Gilvin, Brandon. St.
Louis: Chalice Press, 2004. 103 + vii pp. $12.99 (USD) / $15.21
(CAD). ISBN 0-8272-3457-0.
[1] The immensely popular Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has
been on the New York Times “Best-Seller” list
for almost three years. It has captured the imagination of readers
as much for its controversial, and sometimes outrageous, theories
about Christian history as for its puzzle-like mystery plot. Although
Brown’s book is a novel, its prefatory “Facts” page,
which refers to the existence of various art works, religious documents,
and religious societies, has been taken by many to apply to the
theories espoused by the novel’s characters. Not surprisingly,
a number of religious writers have responded to the book in amazingly
diverse ways, from those who condemn the book’s conspiratorial
interpretation of Christian history to those who praise its apparent
pro-woman view of religion. Indeed, the book may have spawned more
new Sunday school classes in the last two years than any religious
curriculum ever published.
[2] In the midst of these diverse responses is a balanced, well-written
discussion by Brandon Gilvin: Solving the Da Vinci Code Mystery.
Gilvin, a fairly recent Vanderbilt Divinity School graduate, wrote
this book after leading a Sunday school class on The Da Vinci
Code at Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Lexington,
Kentucky in 2004. Gilvin neither condemns nor praises Brown’s
work. Instead, he sees in Brown’s code-riddled mystery an
opportunity to engage thoughtful lay people in exploring the real
mysteries of Christian history. Typical of Gilvin’s modus
operandi is a comment he makes in the first chapter where he
examines Brown’s claim that Constantine compiled the Bible:
Brown has done an excellent job of setting us up with a mystery
concerning Christian origins. He has left several clues for us,
pointing us in the direction of the history of the canon and revealing
the existence of non-canonical gospels, such as those found at Nag
Hammadi (19).
[3] Each chapter of Solving the Da Vinci Code Mystery lays
out the “clues” about various aspects of Christian history
supplied by Dan Brown’s characters; then it tracks down solutions
to the “mysteries” posed by the clues. The first chapter
examines who compiled the Bible. The second chapter explores what
the Council of Nicaea actually established. The third surveys what
is known about Mary Magdalene. The fourth chapter considers whether
Jesus had children. The fifth chapter investigates whether there
has been a church conspiracy to hide facts about Jesus. And the
sixth chapter proposes ways that inquiring Christians can interact
with The Da Vinci Code.
[4] Gilvin’s detective motif allows him to treat Brown’s
novel with the respect due a good story, while at the same time
revealing well-established biblical and historical information.
This strategy should be attractive to those who are partial to Brown’s “theories” as
well as to those who find them incredible. By taking The Da Vinci
Code seriously, Gilvin is able clearly to identify the facts
alluded to in the novel, and then explore what modern scholarship can tell
us about them, including what is known about the historical Jesus
and Mary Magdalene, how Christian understanding of the nature of
Jesus evolved, what Gnostic writings such as the Gospel of Mary
actually say, and what the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei really are.
For thoughtful lay readers, the solutions Gilvin provides to these “mysteries” will
be every bit as intriguing as Dan Brown’s creative inventions.
[5] At the end of each chapter is a set of discussion questions
that would be useful in a Sunday school class, but could be adapted
for a more secular book discussion group. Particularly valuable
for the serious reader are concise, but well-informed, and up-to-date
bibliographies for each chapter. The book is well worth its price
for anyone who has enjoyed reading The Da Vinci Code and
has wondered how much of its religious “history” is
accurate. One would only wish that Gilvin would consider following
up with a sequel that would examine the art historical mysteries
of Brown’s novel with the same balance and readability as Solving
the Da Vinci Code Mystery!
Paul Custodio Bube, Lyon College
pcbube@lyon.edu
