Through a Glass Darkly

I haven’t posted about the DaVinci Code yet, mostly I guess from apathy. I haven’t read the book, though it’s laying around the house somewhere and I generally understand the plot. There are some churches in my area running sermon series or offering books and tapes debunking Dan Brown’s story. I guess I sort of understand what they’re trying to do. The picture Brown paints of the historicity of the Gospels, the development of the Biblical canon, and the veracity of the gnostic gospels certainly is false. Many naive people might read the book or see the movie and think there is something to this radical revision of Christian history. It’s good to present a clear picture of who Jesus is and how the Church developed, and to explain why gnosticism was considered heretical and excluded from Christian orthodoxy early on. My own Pastor just did a wonderful sermon on the Bible’s high view of women, in contrast to the DaVinci Code theme that Christianity has supressed a secret relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene as part of a campaign against women.

On the other hand, I’m a bit uncomfortable with what seems to be the undercurrent of some of these reactions. Are these books, tapes and sermons motivated by a sense that the popular interest in the DaVinci Code presents a missional moment, or is it more of a defensive manuever? Do we see this as an instance where “Christ Transforming Culture” can apply, or do we see it as “Christ Against Culture”?

I’m afraid some of what’s out there is in the latter category — primarily defensive, reactionary, an exercise in fortress-building. I don’t think the DaVinci Code is a frontal assault on Castle Christiana, such that we must man the ramparts and dig in for a siege. I do think the ideas underlying the DaVinci Code are demonic, in that they reflect an age-old heresy about the nature of Jesus, but there are more facets to it than that. The DaVinci Code phenomenon also reflects our culture’s hunger for spiritual truth and its continued fascination with Jesus. So I agree with those, like Ed Marcelle and Jeff, who see the DaVinci phenomenon as an opportunity for missional engagement.

Sitting here in the hospital room with my son, I have to endure endless hours of kid-TV. There are two cardinal values underlying all of these shows: (1) things work out when we all work together; and (2) you can achieve your dreams if you only believe. These values in moderate doses and in relation to other values have some merit. However, as presented in these shows, they’re treacly-sweet. What I’d like to see is a reality-based kids show. Such a show would teach things like (1) not everyone is worthy of your trust; some people are downright rotten and should be avoided; and (2) you won’t achieve all your dreams; you have limits; get over it and learn to make the most of what you have. Maybe then we’d have less disillusioned teenagers.