Seminary Prof Contests Biblical Revisionism Found in 'Da Vinci Code'
by Allie Martin
April 22, 2004
(AgapePress) - A Christian professor is on a mission to refute what he says are many errors in the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code.In his new book, author Darrell Bock responds to the best-seller by Dan Brown, which Bock says attempts to rewrite biblical history. In Breaking the Da Vinci Code, Bock dissects Brown's novel and outlines historical and biblical reasons why he disagrees with Brown's assertion that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married.
Bock says Christians must know not only the Bible, but also the history of the Church. "And this is something most Christians know very little [about]," he says. "It's very, very important to understand this history in light of what's being said about secret gospels in numerous writings. I mean, this novel isn't the only thing that's out there."
Believers, Bock says, need to stand up against what he says is deception in Brown's novel. "This is a very important discussion, because ... when things like this come up, many Christians tend to react by saying, 'I won't listen to this, I won't have anything to do with it, I don't want to know anything about it,'" he says.
"The problem with that [attitude] is that millions of people are hearing what's being said, are being exposed to it, and are processing it."
Bock offers a more constructive way of dealing with the controversy. "A better way to handle this is not to turn your back on it and walk away, but really to engage the topic and get hold of resources that leaders in the church oftentimes will provide."
According to Bock, who is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, many Christian colleges are teaching the same historical and biblical revisionism featured in The Da Vinci Code.
