Some notes on The Da Vinci Code - April- May 2006
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Jose Eugenio Borao Some notes on The Da Vinci Code April- May 2006
SOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE 2
1. The fabrication of The Da Vinci Code Meanwhile, he also tried to get rid of all of
A novel packed with many misleading experts Jesus’ progeny. He was successful in the
former, but not in the latter, as some of
It seems that the main intent of Dan Brown’s
Jesus’ descendants fled to France and,
best seller is to come up with an appealing
centuries after, even occupied the French
and seemingly credible account about “the
throne during the Merovingian dynasty.
real Jesus” that, in reality, only sows
perplexity and suspicion in the minds of The Middle Age
readers—Catholics in particular—as regards
The history of the descendants during the
a possible conspiracy in the Catholic Church
Middle and the Modern Ages can be
to hide a truth that would destroy the very
summarized in their efforts to survive the
foundations of its existence.
Church’s constant persecution. For if this
The times of Jesus truth were to come to light, then the
Church’s authority would be demolished.
In short, the novel’s linear narrative
Thus the Church had successfully
approach deals with Jesus Christ, a sage
manipulated the Carolingian kings to exile
who put forward devotion to “the lost sacred
the Merovingians, which led them to form a
feminine” and wished to reestablish it
secret society called the Priory of Sion
through his supposed wife, Mary Magdalene.
whose aim was to protect the survivors of
Thus, Jesus Christ was not the God he
Jesus’ lineage and their secret. The Knights
claimed himself to be but a man who, in
Templar that had connections with the Priory
order to give back to the world the “sacred
were persecuted and killed. Some of
feminine”, wanted to found a church that
history’s great artistic and literary figures
would restore this form worship; which was
were clandestine Masters of the Priory but
why he entrusted it to Mary, and not to Peter,
only one, Leonardo Da Vinci, left clues to the
as is commonly believed. If this story has not
secret in his works. The Church carried on
reached us until now, it is because, early on
with its efforts to suppress the “sacred
in the 4th century, or 300 years after Christ’s
feminine” by spearheading, for instance,
death, Emperor Constantine, the first
Europe’s notorious and widespread
Roman emperor to support and protect the
witch-hunts, where millions of women were
Church, abolished the “sacred feminine”
persecuted. Nonetheless, Jesus’ lineage,
from Christianity, denied Jesus’ humanity,
the true Holy Grail, continued to live on in
and decreed that Christ was God. To
families, like the Plantards and the
permanently establish this decree,
Saint-Clairs.
Constantine first manipulated the Council of
Nicea (325 AD) wherein a patriarchal, The present time
authoritarian, and anti-feminist ideology was
Brown’s novel then moves on to the third
imposed after a contentious voting process.
period, which is set in present times. The
Next, the Emperor chose as “canonical” four
Priory has finally decided to reveal the
gospels among the existing ones that were
secret to the world through the Great Master
considered “safe” and suppressed those
Jacques Saunière, curator of the Louvre
that contained any references to the
Museum and an expert in goddesses and
marriage of Jesus and the Magdalene.3 SOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE
the sacred feminine. Saunière is found grandfather was the Great Master of the
dead—probably assassinated. However, Priory of Sion and that she is last in the line
before he died, Saunière left a series of of Jesus’ descendants, and that Mary
mysterious codes that he drew on the floor Magdalene’s tomb lies beneath the entrance
with his blood. His niece, Sophie Neveu, a of Louvre’s crystal pyramid, which was a
cryptologist who works for the Paris police, project of the esoteric, Mason, and former
steps into the picture. Saunière had given French President Francois Mitterrand, The
her an urgent call before he died because he novel closes with Langdon returning to the
wanted to tell her something important about Louvre. He reverently kneels as he listens to
their family. The primary murder suspect is a woman’s voice transmit to him the Wisdom
Robert Langdon, a professor of religious of the Times.
