Da Vinci Code References

The Da Vinci Code book and movie make many claims about God, Jesus and the Bible. Are these fact or are they the fun & fanciful musings of an adventurous novel? We encourage you to take time to "SEEK THE TRUTH - THE REAL TRUTH". Below is some information that many be helpful in your search

(most questions are dealt with in the articles, booklets, sermons and video clips suggested below - we just have a couple here to start off):

    1) What are some of the claims the Da Vinci Code makes about Jesus and Christianity? (claims)

    2) Dan Brown claims that Jesus was not viewed as God until the fourth century, when he was
    deified by the Emperor Constantine (pg 233-234). What evidence (outside of the Bible) do we
    have from history that this is not true? (answers)

Articles:
    - A Review of the Da Vinci Code by J. Richard Pearcey, Senior Writer, MacLaurin Institute
            http://www.boundless.org/departments/pages/a0000882.html
    - Site with numerous informational articles on the Da Vinci Code from Focus on the Family
            http://www.go.family.org/davinci/archive.cfm
    - Articles specifically for teens
            http://www.go.family.org/davinci/DVteens/index.cfm
    - "Redeeming the Da Vinci Code" by Probe Ministries
            http://www.probe.org/content/view/127/169/
    - Deciphering the Da Vinci Code by Albert Mohler, author and President of the Southern
      Baptist Theological Seminary
            http://www.crosswalk.com/fun/1212187.html
    - 'The Da Vinci Code': Exciting New Novel, Tired Old Conspiracy Theories by Greg Hartman
            http://www.family.org/married/growth/a0029682.cfm

- Article from Wikipedia explaining the historical problems with the Da Vinci Code claims

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticisms_of_The_Da_Vinci_Code

- Site with extensive articles and Q&A sponsored by Westminster Seminary

            http://www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com/

Booklets:
    - Da Vinci Code: Separate Fact from Fiction (by authors of "Our Daily Bread")
      (excellent booklet which uses short answers to many questions - select "download now")
            http://www.rbcdavincicode.org/

- An excellent 100+ page booklet of all the research notes Josh McDowell uses for his presentations.

It will give you solid answers for the small details in the book as well as the large ones. Very exhaustive."

http://www.beyondbelief.com/trackdl.aspx?prefix=MT&pos=7&filename=DaVinciCodeResearch_Full.zip

- A study guide to go along with "The Da Vinci Code Quest for Answers" book by Josh McDowell

            http://www.beyondbelief.com/trackdl.aspx?prefix=MT&pos=7&filename=DavinciStudyGuide_Preview.zip

Video Clips:
    - Trailers and clips from the movie itself
            http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thedavincicode/
    - What is the truth about the Da Vinci Code" - NUMEROUS video clips on the historical and theological claims

       of the book/movie (from Lee Strobel)
            http://www.leestrobel.com/LS_DaVinciCode.html

Sermons (print or audio)
    - Neal Laybourne - Questions from “The Da Vinci Code”
    - Erwin Lutzer, Pastor Moody Church in Chicago to church leaders
      (scroll down to black box on right)
        http://www.moodychurch.org/radio/davinci.html

Claims about Jesus and Christianity made in the Da Vinci Code

(The page numbers are from the original hardcover edition and will be different in the softcover and illustrative editions)

1. The Bible was put together by Constantine, a pagan Roman emperor. (pg 231)
2. The Gospels have been edited to support the claims of later Christians (pg 234)
3. Jesus is not the Son of God; he was only a man (pg 233-235)
4. Jesus was not viewed as God until the fourth century, when he was deified by the Emperor
Constantine (pg 233-234)
5. Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene (pg 242-250)
6. In the original Gospels, Mary Magdalene, not Peter, was directed to establish the church (pg 254)
7. Mary Magdalene was to be worshipped as a goddess (pg 255)
8. There is a secret society known as the Priory of Sion that still worships Mary Magdalene as a
goddess and is trying to keep that practice alive. (pg 255)
9. Jesus and Mary Magdalene conceived a child and named her Sarah (pg 255)
10. Sarah gave rise to a prominent family line that is still present in Europe today (pg 257-258)
11. The Catholic Church often has assassinated the descendents of Christ to keep his bloodline from growing (pg 266)

Regular statements by the early church leaders clearly show that belief in the divinity of Jesus has always been the same -- Jesus is the unique Son of God, God incarnate (God come down in human form, which is why we celebrate Christmas). Each of the church fathers mentioned below lived and wrote before Constantine in 325 AD. (These are from James Garlow’s “Cracking Da Vinci’s Code”)

1. Ignatius: “God Himself was manifested in human form.” (AD 105)
2. Clement: “It is fitting that you should think of Jesus Christ as of God” (AD 150)
3. Justin Martyr: “Being the first-begotten Word of God, is even God”; “Both God and Lord of
hosts”; “The Father of the universe has a Son. And He … is even God” (AD 160)
4. Irenaeus: “Our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King”; “He is God, for the name Emmanuel
indicates this” (AD 180)
5. Tertullian: “Christ our God” (AD 200)
6. Origen: “No one should be offended that the Savior is also God” (AD 225)
7. Novatian: “He is not only man, but God also” (AD 235)
8. Cyprian: “Jesus Christ, our Lord and God” (AD 250)
9. Methodius: “He truly was and is … with God, and being God” (AD 290)
10. Lactantius: “We believe Him to be God” (AD 304)
11. Amobius: “Christ performed all these miracles … the duty of Divinity” (AD 305)