Recently, there have been many opportunities in popular culture to discuss faith in Jesus and the Christian world view, from Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ to C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles due out in cinemas in December.
The fine people at the Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and Education (CASE) have released a new DVD to turn the growing controversy surrounding Dan Brown’s book, The Da Vinci Code, into more opportunities for ministry.
When it comes to this best-seller novel the opportunities for gospel conversation seem endless. And the topic is going to be around for a while "” Sony Pictures has announced that they are making the story into a movie to be released next year.
The Da Vinci Code has fired the imaginations of millions of readers around the world. It's a gripping story of murder, religious intrigue and ancient history. The novel has left many considering their own spirituality. It combines the thrills of crime writing with the claims of religious history and more than a dash of conspiracy theories.
What makes The Da Vinci Code such a talking point for Christians is the way it wraps a murder mystery around alternative claims about the true history of Christianity. Tapping into the negative emotions many people have about the church, it throws down the gauntlet to Christians to demonstrate that their faith is worth believing.
Consequently the CASE DVD, Convinced by Da Vinci?, is a welcome arrival.
In this 2 part hour-long presentation, Director of CASE Greg Clarke explores how the novel has tapped into common feelings about the Christian church and traditional religion. He also examines the novel's various claims:
"¢ Is there any evidence that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene?
"¢ Was the Bible put together for political purposes?
"¢ Are there other ancient gospels that tell us about Jesus?
"¢ Did the Priory of Sion exist?
"¢ Is religious truth a hard-to-find secret?
"¢ Is the novel an elaborate joke?
You can now buy a CD ($10) or DVD ($20) of the seminar Greg has been giving. Download the order form here.
