Well, I finally did it. Scottie and I went to see the DaVinci Code Tuesday evening (although we always have a difficult time leaving Sabre, our 6 year old daughter, while we are out doing something. I think that we can count the number of times we've done that on the fingers of one hand.) I'd read the book about a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I had to read Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, which he wrote before the DaVinci Code. Scottie hasn't read either book but had really wanted to see the moving.
Actually, we both love just about everything Tom Hanks has done. Of course, we've also enjoyed Opie's...oops!..., I mean Ron Howard's work as well. So, after packing Sabre off to grandma's, we went to the local mulitplex to plunk down an outrageous amount of money to see this movie and an even more outrageous amount of cash for 2 soft drinks, a bag of popcorn and a pretzel.
In spite of all of the above, however, we both absolutely loved the movie. We found it to be a riveting and well done piece of "mystery cinema, " in spite of what most of the movie critics are writing about it. In fact, I'd like to recommend that everyone go see this movie. Now, I know that may seem a little strange that a minister of the church should make such a recommendation. However, I believe that not just seeing the movie, but investigating the claims made in this movie can actually be a faith strengthening activity and one that may broaden one's understanding and appreciation for both the Bible and the history of the church. Here's some ways in which this may happen:
First, the claim that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene does not, in my opinion, have any merit (although this is not a new claim and is one that has been debated over the centuries). However, what is important is that the figure of Mary Magdalene has been greatly misrepresented in the stories of the church over time. She has been characterized as a prostitute, which she was not, and her role as an early eyewitness and evangelizer of the resurrection of Christ has been almost entirely ignored. But what may really be at issue here is the way in which the role of women, once prominent in the early church, has been reduced and relegated to one subordinate to men. In many churches, women are frequently denied many ministerial opportunities as they've been relegated to so-called "non-teaching" positions (though in some churches Sunday School teaching is not deemed important enough, so women are usually allowed to teach the children in many of these churches.)
Secondly, the way the official canon, or approved composition of the Bible, developed over time is a fascinating story in itself. Rather than being fearful or reticent to admit to and discuss this particular aspect of the church's history, I believe that it offers us an important glimpse into the way that humans have always participated in God's work in the world in spite of our human failings and limitations. It further challenges us to seriously examine the foundations of our own beliefs, doctrines and the way "we live Christianity" in view of the diversity that exists among many Christians in the world today.
The diversity of Christian thinking in today's world is not something new in history. The DaVinci Code touches on the historicity of the diversity of Christian thinking and of distinct "Christianities" in the early history of the church as well. I believe that this rich history of the church also reveals to us the faith and dedication of disciples of Jesus Christ even though they sometimes disagreed over issues of doctrine, church structure and even of faith itself. By studying these diverse theologies, for example, we can come to a clearer picture of the difference between elements of the faith that Jesus taught and the doctrines that arise out of human needs and desires of a particular historical time and social/cultural context.
As I assume it must be obvious from this post, I am quite dismayed by recent efforts by some church leaders to organize boycotts of the movie and the book. Some Christians have even picketed in front of movie theaters in an effort to discourage people from seeing the movie. Clearly, this kind of tactic frequently backfires, fueling interest in a film rather than discouraging it. But more than that, I resent some Christian leaders who claim to represent all Christians as though they have some kind of ''corner" on truth and have the right to dictate the way I should think and act as a Christian.
A recent article in the online version of Soujourners magazine, a Christian journal, discusses these attempts to dissuade viewing the movie. Ryan McCarl, a Christian theology student at the University of Chicago wrote in the article, "Is the DaVinci Code Dangerous:"
"It is a bit embarassing to see groups that claim to be the guardians of eternal, timeless truths prominently scrambling to suppress the popularity of a three-year-old thriller novel. If the fundamentals of Christian doctrine are true, then Christians should have no fear of discussing their faith and objections to it in the public and academic arena. Other claimants to truth - philosophers, writers, and scientists - have to do so on a regular basis.
If the tough questions are openly examined and discussed, the truth ought to prevail without the help of boycotts, political intervention, or force. As St. Paul advises us, "test everything; hold fast to what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Christian faith has survived a great many tests over the centuries, and it is hard to believe that a popular novel poses any threat to its survival; if anything, it is the shameful response of some Christian groups to anything that looks like a challenge that makes the church lose credibility in the eyes of the public."
To that I add ... Amen.