symbolism in Harvard who happened to be
Fiction and reality
in the scene of the crime. Sophie, however,
believes that Langdon is innocent and helps The Da Vinci Code is certainly a work of
him escape. She, with the help of Langdon fiction and so one cannot expect to draw any
and the scholar Sir Leigh Teabing, amid historical truth from it. However, the author
surrounding crimes and persecutions, confuses his readers in the section entitled
immerses herself in studying goddess “The Facts” wherein he states, “All
worship, leading her to decode Leonardo’s descriptions of artwork, architecture,
paintings. Teabing also explains to her that documents, and secret rituals in this novel
Constantine built the Vatican as a new are accurate.” In other words, he tries to
power base. expound on historical concepts within the
context of a fiction novel. Thus, as far as the
In the meantime, the reader is led to
critical reviews are concerned, the novel is
believe that the Catholic organization Opus
superficially written. Objectively speaking,
Dei, which is ridden with juridical problems,
Brown tends to make many claims without
is behind the murders. Moreover, a
any solid basis and commits numerous
“progressive Pope” is thinking of breaking
factual errors and inaccuracies. Here comes
Church ties with Opus Dei. This moves the
a short list: (1) Christian writings from the
Opus Dei prelate to accept the offer of a
first century already state that Jesus is God.
mysterious Master to buy for a huge sum the
For instance, the Muratori Canon (190 AD)
proofs of the existence of the Priory. The
already says that there were only four
Prelate could then use these proofs to
canonical gospels and excludes almost all of
blackmail the Holy See. The said Master is
the Gnostic gospels; (2) there was no form
actually a wealthy English and anti-Catholic
of contention or controversy in the Council of
professor who wants to reveal the Priory’s
Nicea and only two of the 300 participating
secret to the world. In fact, he chides the
bishops cast dissenting votes; (3) the
Priory for keeping silent out of fear of the
Vatican did not become the Pope’s official
Church and even hires an Opus Dei monk to
residence until the 14th century; (4) the
carry out the above-mentioned crimes.
Priory of Sion did not exist in the Middle
The novel inevitably winds up with a Ages: it was a neo-chivalric organization that
romance between Sophie and Langdon, was founded in Paris in 1956 by the French
Sophie’s discovery that her Saunière esoteric Pierre Plantard; (5) many supposedSOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE 4
witches, indeed and unfortunately, were of special knowledge. Time and again
burned at the stake in 17th-century Europe; gnosticism shows up alongside ways of
but the figures did not reach millions at all thinking that are in vogue at the moment and,
and not all who were killed were women. due to its extremely eclectic quality, it is
What’s more, it was the Protestant countries difficult to render a precise definition of it.
that registered the largest numbers of such Claims to possessing esoteric knowledge
deaths; (6) Harvard University offers no usually emerge in periods of crisis, usually
course on religious symbolism; (7) Opus Dei with the promise of acquiring a better
has no monks in the organization. The list understanding of reality, of enlightenment
can go on and on. that transcends current realities and,
consequently, of a presumedly higher level
Estrange success
of wisdom that would lead one to consider
A final question: How could such a novel sell himself untrammeled by the norms of
millions of copies? It’s difficult to say but we established authority. It is this gnostic
may consider the fact that, three years foundation that’s behind the huge success of
earlier, Dan Brown published Angels and the novel The Da Vinci Code.
Demons, a novel of a similar vein and even
Modern gnosticsm
with a character like Langdon. It was a flop.
What made the difference between the two? Nowadays, gnosticism is seen in such
On one hand, Brown toned down his movements as the New Age and in other
anti-Catholic stance in Da Vinci to gain more forms of occult, neo-pagan, and radical
credibility; on the other hand, he threw in a feminist groups. The first signs of gnosticism
mix of the forgotten world of the Gnostics, may be traced to some concepts of Plato’s
radical feminism, and occultism to give a philosophy, Irani theology, and Judaic
new and provocative image of Jesus that tradition, before and after Christianity came
gels very well with the New Age trend that is to be. Small wonder that in the second, third,
very much in vogue in the USA and and fourth centuries AD, gnosticism should
throughout the world, being introduced by also penetrate primitive Christianity with the
teachers with an air of “Oxford-Harvard intention of explaining the figure of Jesus
snobbishness”; in other words, a Christ in a manner different from the four
“harrypotter” for adults. Lastly, the author biographies whose authors, incidentally,
capitalizes on the poor religious instruction took pains to compose in the first century
of many Christians to bring them to take and who either had personally known Jesus
seriously a cleverly spun tale that passes off or met the first Apostles. Today, the majority
tons of fantasy as history or reality. of serious Christian (Catholic and
non-Catholic) researchers agree that the
four gospels were written during the second
2. Jesus Christ according to present-day half of the first century—that is, in the few
gnosticism decades after Jesus’ death and, therefore, a
The main ingredient in the Da Vinci Code mix century before the emergence of the first
gnostic gospel according to Thomas. These
More than a trend of thought, gnosticism is scholars may disagree as to which of the
basically an attitude that claims possession four gospels was first and whether or not5 SOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE
one had influenced the writing of the others. been translated and studied.
