Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Despite the intricacies of its plots and subplots, The Da Vinci Code is essentially a story of right versus wrong, good versus evil..." (more)
Key Phrases: New Testament, Mary Magdalene, Leigh Teabing (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ehrman, chair of religious studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, has written widely on the subject of early Christian documents and the formation of the biblical canon. While acknowledging that Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is an exciting mystery novel, Ehrman questions some of its historical claims. Focusing on 10 areas of concern, including the role Constantine played in the formation of the both the church and the Bible and the evidence for Jesus' personal involvement with Mary Magdalene, Ehrman reviews the historical record and demonstrates that Brown's history behind the mystery is seriously flawed. Ehrman is not concerned with theology; he has no interest beyond that of the professional historian who wants to arm the everyday reader with sound research and helpful historical perspective. His is a documentary approach, avoiding speculation and theory. This tone distinguishes the book from many other responses to Brown's novel that uphold a particular theological agenda. Ultimately, Ehrman believes that readers should not try to learn history from speculative fiction. This is a very readable treatment of some difficult themes, such as the reasons for the exclusion of some early gospels from the canon and the enormous influence of recent archeological discoveries. Readers at every level will appreciate this book.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* There are have been several books debunking Dan Brown's enormously popular Da Vinci Code; often the rebuttals have been coated with hostility. Ehrman, a biblical historian, does it better. Using the novel as a jumping-off point, he offers a highly readable introduction to the historical Jesus as well as a brief primer on biblical exegesis. Not an easy task to provide such complex material for a pop-fiction audience, but Ehrman succeeds brilliantly. He immediately gives Brown's book its due; it's a page-turner, and there is no need to refute that. But the book is filled with many historical inaccuracies, everything from claiming the Dead Sea Scrolls were Christian documents to the idea that all the Jewish men of the era were married. (The assumed writers of the scrolls were celibate.) Ehrman uses each inaccuracy as an opportunity to explain how biblical scholarship works. The topics he touches on include how historians assess documentation, the Gnostic gospels in Christian thought, the role of Constantine in the formation of a Christian empire, and the role of women in the early church. Everyone loves conspiracies and secrets, which makes it a bit melancholy to watch Ehrman remove the veil from the Jesus story. Even the most devoted Da Vinci Code fan, however, will be forced to agree that Ehrman succeeds at separating historical fact from literary fiction. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; illustrated edition edition (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195181409
• ISBN-13: 978-1419327636
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #474,985 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

337 of 352 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely must reading for readers of "The Da Vinci Code", October 30, 2004

By	Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty (Port Orford, OR United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Bart D. Ehrman is the chairman of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a recognized authority on the early Christian church and the life of Jesus Christ, has appeared as an expert on the History Channel, the A&E Channel, and other broadcast venues, and has authored a number of books within his area of scholarship. In response to the popularity of "The Da Vinci Code," a bestselling novel by Dan Brown, which claims to be based on "historical truth," Dr. Ehrman has written "Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code" as a means of setting the known historical record straight. Brown's novel is in fact not at all accurate in most of its basic religious assertions. That is, Brown's claim that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, produced a child, and created a royal ancestral line which still exists is "fiction" not "fact," and is not supported by historical records. In my opinion, this book by Professor Ehrman is absolutely essential reading for anyone who has read Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." It challenges the alleged historical "facts" upon which Brown's novel is based and clears the air, so to speak, about the many controversies which "The Da Vinci Code" has initiated.

In the interest of full disclosure and in case some reader may be critical of this review, let me make the following declarations. Yes, I have read Dan Brown's novel and, being an aficionado of mystery thrillers, I thoroughly enjoyed it and, like Professor Ehrman, found it to be a real page-turner and I would recommend it to all who enjoy this genre. Yes, I have read "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," by Michael Baigent, et al, the book which Brown seems to have used for much of his "historical" information, and I was fascinated with the theory presented there about Jesus and Mary Magdalene and the existence of a secret society, the Priory of Sion, which has allegedly protected the secret of the Holy Grail down through the centuries. Furthermore, I formally studied Christian theology and history for four years as an undergraduate at a religious college and know at least something about early Christianity and the beliefs and practices of the various Christian sects in existence at the time. I have also taken Professor Ehrman's course in "Lost Christianities: Christian Scriptures and the Battles over Authentication" and had the pleasure of reading and reviewing his recent book entitled "Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew" (see it here on Amazon.com). And I have done extensive research on my own into the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi documents. So I was in a position to read Brown's controversial novel without any problem, simply as a piece of exciting fiction to be enjoyed for its own sake, while dismissing the author's historical claims as the invention of an imaginative novelist.

