Discussing the Da Vinci Code Discussion Guide: Examining the Issues Raised by the Book and Movie

by Lee Strobel, Garry Poole

First as a runaway bestselling novel and then as a blockbuster movie, The Da Vinci Code has fascinated millions. Its allegations against historic Christianity are colorfully portrayed---but are they true, or merely inaccurate accounts of centuries-old myths and heresies? * Has the true historical record been suppressed? * Were eighty different gospels contending for the New Testament? * Was Mary Magdalene really directed to lead the church? * Does a secret society keep Jesus' bloodline hidden? * Is the divinity of Jesus the fabrication of a third-century church council? * How accurate is the research behind these and other assertions in The Da Vinci Code? Enjoy riveting DVD interviews with noted experts---and prepare for some lively discussions as your group explores provocative issues raised by The Da Vinci Code. Four sessions address the following 1. What Can History Really Tell Us? 2. Can We Trust the Four Gospels? 3. What's the Role of Women in Christianity? 4. Is Jesus Really the Son of God? This DVD-guided small group forum is designed for use with an accompanying participant's guide that includes discussion questions, sidebar information, background material, Bible verses, and relevant quotes. Each session includes interviews with experts and concludes with facilitator Lee Strobel's perspective. Also Discussing the Da Vinci Code Participant's Guide

Genres: Christian

96 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

About the author

Lee Patrick Strobel is an American Christian author and a former investigative journalist. He has written several books, including four that received ECPA Christian Book Awards (1994, 1999, 2001, 2005)[2] and a series which addresses challenges to the veracity of Christianity. He also hosted a television program called Faith Under Fire on PAX TV and runs a video apologetics web site.

Reviews

[Matt Kelland · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started off intending to read this as a laugh. And indeed, I did laugh to start with. Strobel makes assertions like saying that many of the so-called facts in the book are untrue, but it doesn't contain the most important fact of all, which is that Jesus was the Son of God, was divine, and was raised from the dead, which we know to be true because everything in the Bible is true. He also states that anyone who queries the literal truth of the Bible is "irrational." Okay, so that's his definition of a fact. It's not mine. He also starts from the point of view that you should be open-minded, question everything, draw your own conclusions, and that way your faith in God will be strengthened. That's not having an open mind - that's prejudging the outcome of your questioning.

He then lambasts Dan Brown because a reader of fiction has the right to expect that anything in the book MUST be true. Authors should not make up facts or change history. Come off it. I've read countless novels where history was changed to make a better story - even ones where it says that this is a true story. It's what fiction IS, dammit! When I read Digital Fortress I was aware that he knew enough about cryptography to tell a good story, but he's making some of it up. I don't demand that everything is 100% accurate.

And Strobel himself talks a lot of BS at times. For example, he states that women were never oppressed by the Church, and were always treated as equals. Uh, right, so that's why women were instructed to be subservient to their husbands, and why they were forbidden to be priests. He also uses a bunch of Jesuitical tricks, such as when he states that no witches were put to death by the Church, despite what the book says. That's true. The ecclesiastical courts found them guilty, then handed them over to the secular courts for execution so that they could keep their hands clean.

But then I started smiling.

Dan Brown, whether you like his work or not, has written a novel so powerful that it's sparked all this intense discussion and debate. It's not the first book about Jesus and his divinity, but no other book has had such an incredible impact. I can't help but admire someone who can have such an effect with a pot-boiler of a novel. It was fascinating to see how he's trying to get people to defend their faith against issues used as throw-away sentences in a thriller, and incredible to think that Christians seriously regard The Da Vinci Code as a threat to their beliefs.

[DaShannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code I read Breaking the Da Vinci Code by Block. Then I saw this one and read it. I enjoy getting all the background information from a religious perspective. Strobel wrote The Case For Christ and hosts a TV series Faith Under Fire. Zondervan publishes his work. Although I know The Da Vinci Code by Brown is fiction and I read it as such, I wanted to know more. Strobel addresses the history in the novel, Mary Magdalene, secret societies, and the role of women in the Bible. This is really meant as a study guide to Strobel's DVD.

[Zabdiel David Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al estilo de "El caso de Cristo" y "El caso de la Fe", Lee Strobel vuelve a hurgar en la historia para dar con el perfil más correcto del Mesías prometido al mundo: Jesús de Nazareth. Esta vez, busca debatir la matriz de opinión que levantó el éxito de librería "El código Da Vinci", de Dan Brown, a quién se le concede ser "uno de los más exitosos novelistas de todos los tiempos, pero no hay razón lógica para creer en su audaz recreación del cristianismo".

Uno podrá encontrar información reveladora acerca del fraude del Priorato de Sion, los evangelios gnósticos y otras fuentes citadas "a voluntad" por el novelista, pero que lo dejan mal parado en cuanto a su veracidad o precisión histórica. Nadie niega que "El Código Da Vinci" sea una narrativa interesante, pero al jugar con la historia y nombrar personajes históricos reales, no se puede ser poco estricto.

Lee Strobel, Garry Poole y una serie de entrevistados debaten (y rebaten) la historicidad de los planteamientos de "El Código", y lo reducen el "fenómeno" a que la gente quiere oye lo que quiere oír (es duro, pero muy cierto). En parte motivado por los escándalos en el seno de la Iglesia Católica, y por parte de otros religiosos ilustres, la gente cuestionará lo que éstos dicen defender.

Tal vez lo único en lo que no concuerdo con los expertos citados en este libro es la opinión generalizada de que Constantino era un cristiano converso (y de buenas intenciones), cuando es más viable —y no es porque lo diga este servidor—, que su "conversión" se debió a tretas políticas ¡El tiempo lo dirá en todo caso!

Al final, Strobel ofrece un resumen muy sintetizado de su obra "El caso de Cristo". Vale la pena leerla y saber cómo responder a quienes dan por hecho lo que Dan Brown imaginó para vender una historia atractiva.

[Jeremiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This kit of DVD and book are a perfect one-two combo for a first look into this issue. Even though the Da Vinci hype is over the uncertainty about the credibility of early canonical and non-canonical books, church councils, Jesus' "family", Gnostic writings, and a host of other issues are alive and well today. Lee interviews Paul Meier (Case Western Reserve University) who is an expert in these areas, so he gets to the bottom of a lot of these issues quickly.
My only slight drawback is that the book is small (maybe 100 pages), so I would also buy another book that goes into a bit more detail. But don't get me wrong you will come out equipped with a solid overview after going through this material. Also, this would be a perfect kit for small groups.

[Justin Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read the book book without watching the DVDs, but it was still very informative and convincing.