Nevertheless, not one has suggested any
At best, such material can make for
other possible way of depicting the life of
interesting literature because it offers a very
Jesus.
good description of the gnostic groups.
Classical Gnosticism However, they are far cry from the antiquity,
solidity, and quality of the four canonical
The first news we have of the gnostics are
gospels. Of late, gnostic literature has
found in the writings of the Fathers of the
gained greater resonance because, as
Church who waged battle against them. It is
University of Pennsylvania professor Philip
only lately that attempts have been made at
Jenkins in his book Hidden Gospels (Oxford
systematizing the esoteric writings that have
University Press, 2001) declares, they seem
reached our time. The recent resurgence of
to respond to a pervading desire to
gnosticism was propelled by the discovery of
challenge the teachings and authority of the
a number of gnostic texts in 1945 in Nag
Catholic Church and to present a
Hammadi (Upper Egypt). These were
modernized version of Jesus. Information
written in the fourth century even if some are
that morever has been distorted by the
copies of texts that were written one or two
media through exaggerations and
centuries earlier. Bentley Layton compiled
presenting partial truths, if not at times total
these into the The Gnostic Scriptures,
lies, as the truth. These writings have found
bringing together 46 works wherein one may
a major sounding board as Dan Brown’s
trace the different schools of gnostic thought,
historical sources for The Da Vinci Code,
for instance, that of the north of
offering a new image of Christ that concurs
Mesopotomia, Basilides, and Hermes--the
with the “requirements” of today’s world. In
most radical of which was that of Valentin
his work, Brown divulges that different forms
and his followers. Of these, only three are
of Christianity began to evolve after Jesus
classified as gospels, or works that make
died, with each Christian community living
some reference to the life of Jesus. However,
out what it had understood about Jesus;
as researcher Craig Blomberg states, if we
thus each one enjoys some form of
put together all the documents that claim to
legitimacy. However, in the Councils of the
be gospels from the first 500 years of human
fourth century, the Church, under the
history, we would come up with 24, since
patronage of Roman Emperor Constantine,
most of these texts are mere compilations of
managed to impose its own inspired books
Jesus’ esoteric sayings and do not directly
and condemn as heretics those that rejected
deal with his life. In other words, they are not
them. Nevertheless, “official” Christianity
really gospels. The oldest known gnostic
was only partly successful in its conspiracy
gospel is that of Thomas, which must have
to hide these books. While some had
been written around 150 AD, or 100 years
vanished for good, others have remained
after Mark’s gospel. The rest, like those of
semi-hidden or, at best, discredited.
“Truth,” “Philip,” “Egyptians,” “Mary,” and
“Peter” were of the second, third, or fourth Gnostic eccleticism
century. Others have been dated as totally
According to Brown, the modern world’s
or partly of the 19th century, which is why,
rediscovery of the gnostic world would bring
from the 20th century onwards, these haveSOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE 6
back the gospel’s real message, which is married to Jesus; lastly, that Peter takes on
precisely progressive, egalitarian, and a menacing stance against her because he
feminist. Some passages of these gospels considers her a rival. This monograph shall
seem to suggest this possibility, while others, attempt to demonstrate the inconsistency of
like the last paragraph of “Thomas,” the the said assumptions.
