0. The Da Vinci Code vs. The Evidence Andrew Agerbak 1 October 2006

1. What is The Da Vinci Code?
A 2003 fictional thriller by Dan Brown
Murder-mystery combined with conspiracy theory
His fourth book, and a sequel to his third, ‘Angels and Demons’
Shares the same central character, Robert Langdon, a Harvard Professor of Symbology
Outstanding commercial success
Over 60 million copies in print(1)
Translated into 44 languages
Recently adapted into a Hollywood film starring Tom Hanks
$754m global takings(2)
Source: Wikipedia as of May 2006
Source: Wikipedia: Screen Select:

2. Why All The Fuss? Controversial claims Jesus married Mary Magdalene
They had a daughter, Sarah, whose descendants are alive today
A secret society, The Priory of Sion, has protected Mary’s descendants with the intention of revealing “the truth” at a suitable moment in history
The truth about their existence was suppressed by the established church through the centuries
The historical record, including the Bible, has been distorted to hide “the real truth”
Strong reaction from critics
Religious groups – objecting to the claims about Christianity
Critics – objecting to sloppy research and poor writing
Good public relations
“The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about” (Oscar Wilde)
“There’s no such thing as bad publicity, except your own obituary” (Brendan Behan)

3. It’s good to remember that it’s fiction...
But It’s Just a Novel!
The book’s opening page, entitled “Fact”, includes the following claim:
“All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate”
Many of the book’s statements on biblical topics are made by characters presented as ‘experts’ in the field
For those who are not well informed about Christianity, this may be the best source they have!
What’s your primary reference point for historical information about the Titanic, Pearl Harbour, or the assassination of JFK?
For most of us it’s the films we’ve seen!
Most people haven’t any better source, and they’re far more likely to have read the Da Vinci Code (or seen the film) than have read the Bible
It’s good to remember that it’s fiction...
...but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t influence our thinking about Christianity!

4. Some Of Da Vinci Code’s Claims Are Supported By The Evidence
The established church oppressed those who taught different teachings
The persecuted became the persecutor
Roman Emperor Constantine intervened inappropriately in debates over Christian doctrine, hoping that Christianity would help unify the Roman empire
Presided at council of Nicea in AD 325
Not particularly spiritual, was only baptised late in life
Mary Magdalene is not called a prostitute in the Bible
Pope Gregory said she was in the 6th Century (revoked by Vatican in 1960s)
The established church discriminated against the role of women
There are many writings outside of the recognised 66 canonical books of the Bible

5. But Many Claims are Wrong or Very Misleading (i)
Da Vinci Code Claim
Historical Evidence
Four gospels selected by Emperor Constantine from eighty competing texts at council of Nicea in AD 325
“Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ’s human traits and embellished those gospels that made him godlike.”
The Da Vinci Code
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written as eyewitness accounts in the 1st Century
Recognised as the four canonical gospels in the 2nd Century, 150+ years before the council of Nicea
Iraneus, “Against Heresies” c180 AD
Muratorian canon AD
Quotes in Clement (96AD), Ignatius ( AD), Origen (~225AD)
Criteria used by early church to establish the canon(1)
Apostolic authority – written by an apostle or his close associate
Consistency with the rest of Scripture
Widespread use and recognition by the churches
A number of other “gospels” were written in the 2nd Century or later e.g. Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Phillip
Not recognised by the church (some specifically condemned)
Contain many doctrinal and factual errors e.g. Phoenix a real bird(2)
“Women are not worthy of life ... every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Gospel of Thomas)
(2) From 1 Clement – a book widely read by early Christians, but ultimately rejected from the canon

6. But Many Claims are Wrong or Very Misleading (ii)
Da Vinci Code Claim
Historical Evidence
Jesus was ‘voted divine’ at the council of Nicea
(‘and a narrow vote at that’)
‘Fathers of the Council of Nicaea’
Jesus’ divinity is clearly established in the gospels and elsewhere in the new Testament: ~300 years before Nicea!
Asserted by Scripture: John 1:1,14
Asserted by Jesus: John 10:30
Even his enemies recognised his claim
“because you, being a man, claim to be God” - Jn10:36)
Worshipped as divine by his disciples
In the NT: Thomas: “My Lord and my God!” John 20:26-28
Early Christians: Justin Martyr “[Christ]... being the first-begotten Word of God, is even God.” (1st Apology, Ch. 63)
The debate in Nicea was to address the teachings of Arius, who claimed that Jesus was a lesser divine
Both sides believed in Jesus’ divinity – question was the specifics of what that means
Wasn’t a ‘close vote’ – only two of 318 bishops didn’t sign up!
In fact the New Testament presents Jesus as fully God and fully man
God: miracle-worker, able to forgive sins, one with the father
Man: tired, hungry, tempted

