”The Da Vinci Code”

But, one weekend in May, the ordinary eclipsed the astonishing. Outside, a group of teenagers kicked a ball against its ancient crumbling walls. Inside, the dull grandeur of its frescoes was illuminated by little more than the flickering lights of occasional candles. It was a long way from the description in the guidebook - or the drama of the church’s most celebrated literary reference. As a site of murder and intrigue, St-Sulpice is at the heart of one of the best-selling of modern novels, Dan Brown’s ”The Da Vinci Code”.

Since its first publication in 2003, ”The Da Vinci Code” has sold over twelve million copies. With its suggestion of a sensational ecclesiastical cover-up -the claim that the Christian church has systematically removed the ”divine feminine” from the heart of true spirituality- the novel has sparked a far-reaching and important discussion about the relationship between Christian orthodoxy and the experience and expectations of women. It has grabbed the imaginations of millions, and has encouraged thousands of ’pilgrims’ to travel to locations mentioned in the plot.

Despite this popularity, the novel is certainly not one that Christian readers should recommend. Its salacious tone and unfounded arguments do little to enhance its value for the people of God. The book appears to be selling most of its copies among those who have least to defend from its claims. But these claims are of such far-reaching influence and importance that Christians need to be informed of their contents if they are to prepare to adequately respond.

As one of the novel’s characters muses, ”everyone loves a conspiracy” - and the conspiracy represented in the novel is certainly vast. Most basically, the novel argues, ”nothing in Christianity is original”, for ”the Bible is a product of man () not of God.” Its re-telling of Christian history has the divinity of Jesus Christ decided by a ”relatively close vote”, and describes the Emperor Constantine’s financing of a New Testament canon ”which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ’s human traits.” Among these forgotten gospels, the novel claims, was evidence of Mary Magdalene’s marriage to Jesus Christ - evidence that is described as ”a matter of historical record.” It hardly matters that Scripture says nothing to suggest that Christ was married: the novel dismisses such concerns, arguing that ”almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false.”

No wonder John warned us to ”try the spirits () for many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). ”The Da Vinci Code” may be popular and persuasive, and thousands may invest a considerable amount of time and effort in travelling to the novel’s significant locations. But pilgrimage and popularity are no guarantees of truth. The pilgrims could have found all the truth they need if they had turned to the Bible for themselves at home.

Nothing could have prepared me for the ordinariness of the church of St-Sulpice, but the claims it represents are of immense significance. If ”The Da Vinci Code” is anything to go by, St-Sulpice is at the centre of a serious theological challenge.

The author is lecturer in Renaissance literature at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.