most respected among the gnostic gospels,
Misunderstanding The Last Supper
does not at all fit the idea of gnosticism as a
basis for feminism: “Simon Peter said to Dan Brown's novel is based on the premise
them: ‘Let Mary leave us, for women are not that Leonardo's "The Last Supper" is
worthy of life.’ Jesus said. ‘I myself shall lead actually a code that, when broken, would
her in order to make her male, so that she reveal a secret that has been guarded for
too may become a living spirit resembling centuries--a secret that would surely be
you males. For every woman who will make damning to Christianity and to the Vatican in
herself male will enter the kingdom of particular. This could happen, thanks to
heaven.’” As regards references to Jesus Leonardo da Vinci who, as one of the few
and Mary Magdalene as a couple, the only keepers of the secret, left a record of it while
source is the gospel according to Philip painting the said mural in the refectory of
which, as expert Massimo Introvigne says, is Santa Maria de la Gracia in Milan. The
a kind of catechism written late in the mystery begins to unveil by Brown when his
second or early on in the third century by the main characters start questioning the
Valentinian school, a gnostic faction which, absence of the chalice or the Holy Grail that
at that time, practiced a religion different and contained the blood of Jesus. Any one who
separate from Christianity’s “Great Church.” had seen other paintings of the Last Supper,
One then must not wonder that the harshest like that of Juan de Juanes, would have
critics of Dan Brown’s “de-mythification” of asked the same question because the
Christianity had been mostly specialists in chalice is highlighted in the entire
exegesis—the critical explanation or composition. Why does it not then figure in
interpretation of Scripture--who consider him Leonardo's work? Could there be another
as nothing more than a nuisance predator in reading of the Last Supper other than the
a difficult field of research. traditional?
Dan Brown says "yes." The Apostle
3. Iconography of Leonardo's "The Last John, who is rendered with rather feminine
Supper" & "The Da Vinci Code" features, is actually Mary Magdalene who
Deconstructing a deconstruction was married to Jesus and, at that moment,
expecting their child--Jesus' blood--which
"The Da Vinci Code's" iconography of
makes Mary the chalice that contains it. This
Leonardo's "The Last Supper" implies three
idea was to be encoded in Leonardo's
things: First, that the absence of a chalice
painting. That is why the space between
suggests that Leonardo is conveying a
Jesus and the Magdalene takes a
hidden message about the real nature of the
chalice-like V form whose base points
Holy Grail; second, that the figure we
directly at Mary's womb. Thus the Holy Grail
assume to be the Apostle John is really
would no longer be an object but a person:
Mary Magdalene, who is supposedly7 SOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE
Mary Magdalene. On the other hand, Mary the scene: from left to right, Andrew is
Magdalene and Jesus seem to mirror each followed by Peter, then Judas, and John. No
other, for instance, in their symmetrical one can doubt their identities here.
positions and the color of their garments, to Steinberg explains that this grouping is
signify their union, a composition that would based on the roles that the apostles were
even allow us to discern a letter "M"--which going to play in the Passion: one denies, the
stands for Mary Magdalene--between the other betrays, while the other stays by
two figures. If this theory were to be Jesus' side. Steinberg even indicates other
accepted, then this would mean, not only the significant pairings in the painting, as seen in
deconstruction of the image that Christianity the proximity of the heads of the figures in it.
has about itself, but also a return to the For example, Peter and John, who often
world of pagan mythology where goddesses appear together, signify the active life and
recover the important role that had in the the contemplative life. And so as Peter
mythology of the former Olympus. energetically hoists himself up, John calmly
takes in the sad news. And what of John's
Understanding The Last Supper
effeminate aspect? This is more due to the
However, is this theory well founded? Let us Florentine style of painting that was popular
start by saying that "The Last Supper" has in the early 15th century and which can also
been so extensively studied for years and be observed in Leonardo's other paintings,
such studies have yielded more convincing two of St John the Baptist which are kept in
theories, all of which affirm that, more than the Louvre and which were executed 20
depicting the institution of the Holy Eucharist, years after the Last Supper.
