more reason to fear a book like The DaVinci Code than a book claiming the sky is red.
The second point is that while we do not believe the claims of The DaVinci Code, vilifying the author or the actors in the movie is a waste. Why are we surprised when individuals who are not believers act in ways consistent with that unbelief? Would we be furious if a blind man steps on our toe? Of course not, but we are furious when individuals who have not had their eyes opened to the truth of the Gospel insult or act in ways inconsistent with the Gospel. The DaVinci Code is not Dan Brown’s biggest problem, nor is it what is separating him from God; it is Mr. Brown’s unbelief in the Gospel. I do not hate Dan Brown; I am sad that he continues in his unbelief, and I have no reason to believe a boycott of his book is going to change his mind. Therefore, the Church should strive to educate the flock and pray for the lost. Boycotts do not change hearts.
