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