this painting shows the Apostles' reaction to
Brown confuses himself
Jesus' declaration that someone was going
to betray him. This is why the chalice does In his novel, Dan Brown insists that Peter's
not appear as a central element in the hand takes on a menacing gesture,
painting. Moreover, there is no reason to suggesting his harassment of Mary
assume that Jesus used a special vessel for Magdalene, his rival to future supremacy in
consecrating the wine. In the painting, Jesus the Church. However, a plain, unbiased look
and all the other apostles, has a drinking at the painting easily shows a gesture that
vessel by his left hand. It must be suggests trust and intimacy between Peter
remembered that this tempera painting was and John, denoting the immediate and
done at the end of the 15th century, while necessary conversation that ensued
that of Juan de Juanes was done during the between them upon hearing Jesus' words.
years of the Council of Trent, which Lastly, even more provocative are the
promoted art that defended and exalted the questions that Olson and Miesel pose to
Sacraments like the Eucharist. debunk the theory that Mary Magdalene
occupies the place traditionally reserved for
In their book, "The Da Vinci Hoax"
John. According to them, if John, whom the
(2004) Carl Orson and Sandra Miesel offer
Gospel describes as the Apostle Jesus
new analyses to demolish the theory behind
loved was absent in the painting, then where
"The Da Vinci Code." They cite the great art
could he have gone? And if that calm and
critic Steinberg's description of the figures in
reserved person at Jesus' right were indeedSOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE 8
a woman, why immediately conclude that it mangling his thigh by clamping a nasty
is Mary Magdalene and not Mary, the Mother spiked chain around it. This scene, which
of Jesus? Finally, why is it often presumed appeals to viewers’ apparent taste for
that Mary Magdalene was a young and sadomasochism, is relentlessly depicted in
beautiful woman--the perfect partner for the film version, again, painting a distorted
Jesus, who was then in his early 30s? Could picture of Opus Dei.
she not have been middle-aged, if not old
Mortification in Christian tradition
and even unattractive?
Is it calumny to say that members of
Opus Dei actually use whips and cilices?
4. Opus Dei and The Da Vinci Code One can easily get an answer through the
What the novel’s success tells us Intenet. It takes just 10 seconds to get to the
web page of a certain Willy Vazquez, a
Rabidly anti-Catholic novels like those of
numerary member of Opus Dei in Peru, who
Dan Brown’s try to show that the Catholic
says, yes, some members , but not all, use
Church is, among others, a misogynist
them and not in the way Silas in The Da
institution, governed by the scheming and
Vinci Code uses them. Vazquez further
the ruthless. Brown also rather gleefully
clarifies, “Just like all Christians, the
denigrates Opus Dei, depicting it as a
members of Opus Dei seek to offer small
perverse group that has nothing to do with
sacrifices in order to unite themselves with
what the Gospel teaches. Anti-Catholic
Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. The Church,
authors have always been around but why
in turn, reminds everyone during Lent that
do they so plague the western world today?
Jesus fasted and offered sacrifices for 40
And how could Opus Dei, an institution
days in the desert before he launched into
recognized by the Church, whose founder
his public life. During Lent, the Church
was declared a saint by the late John Paul II,
invites the faithful to also do penance and
be so maligned in this book?
offer up sacrifices to prepare themselves for
Opus Dei is far from how the book Holy Week. The members of Opus Dei
presents it through the figure of the monk perform acts of self-denial in ordinary
Silas, an albino with blood-shot eyes and a ways--in what they eat and drink, in the way
bizarre past. The author resorts to they deal with people, in their work, and in
stereotype Hollywood villains portrayed, for their struggle to become better persons. The
instance, in Vincent Price’s The Fall of the celibate members of Opus Dei, in addition,
House of Usher (1960) and by the Twins in use traditional modes of penance that are
The Matrix Reloaded (2003). Silas’ father, a recommended by the Church, like the cilice
tough longshoreman, used to beat him up as and the discipline. Opus Dei did not make
a child. This eventually leads to Silas them up, as they have been part of the
murdering a stevedore that reminded him of Church’s 2000-year-old tradition. Opus Dei
his father. He spends time in jail and reforms is not the only institution that uses them. In
but soon resumes his killing sprees. Brown fact, the cilice and the discipline used in
also seems to take pleasure in describing Opus Dei are so innocuous and perfectly
Silas indulging in bloody self-flagellation and adapted to the members’ condition as
ordinary men and women. They are used for9 SOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE
short spans and do no harm to the wellbeing Magazine (22 March 2006), journalist Bryan
of those who use it, considering the damage Curtis explains that the “big ideas” would be
that excessive drug or alcohol use, questions, like “Is the Vatican good or evil?”
