Da Vinci Code Debunked

1. Da Vinci Code Debunked May 15, 2006

2. Introduction • Panelists • Irene • Mariana • Adam • Ann • Why is there a problem; after all, isn’t it just fiction? • Focus on errors about Scripture and early Church History (Ann) • Focus on errors about Opus Dei (Irene, Mariana, Adam)

3. Popularity and Impact of Da Vinci Code • NYT Bestseller List for over 150 weeks • 25 million books • 45 languages • “One of the most widely read books of all time” • Dan Brown named one of the world’s top 100 influential people by TIME magazine

4. Problem: Pretense to Historical Accuracy • According to Dan Brown: • 8/28/03HOW MUCH OF THIS NOVEL IS BASED ON FACT?All of it. The paintings, locations, historical documents, and organizations described in the novel all exist. Photos of the paintings and locations can be viewed in art books or on my website. • 1/17/04HOW MUCH OF THIS NOVEL IS BASED ON FACT?The paintings, locations, historical documents, and organizations described in the novel all exist. Photos of the paintings and locations can be viewed in art books or on my website. • www.danbrown.com (currently one big commercial for the movie)

5. The Da Vinci Code Proclaims Itself Based on FACT • First Page, before the Prolog is a page entitled FACT • Priory of Sion • Opus Dei • “All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.”

6. But Errors Abound In • Art • History • Jesus Christ • Canon of Scripture • The Church • Man and Woman • Opus Dei

8. Cottage Industry in Exposing Fallacies in Da Vinci Code • 60 Minutes, 30 April 30 2006, exposed the lies in the DVC about the Priory of Sion and its ‘ancient’ documents http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/27/60minutes/main1552009.shtml • Catholic Answers discusses in detail errors associated with Church http://www.catholic.com/library/cracking_da_vinci_code.asp • Several books recently published highlighting errors

9. Must Limit Discussion to a Few Errors in DVC • Focus on Scripture and Early Church History Errors • In particular, Chapters 55-60 (30 pages) • Jesus Christ • Canon of Scripture • Gnosticism • Constantine the Great and the Church

10. DVC ‘HISTORICAL’ CLAIMS Married to Mary Magdalene Church defamed Mary Magdalene No Jewish man would willing accept celibacy in first century HISTORICAL FACTS No documentation of time makes any claims about Jesus being married to Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene is the apostles to the apostles; how is this defaming?? Many Jews lived celibate life style Philo and theraputae in Egypt Qumran community Jesus Christ

11. DVC ‘HISTORICAL’ CLAIMS Christian philosophers wrote Genesis to replace female creative power with male creative power Qumran Scrolls are early Christian works Bible collated by Constantine HISTORICAL FACTS Qumran Scrolls are NOT Christian, but Jewish literature of 1st Century Genesis in part of Hebrew, not New Testament, Canon NT completed by 100; 2nd C Christians refer to it; Canon of Scripture predates Constantine by 200 years (Irenaeus) Canon of Scripture

12. DVC ‘HISTORICAL’ CLAIMS Nag Hammadi scrolls earliest Christian literature Gospel of Philip and Mary describe marriage of Jesus to Mary Magdalene Believed Jesus was only human HISTORICAL FACTS Nag Hammadi scrolls were written well after NT Gnostics believed that Jesus was NOT human, he only appeared to be human Gnostics thought the material world (including flesh, sex) were evil ‘Marriage’ is eschatological; Jesus marries the Church and initiates spiritually marry Jesus See for example Robert Grant, “The Mystery of Marriage in Gospel of Philip”, Vigiliae Christianae, 1961; available on line through MIT Libraries Gnosticism

13. DVC ‘HISTORICAL’ CLAIMS “Constantine turned Jesus into a deity” Constantine shifted day of worship to coincided with worship of Sun Constantine ordered the writing of NT Constantine baptized against his will on his death bed HISTORICAL FACTS Earliest heresy (2nd C) was that Jesus was not human, only divine Earliest church Fathers (Ignatius of Antioch, Ireraeus) taught that Jesus was human and divine Sunday as day set aside for Christian worship goes back to late 1st C; first day of week, new creation, Easter Common practice in 4th C not to be baptized until near death Church and Constantine the Great

14. “Christ is being sold again, no longer to the leaders of the Sanhedrin for thirty denarii, but to editors and booksellers for billions of denarii.” --Fr. Cantalamessa, Good Friday Homily 2006,St. Peter’s

15. 243 Lexington Avenue, NY

17. Opus Dei www.opusdei.org • Opus Dei is a Catholic institution founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá in 1928. Its mission is to help lay people turn their work and daily activities into occasions for growing closer to God, for serving others, and for improving society. • In 61 Countries. • Africa 1,800Asia and the Pacific 4,800The Americas 29,400Europe 49,000

18. Message of Opus Dei • Holiness is not something for the privileged few… but for everyone. • Work, family life, and other ordinary activities are occasions for spiritual union with Jesus Christ.

19. What Does Opus Dei Do? • Opus Dei complements the work of local churches by offering classes, retreats and spiritual direction. • These activities are held in Opus Dei centers or in a church, office or private home.

20. DVC CLAIMS Head of Opus Dei afraid it will be ejected from Church Members are fixated on pain Women members are repressed FACTS “Personal prelature” initiative of Vatican II Members struggle to become persons for others, in their work, family and social life Men and women centers and programs are independent of each other Opus Dei

21. DVC CLAIMS Secrecy Brain-washing Interest in money Conservative FACTS Respect for privacy, interior life Loyal to teachings of the Church; freedom of opinion in all else Use money at the service of doing good Preserving doctrine and liturgy but open to all noble initiatives Opus Dei

22. TRUTHS ABOUT OPUS DEI • Ordinary lay people • Sanctifying their daily lives • Virtues • Spiritual life: Prayer, Study, Presence of God, Spiritual direction, Sacraments • Ethical work • Joy and Peace in everyday tasks

23. Receiving Formation at Opus Dei Center • I am not a member • Weekly Circle (formation class- scripture and catholic virtues) • Confession and meditation • Helps me to live out my catholic vocation as a: • Student • Wife • Daughter • Friend • Mother

24. Opus Dei Cooperators • Not members of Opus Dei but support the Prelature with prayer, donations, etc. and share in certain spiritual benefits • Cooperators often friends or family of members, but not necessarily… do not even have to be Catholic! • Reasons one might want to be a Cooperator; find the spirituality helpful, esp. for students: • Sanctification of work/studies • “Unity of life” and contemplation in the world • Divine filiation • Desire to encourage or support the apostolic work of Opus

25. Resources • Planet Envoy • Catholic Answers • www.jesusdecoded.com • Uncommon Faith • www.opusdei.org • www.opusdeiblogs.org • www.stjosemaria.org

26. Testimonial • Chris Blunt, member of Opus Dei