Da Vinci Code Provides Opportunity for Evangelical Response

It's not everyday that a Hollywood release shakes the foundations of the Christian faith. But with the "Da Vinci Code" coming out in a movie version on May 19, evangelicals have been gearing up for the challenge of millions seeing and wondering about the “facts” supplied in the new Tom Hanks movie based on the Dan Brown book. Materials and events are being produced to prepare Christians for the release of the movie. Some of the individuals and organizations offering material include:

- Campus Crusade -- The Da Vinci Code: A Companion Guide to the Movie, a 20-page mini-magazine

- Church Communication Network -- two satellite conferences, one for evangelism training and one as an outreach event timed to the release of the movie

- Dallas Theological Seminary – with N.T. expert Darrell Bock in their stable, they have a most impressive web-based set of audio and video clips dealing with 20 topics and using Drs. Bailey, Bingham, and Bock (Bock is also author of one of the best books on the DaVinci Code (Breaking the Da Vinci Code: Answers to the Questions Everybody’s Asking; Nelson Books, 2004)

- James L. Garlow, Peter Jones. Cracking Da Vinci's Code: You've Read the Fiction, Now Read the Facts, Victor, 2004. ISBN: 078144165-X

- Michael Hamblin's web site (http://www.ductape.net/~michaelh/davinci.shtml) offers an encyclopedic list of evangelical resources available for dealing with aspects of the book/movie

- Hank Hanegraaff, Paul L. Maier. Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction, Tyndale, 2004. ISBN: 1-4143-0279-7

- Leadership U web site (http://www.leaderu.com/focus/davincicode.html) provides a good orientation to the issue with lots of hyper-links to articles by evangelical scholars such as Bock and Witherington

- Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer -- The Da Vinci Deception Experience, a DVD-based group study with sermon aids; Erwin W. Lutzer, The Da Vinci Deception: Credible Answers to the Questions Millions are asking about Jesus, the Bible, and The Da Vinci CodeTyndale, 2004. ISBN: 0-8423-8430-8

- Josh McDowell, Beyond Belief -- The Da Vinci Code: A Quest for Answers, a paperback with on-line study guide

- Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary offers an 10 session audio workshop on the Da Vinci Code (http://www.mbts.edu/Resources/workshop_davincicode.htm)

- Probe Ministries and EvanTell -- Redeeming The Da Vinci Code, a DVD-based small group study toolkit combining apologetics, evangelism training, and outreach materials (http://www.probe.org/)

- Rose Publishing – they have a large laminated pamphlet and a VERY comprehensive PowerPoint (with almost 200 professional slides) available (http://www.rose-publishing.com/)

- Lee Strobel and Gary Poole -- Discussing The Da Vinci Code, a DVD-based group study filmed at locations mentioned in the novel

- Ben Witherington, III. The Gospel Code: Novel Claims About Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Da Vinci, InterVarsity Press, 2004. ISBN: 0-8308-326

Whether you see the movie as an outreach opportunity, a place where truth needs to be spoken, or as a clever way to piggyback on a cultural phenom for a sermon series on Jesus Christ, these resources ought to get you started right.