high-cholesterol food, or even laziness does or “Is the NSA for or against us?” Finally, the
to people. Coming down to it, I must say that hidden treasures in his stories would include
people in these times do need to practice items, like a meteorite, anti-matter, a gold
some form of self-denial for their spiritual ring, and the Holy Grail. Brown mixed all
good. Those interested to learn more about these elements to come up with a veritable
Opus Dei but who do not wish to hear it from bomb, which we shall try to analyze now.
a member or even an ex-member, may
We could start with the “what-if” method.
check out John L. Allen, Jr.’s book, Opus Dei.
In the book The Da Vinci Hoax, Olson and
An Objective Look Behind the Myths and
Miesel state: “Imagine a novel based on the
Reality of the Most Controversial Force in
premise that the Holocaust had never
the Catholic Church (Doubleday 2005). It is
happened but was the invention of a
ironic that this book was published by the
powerful group of Jewish leaders who have
same house that released The Da Vinci
used that ‘myth’ to garner themselves power
Code in the USA.
and fortune. Or consider a theoretical novel
The Brown’s inspiration claiming that Muhammad was not a prophet
at all but a drug addled homosexual who
Why did Dan Brown attack Opus Dei in such
married multiple wives in order to hide his
an unrealistic way? Around the middle of
deviant behavior and who killed
March 2006, Brown faced a London court as
non-Muslims in fits of rage against
a witness when the authors of the book Holy
heterosexuals.” Massimo Introvigne, a
Blood, Holy Grail sued Random House on
scholar on religions, suggests another
grounds that The Da Vinci Code
what-if scenario. Imagine a book that says
substantially plagiarized one of their works.
that, “after being enlightened, Buddha did
There, Brown revealed a document that
not lead the presumed chaste life but had a
contained clues to his work. He said he was
wife and children. After he died, the Buddhist
going to write a thriller that would take a
community encroached upon the rights of
punch at the National Security Agency
his wife, his rightful heir. Or what-if a famous
(NSA). The hero would be an Everyman
Buddhist saint who died in the last century,
besieged by evil powers beyond his
like Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki 鈴
comprehension. In no time, he realized that
(1870-1966), was really the ringleader of a
he managed to sell novels that contained
band of hoodlums? To perpetuate these lies,
three basic elements: a mysterious power of
the Dalai Lama and other international
sorts, like a secret society or a government
personalities involved in Buddhism actually
agency; a “big” idea with a vague moral
resorted to all kinds of schemes, including
foundation; and a hidden treasure. Further,
the murder of thousands, or millions,
these mysterious powers would involve evil
throughout history.” The authors conclude
conspirators within the NSA, the Catholic
that critics would be unanimous in censuring
Church, or Opus Dei, who would wage battle
such a novel as politically incorrect. It would
against the “good guys,” like the Masons,
be banned from libraries and bookstores
the Illuminatti, or the priory of Sion. In SlateSOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE 10
and everyone would approve. And perish 5. Jesus, According to The Da Vinci Code
the thought of it having a film version. The critics’ take on the novel
The Christian tradition under threat After its initial impact on the consciences of
Christians and on the culture scene in
If we continue to ask ourselves why the
general, the novel The Da Vinci Code (2003)
latter scenario would happen, but not so in
is starting to get the raw end of its attempt at
the case of The Da Vinci Code, the answer
de-mythifying Christianity. For using fiction
probably lies in the present moral decline of
as a mode for imparting history lessons, it
the West, which began decades before Dan
has received due response from offended
Brown’s works would even enjoy such a
groups, among which include the Catholic
following. Their publication then would have
Church, Protestant groups, and even albino
generated a huge scandal. Moreover, the
associations. The citizens of Seville likewise
western world’s all-out defense of the
are embarrassed by the way the author
respect that the other creeds, like Buddhism
unrealistically describes their city. Among
and Islam, deserve seems to be but mere
the Catholic organizations reacting, the
posturing and probably an unconscious
Catholic Prelature of Opus Dei felt
move toward self-destruction. Umberto Eco
particularly offended for the unrealistic way
expresses the same idea in another way in
in which is portrayed, and she had asked
his column in L’ Espresso (30 July 2005). He
Sony that at least include a disclaimer in the
first points out that critics were right in
movie saying that the story is fictional,
riddling holes into the novel for committing
something that was not accepted.