7. But Many Claims are Wrong or Very Misleading (iii)
Da Vinci Code Claim
Historical Evidence
Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus, had a daughter Sarah, whose descendants live today
No early Christian sources, including the Bible, refer to Jesus as being married
If married, Mary would have been known by her husband’s name, not “Mary of Magdala”, a name suggesting she was independent(1)
Only evidence is the apocryphal “Gospel of Philip” (~200AD)(2) saying Mary was Jesus’ companion and he ‘used to kiss her on the mouth’
Greeting kiss common in that culture (the same text refers to him kissing other followers)
Still doesn’t say anything about marriage or children!
The “Priory of Sion” protected this secret through centuries.
Prominent members included Da Vinci, Newton, Victor Hugo
The original Priory of Sion was a regular Catholic priory which existed from around 1100 until absorbed into the Jesuits in 1617 AD
The Priory of Sion was established as a French society in 1956 by Pierre Plantard. He fabricated documents in support of a supposed ancient history of this organisation, which were planted in French libraries. In 1993 he admitted this fabrication under investigation by the French judiciary(3)
Karen King, professor at Harvard Divinity School, as quoted in “The Da Vinci Code – Shaking the foundations of Christianity?”

8. But Many Claims are Wrong or Very Misleading (iv)
Da Vinci Code Claim
Historical Evidence
Jewish decorum forbade men from being unmarried (p245)
As in other societies, most Jewish men married, but there are plenty of examples of those who didn’t, including the prophet Jeremiah, probably John the Baptist, and many of the Essenes (the Jewish community responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls)
The Dead Sea Scrolls are amongst the “earliest Christian records”
They are the records and Scriptures of the Essenes, a first century Jewish sect based at Qumran, by the Dead Sea. They are not “Christian records” at all
“Unbiased science could not possibly be performed by a man who possessed faith in God”
Many great scientists through the ages have been men and women of strong faith
In fact much Western scientific enquiry was born from the conviction that the Universe follows laws defined by its Creator, and that these laws can be discovered and understood

9. Some of the Claims Shouldn’t Worry Us Even If They Were True
Does Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” portray Mary Magdalene instead of John?
No question that the figure has various feminine characteristics
Critics divided about what this ‘means’
But should a painting by a great artist living 1,500 years after the life of Jesus have any authority in shaping our views about Jesus?

10. How Should We Treat the Da Vinci Code?
Come to your own convictions on the basis of the evidence
My personal view: welcome the opportunity to talk about the Bible and Jesus!
Be confident, not insecure or defensive
Be well informed: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have...” – 1Peter 3:15
Read the Bible 2Timothy 2:15
Read the apocrypha and pseudipigrepha (e.g. Gospel of Thomas – 113 ‘sayings of Jesus’ – not a tough read!)
Read The Da Vinci code! Just keep your brain engaged...
Be gracious
“But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” 1Pe 3:15

11. Some Concluding Words Of Wisdom (From Two Different Sources)
Da Vinci
Da Bible
“Blinding ignorance does mislead us. Oh! Wretched mortals, open your eyes”
“Many have made a trade of delusions... deceiving the stupid multitude”
Leonardo Da Vinci(1)
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” Hosea 4:6
“They perish because they refused to love the truth” Thess 2:10
Let’s be lovers of the truth!
As quoted in The Da Vinci Code, p312

12. For Further Reading
“The Da Vinci Code – Confronting the Fraud” (2 audio CD set) – Douglas Jacoby, available at
“Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code” – Bart D Ehrman, Oxford University Press, 2004, 190pp
“Mona Lisa’s Smirk” – Y Jesus Magazine
Colourful & readable 10 page magazine article
“Witness Statement of Dan Brown” from libel trial vs Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, authors of “The Holy Blood & The Holy Grail”
Dan Brown discusses how he goes about researching and writing his books
Early Christian Writings:
Text, dating and background info on documents from early church fathers, apocryphal sources and the New Testament scriptures

13. Appendix

14. Questions for Discussion
Would it matter if Jesus were married?
What it matter if Jesus had children?
Would you expect there to more original biblical documents or more apocryphal ones?
What would be the implications if another letter of Paul or Peter were discovered?

15. Other Factual Errors in The Da Vinci Code
Da Vinci Code Claim
Historical Evidence
Clementine moved Christian day of worship from the Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday
Christians had been meeting on Sunday from the first century:
‘On the first day of the week we came together to break bread’ Acts 20:7
“And on the day called Sunday there is a gathering together in one place of all those who live in cities or in the country, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read…” Justin Martyr ( AD)
Opus Dei has monks
‘Opus Dei is a Catholic institution for lay people and diocesan priests, not a monastic order’ –
The Dead Sea Scrolls were ‘found in the 1950s’
(p317)
The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947
Mary Magdalene was ‘of the tribe of Benjamin’
No evidence to support this
Magdala is in Galilee, in northern Israel, whereas the historic tribe of Benjamin had its territory around Jerusalem, further south

16. Early Christian References to ExtraBiblical ‘Gospels’ and the Four Canonical Gospels
“I know a certain gospel which is called ‘The Gospel according to Thomas’ and a ‘Gospel according to Matthias’ and many others have we read – lest we should in any way be considered ignorant because of those who imagine they possess some knowledge if they are acquainted with these. Nevertheless, among all these we have approved solely what the church has recognized, which is that only four gospels should be accepted”
Origen ( AD)
“For as there are four quarters of the world ... the Word ... has given us the gospel in fourfold form, but held together by one Spirit”
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, ‘Against Heresies III’ (~180AD)