In Case You Thought There Were Facts Behind “The Da Vinci Code”

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

The April 8, 2006 issue of the Omaha World-Herald contained an interesting follow-up on the lawsuit by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, against Dan Brown, the author of the very popular The Da Vinci Code. The article contained some very telling conclusions by the judge in the case.

London High Court Judge Peter Smith was impressed by the success of The Da Vinci Code, but he noted that "Brown was so dependent on the research of his wife, Blythe, that he was unable to offer clear answers on the stand about when they first read Holy Blood, Holy Grail. 'I do not believe he consciously lied,' Smith wrote, 'His failure to address these points in my view shows once again that the reality of his research is that it is superficial.' The judge could not help pointing out, too, that the author's ideas were less than divinely inspired. He noted that Brown wishes to create 'gray' areas, not black and white. He simply needs, therefore, a mystery and a series of unanswered questions. He can do that without deep research, and that he has done."

Mr. Brown's work is a work of fiction based on shallow research, according to a learned judge. He sat out to write a mystery story and succeeded very well, but it remains a fictional story that promotes a very warped view of history and Christianity. The fact that millions have flocked to it just echoes Paul's statement: "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:6-9).