gross historical errors as regards issues like,
“Jesus’ relationship with Mary Magdalene, The book’s more offensive affirmations
their descendants’ flight to France, and the touch on its negative and mistaken views of
founding of the Merovingians and the Priory Jesus Christ: (1) that the first Christians did
of Sion. Brown simply collected trash that not think he was God; (2) that he married
has been circulating for decades among Mary Magdalene and sired a son with her; (3)
worthless books on the occult.” Secondly, that Jesus and the Magdalene symbolized
Eco is concerned that Brown and company’s the masculine-feminine duality in the
ploy has succeeded, given that the manner of pagan deities like Mars and
numerous attempts to debunk the work have Athena or Isis and Osiris; (4) that Christian
only served to boost its sales and push it history was written by political
further into the spotlight. Eco, an atheist, conquerors—that is, it was “Peter’s party”
therefore hits the nail on the head: “I think that made up the tale of Mary Magdalene as
what unsettles the Catholic Church is that a repentant sinner; and (5) that Jesus
‘credence to the Code’ (and, consequently, Christ’s divinity was established afterwards,
to another Jesus) is symptomatic of at the instigation of Emperor Constantine in
de-Christianization… (for), as Chesterton the Council of Nicea (325 AD), with the end
once said, when people no longer believe in of creating a patriarchal society. All these
God, it is not that they have stopped are estrange affirmations, because not only
believing—they just end up believing the gospels but also the first documents of
anything.” the Church say just the opposite.11 SOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE
The previous assumptions serve as a documented sources, he only gives credit to
springboard for even more absurd ones to the guesswork of writer Margaret Starbird in
describe the Church: (a) that the Church the book, The Woman with the Alabaster Jar:
turned misogynist and later developed a Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail. Starbird,
machinery that resorted to criminal acts to however, she clearly points out, “Of course, I
suppress feminism; and (b) that to remain in cannot prove that the dogmas of the ‘heresy
power, it has for 20 centuries deceived of the Holy Grail’ are true: that Jesus was
mankind about the figure of Christ. The list married or that Mary Magdalene was the
of errors as regards historical events can go mother of his child. Neither can I prove that
on and on, but I shall now focus on how the Mary Magdalene was the woman with the
novel presents Jesus Christ, based in the alabaster jar who anointed Jesus in
work of some experts in exegesis and Bethany… But, yes, I can verify that these
history, debunking the many assertions and dogmas were part of a widely-believed
innuendoes that the novel wishes to pass off heresy during the Middle Ages and that its
as fact, causing even some agnostic traces may be found in numerous works of
intellectuals to distance themselves from the art and literature that survived despite
work. constant and violent suppression on the part
of the Church of Rome.” This statement is
Exegetical misconceptions
likewise debatable, refers to a heresy and is
The Da Vinci Code affirms that Jesus definitely a far cry from Brown’s assertions.
