Judy Nelson, Da Vinci Dialog

I've finally joined the 40 million people around the world in reading the Da Vinci Code. It's a great piece of fiction, so well written and riveting. A fascinating, compelling story. But just that, a story.
Even author Dan Brown calls it a story. On his Web site, he relishes the controversy: “The debate that is being generated is a positive powerful force.  The more vigorously we debate these topics, the better our understanding of our own spirituality.” Clearly, the book is generating discussion. Was Jesus married? Could early Church leaders have invented His deity? What's true?

 

The launch of Ron Howard's movie starring Tom Hanks in the Da Vinci Code film will surely fan the flame. It opens worldwide on May 19. (Few movies open worldwide-usually the studios wait to see how they do in the United States and then release them overseas.) Not this one: Da Vinci Code promises to be a giant blockbuster before it even comes out.

What's a believer to do in this frenzy of questioning?

Remember your own story: You were blind and now you see. If you could bottle or manufacture your salvation, then you would. But that's not how it works. Jesus stepped into the story of your life and commandeered it. He re-wrote it. He changed everything, turned it upside down and surrounded you in His love. That's what you know. Practice telling people what you know, and do it with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

Relax: Jesus is the Lion of Judah. Lions can defend themselves. And they can devour at will, too! The gospel has been attacked since Jesus was mocked on the Cross. Satan would have us panic. But Jesus, our Sabbath rest, is not fazed. He came to seek and save the lost. Our job is to simply testify to His power.

Read up: There are a number of resources available. Try www.davinciquest.org or www.thedavincidialog.com.

Rest in the Resurrection: We cannot raise the dead. We cannot fix people. We cannot redeem them. What is impossible for us is possible for God. He raised His Son as the first, and He continues to raise us. I was dead, but now I am alive. Alleulia! He's alive.

Comments

[rob]

Judy, I agree with you. I like the reminder of the Lion. I just saw The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe again on a flight and didn't think about it the way you put it.

I invite you to come over to DiscussDaVinci.com also to talk about some of these differnet issues.

Rob

[Foolish Sage]

Judy,

While I agree with you counsel on our response..."a great piece of fiction, so well written and riveting"?? Come on. This is hack writing at its worst. Sure it's a "page turner," but only because it so blatantly manipulates the reader. Lots of 2-3 page "chapters" ending in "He looked around the corner and to his horror saw..." There are a hundred such hack potboilers clogging your airport newstand at this moment. They might make a pleasant diversion at the beach, but "great fiction"?

Lord of the Rings is a great piece of fiction. The novels of Austen or Dostoevsky or Chesterton or Sayer are great pieces of fiction. But DVC? Pulp without the orange juice.

[Judy Nelson]

Foolish Sage:

Thanks for the response. You're right. I was lazy in my word choice, trying to emphasize the fiction part, as many have taken Brown's work as truth. I'd like to call the DVC "great entertainment."

Also, I recently saw a snipet of Brown quoting a priest friend saying the gospel withstood Galileo, certainly it will withstand a novelist from New Hampshire (paraphrased).

Judy