It is all too true, unfortunately, that most people get their knowledge of historical events from motion pictures, television, and, of course, fictional books. But when it comes to novels which have a religious theme, particularly a novel which claims to be historically accurate but isn't, the misinformation generated can be particularly deadly, both intellectually and emotionally. Understandably, many traditional Christians will be upset with the allegations put forth by Brown's novel. Professor Ehrman's book addresses the historical inaccuracies in Brown's novel directly, providing the facts and insights of scholarship without demeaning the novel itself as a source of leisure enjoyment for those of us who like to read fictional works of mystery and international intrigue. Dan Brown's primary mistake, in my opinion, was to make the claim at the outset that his novel was based on historical fact. Had he not done that, I suspect there would be no problem or controversy over the content of his work. I have read a number of his novels and enjoyed them immensely. I certainly won't desert him as a reader just because of this single faux pas.

The basic questions that Professor Ehrman answers in his analysis of "The Da Vinci Code" include: What role did the emperor Constantine play in early Christianity and was he responsible for the formation of the New Testament canon?; What role did women play in the development of and practices of early Christianity and was there a feminine factor which was suppressed in later Christianity?; Were the Dead Sea Scrolls a collection of Christian documents (which Brown claims)?; Was Jesus married and were Jewish men in antiquity "condemned" for being celibate?; Was Jesus married to Mary Magdalene?; Did they have a child which was born after Jesus was crucified?; Is there a royal line of descent from Jesus and Mary Magdalene, perpetuated by the birth of their daughter, which has come down to us after almost two thousand years and still exists today?; Is Mary Magdalene indeed the real "Holy Grail," being the font of the seed of Jesus?; Has a secret society, called the Priory of Sion, created in antiquity and still in existence today, fought to protect this secret of the "Holy Grail? These are merely a few examples of the many questions that Professor Ehrman deals with in his book.

If you have read or intend to read Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" or "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," by Michael Baigent, et al, I really suggest that you have a copy of Bart Ehrman's "Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code" by your side. Its presentation of the real historical truth will not detract from your enjoyment of Brown's novel or Baigent's historical "speculation." It will, I guarantee, allow you to evaluate properly the "facts" offered in both Brown and Baigent and help you to place the historical realities about early Christianity and attitudes within early Christianity in the appropriate context to which they are entitled. This book is highly recommended!

91 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Typical Ehrman balance and persuasiveness, November 16, 2004

By	Bobby Newman (Long Beach, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As with his other histories of the time periods that were crucial for the development of the New Testament, Bart Ehrman gives us a balanced and persuasive analysis of the historical facts. Some might question why such a book is needed. After all, the Da Vinci Code was meant to be fiction. Are we just beating up on a fiction author who takes "poetic license" with history? Few people were particularly concerned that some of the charcters in "Braveheart" actually lived years apart. In the case of the Da Vinci Code, though, it is necessary. The popularity of the Da Vinci Code or The Passion of Christ (ironically, another Mel Gibson project), make these works more than mere pieces of fiction. Such a calm consideration of actual history should be required reading for anyone who will base their religious opinions upon the fictional works. While we're at it, someone also please send copies of all Dr. Ehrman's work to Mr. Gibson.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Debunking the Da Vinci Code , November 22, 2005

By	Smallchief - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Bart Ehrman is one of the most lucid scholars around on the New Testament. He is very good at making the events of the first and second century AD both intelligible and interesting. If you've read other Ehrman books much of what this book says is recycled -- and somewhat simplified -- from his other writings.

I didn't like Dan Brown's novel, "The Da Vinci Code." It was too far-fetched, too anti-Catholic (and I'm not a Catholic), and the plot was too mechanical. Notions of 2000 years old conspiracies are just too far outside the bounds of reality. But "Da Vinci" did inspire in me a desire to learn more about early Christianity.

Ehrman debunks 10 errors which Brown makes as they relate to the New Testament. Ehrman is persuasive. For example, he says there is no assertion in any ancient source -- of which there are quite a number in addition to the books of the New Testament -- that Jesus was married and had children. Ehrman opines that Jesus was probably single and celibate, as were many Jewish mystics in his day. Ehrman doesn't attempt to go outside his area of expertise to discuss the medieval and modern day conspiracies described in "The Da Vinci Code." Thus there is little in this book about "Sion" and "Knight Templars" and the "Grail" and other people and organizations that figure in the Brown book.

So, if you choose to read "The Da Vinci Code" don't swallow it whole, but also read this book to get a more accurate picture of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and early Christianity. Truth, or at least the informed speculation of Ehrman, is more interesting than the fiction of Dan Brown.

Smallchief