Christ was married, with Brown saying that Besides it is good to recall that scholar
the said union was “documented,” even as Phillip G. Davis had asserted in his book
he does not say where the documents are, Goddess Unmasked: The Rise of Neopagan
which puts his statement to doubt. Moreover, Feminist Spirituality, that the roots of
there are more powerful reasons to believe Goddess spirituality lie not in prehistoric
that Jesus was indeed celibate. In one hand, matriarchal societies, but rather in Western
the evangelists mention his “mother” and his esoteric traditions and in the Romantic
“brethren,” but not a wife. On the other hand, movement of the 19th century.
if we presume that someone wanted to do
Some historical errors
away with elements that would put Jesus “on
the spot,” then why affirm the truth of other Everyone knows that it is hard to be
events and incidents, like Jesus’ baptism by objective when writing history but it is also
John? Finally, Celibacy in Israel was rare, true that history, as a social science,
but some did practice it. Therefore, it should observes certain standards to allow it to
not be surprising that Jesus Christ would come as close to the truth as possible. Take
want to highlight his unique mission in this the case of four witnesses to an accident. All
way. While he did not demean matrimony or four would narrate what they saw, each one
demand that his followers be celibate, he with his or her own version of the truth. In
emphasized nonetheless that love for God the end, all four accounts will help the judge
ought to be above everything else. get down to what really happened. Such is
the case of the four gospels that only do not
When Brown affirms that the marriage
contradict, but also complement each other.
of Jesus and Mary Magdalene has
Brown’s construction of Jesus’ life does notSOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE 12
use as sources the gospels or the writings of Although Emperor Constantine was not
the Fathers of the Church or the liturgical or baptized, he facilitated the gathering after
historical documents, but only the so-called having again united the Empire (324 AD)
Gnostic gospels that date one or two because he also wanted to see a united
centuries after the canonical gospels and Church in the light of a new heresy that was
which were written by a non-Christian sect spreading like wildfire: Arianism, which
that was influenced by Christianity. As denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. In 318
Thomas Williams, Dean of Theology of the AD, Arius presented strongly his views to the
Regina Apostolorum University in Rome bishop of Alexandria (north of Egypt), which
said in an interview published by Zenit News was why the synod of bishops of Egypt
Agency, “One of the major differences excommunicated him and which led to his
between gnosticism and Christianity is the in flight. There were bishops in the Council, like
the way they understand the origin of evil. Eusebius of Cesarea, who were friends of
Christians believe that God is an infinitely Arius. Eusebius later became a famous
good being that created a world that is good Church historian whose books exaggerated
and that it was man’s abuse of freedom that Constantine’s influence on the Council. But
sin and corruption stepped into the picture comparing Eusebius’ History with other
and brought about disorder and suffering. Council documents, historians conclude that
Some Gnostics, on the other hand, say that Constantine had no influence on the
God is the source of evil because he created formulation of the Creed that was approved
a disordered world and that it should not be there. This was for two reasons: he did not
surprising that to set things right, Cain had to have enough theological know-how to
murder his brother Abel, Esau had to sell his impose upon questions being debated there
birthright to Jacob for a plate of lentils, and and he personally leaned towards Arianism.
Jesus had to betray Jesus. The recently Thus, contrary to Brown’s claims, the
discovered Gnostic gospel of Judas semi-convert Constantine considered Jesus
presents a good Judas but this theory is Christ, not as God, but only as an exalted
certainly not new. For example, it is enough creature.
to recall the 1973 rock opera Jesus Christ
In the 2003 Philadelphia Inquirer,
Superstar where Judas sings ‘I haven’t
Brown said, “When you put down the book,
come of my own device…’ and the 1977
you will have learned a lot of great things. I
Taylor Caldwell Novel, I, Judas. In other
had to do a lot of research for it.” No one
words, the method used by Brown to portray
denies that Brown really worked a lot on his
primitive Christianity it is something similar
book but three years of preparation (Angels
like to write about the disintegration of the
and Demons was published in 2000) do not
Han dynasty, based only in the 14th century
seem enough to tackle such an ambitious
novel of Romance of the Tree Kingdoms.
project. Yet we have learned a lot, not from
As regards the proceedings of the Brown, but from the expertise of the critics
Council of Nicea, it is easy to find who have assessed his book. These are
information about history’s first ecumenical men and women who have worked long and
council. It brought together 300 bishops, hard in their fields of specialization through
some of who had suffered persecution. which Brown so superficially tread. We can13 SOME NOTES ON THE DA VINCI CODE conclude that Brown attempt of de-mythifying Christianity, had rise too much criticism against him that the only thing de-mythified was his novel.
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