![IMAX: National Parks Adventure (4K UHD & Bluray) [Blu-ray]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91ncs8oYJQL._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg)
The tremendous exposure given to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code (no doubt to reach a frenzied pitch with the soon release of the film based on Brown's novel), its claim to present a truer accout of Christian history than that given by the Church, and the confusion it has caused among many Christians has necessitated a Christian response. Indeed there has been many such responses but the sheer volume of falsehoods passed off as known facts in Brown's writing makes even the cataloguing of the mistakes a herculean task. Thus the books written in response tend either to be point-by-point lists of Brown's claims with refutations (these are useful as supplementary material but tend to be disjointed and as exciting to read as stereo instructions) or more methodical works that limit their scope and seek to cut off Brown at the foundational level.
A notable exception to this is The Da Vinci Hoax by Catholic authors Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel. In an exhaustive survey of Brown's "research", they do a masterful job of examining every facet of The Da Vinci Code's often self-contradictory claims and exposes each historical inaccuracy, unwarranted assumption, and logical fallacy to the light and leaves Brown's much discussed theories in tatters. It is quite clear that the errors in the book are so egregious and the evidence to the contrary so overwhelming that one strains to see how any reasonably intelligent person could come up with such nonsense. The clear implication is that the book is not so much the result of an honest historical investigation presented in novel form as a blatant attack upon the credibility of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. Indeed, the after effects of the controversy as measured in doubts engendered in many Christians may be with us long after Brown's work has been relegated to the trash heap occupied by other sensationalistic pop conspiracy theories.
Olson and Miesel leave virtually no stone unturned in their thorough exposure of Brown's thesis. After an initial introduction outlining the scope of the phenomnon and the importance of the Church to vigorously defend the faith against it, they, in successive chapters, investigate the facts concerning gnosticism, Mary Magdalene, early Christians beliefs concerning Jesus, and the facts concerning Constantine and the events surrounding the Council of Nicea. Once the facts on these matters is given, there is little room for belief in any of the crackpot conspiracy theories Brown tries to peddle off as representative of contemporary scholarly research.
Where does Dan Brown stand once it is known that the gnostic writings he cites were written centuries after the New Testament books? Where is the conspiracy against Mary Magdalene when she was held in high esteem by those whom Brown contends slandered her? What is the role of Constantine once it is established that all sides at Nicea believed Christ was somehow divine but the argument was over the nature of His divinity? How is it that the silencing of the "sacred feminine" took place during and after Nicea when the popularity of gnosticism had collapsed long before of its own inherent weaknesses? By the end of the fourth chapter the edifice which Brown constructed has been shown to have been built upon sand and the authors have unleashed a mammoth earthquake to leave it in ruins.
Just to leave no doubt in the matter, Olson and Meisel then turn to the whole medieval fantasy of the Knights Templar and the Priory of Sion. At this point, Brown's foundation has already have crumbled and now the authors begin to crush the debris. The coup de grace is when Brown's alleged evidence for the Priory of Sion contention is shown to be an admitted hoax concocted by a French con artist named Pierre Plantard. This is not controversial news - it was exposed in a BBC documentary years ago and was widely known among those who had investigated the matter. That Brown would not have come across this information if he had done any level of serious research is simply unthinkable and underscores the disingenious elements behind the entire project. The authors then close by examining the remaining claims that do not fit into any of the previously discussed categories.
The overall effect is a total destruction of any credibility in Dan Brown's work. Given the great amount of unjustified attention given to The Da Vinci Code and the importance of the matter for the Church, a comprehensive refutation was a necessity. Olsen and Miesel have done the entire Church a great service and may have written the final word on the matter. Certainly this is essential reading for all concerned with the frenzy surrounding this latest cultural phenomenon.
- Amazon Business : For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. Register a free business account
