'Da Vinci' garners religious attention

The first thing you see on the Web site of popular Christian author Josh McDowell is this question: "Are you prepared for May 19, 2006?"

It's not a prediction of the second coming of Christ, but the date for the release of "The Da Vinci Code," the film based on the best-selling book of the same name by Dan Brown.

Whitefish Assembly of God church has been using one of McDowell's books, "The Da Vinci Code: A Quest for Answers" in a three-part Wednesday-evening series entitled "The Da Vinci Code: The Fact Behind the Fiction."

Youth pastor Nadine Ross is leading the discussions, which she said have drawn well over 100 people, a good crowd for a Wednesday night class. She had read the book and wanted to pursue the educational series out of concern that the story might mislead Christians and non-Christians alike.

"Though I have studied a lot of my faith, even I would be reading the book and trying to figure out what was truth and what was fiction," she said. "For the average reader who doesn't understand church history, it can raise a lot of questions."

"The Da Vinci Code," which has sold more than 40 million copies, is a thriller involving a conspiracy by the Catholic church to cover up the "true" story of Jesus. The novel creates speculation involving the Holy Grail legend and the role of Mary Magdalene in the history of Christianity.

The film version is directed by Ron Howard and stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou ("Amelie") and Sir Ian McKellen.

The novel was praised for its page-turning story and thought-provoking contentions about Christianity, but criticized by those who believe it makes inaccurate and unfair claims about the Catholic church and distorts traditional views of Christian history.

McDowell's Web site said the film "could touch off one of the most controversial periods the Church has faced in years" - but the Rev. John Weaver, pastor at Whitefish Assembly of God, said the film also will provide an evangelism window for Christians, local and worldwide.

"He (McDowell) mentions that this is a great opportunity for us to really express biblical truth," Weaver said. "That's why we feel it's important to step up and do so. If people have questions, then we have answers for them."

The Rev. Vic Langhans, the pastor of St. Matthew's Catholic church in Kalispell, owns "The Da Vinci Code," but has not yet opened the book. He is more interested in the book's reputation as a great read rather than its controversial aspects.

But he can see how people can get caught up in the conspiracy theories.

"I enjoy a good mystery," Langhans said. "I read 'Angels and Demons,' which Dan Brown did also, and he certainly does a great job of using history in a way that almost makes you forget that it's just a story, which his obviously what has happened with 'The Da Vinci Code.' He's a fun author, in the proper context."

He knows that many of his parishioners have read the book, but he hasn't been questioned about the novel's plot, accused of being involved in a cover-up or heard firsthand of any people questioning their faith.

"I think, maybe more so as Catholics than anyone else, we have a better sense of it as 'this is just fiction,'" he said. "Sometimes I think people forget that, in some ways, it would be just like believing everything from the 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' movies."

On May 21, there will be an evening for the St. Matthew's youth group to look into the issues raised in the "The Da Vinci Code," Langhans said, but it won't be a parishwide study.

A poll by Outreach Inc., a church marketing firm, found 68 percent of its customers, mostly Protestant churches, planned to respond to "The Da Vinci Code" with some form of evangelism.

They won't be short of source material. Study guides, outreach kits and a number of books are available to those who want to compare accepted norms of church history and "The Da Vinci Code" version.

For her educational sessions at Whitefish Assembly of God, Ross also has used "Exploring the Da Vinci Code" by Lee Strobel and Garry Poole and an online sermon series by California pastor Ken Baugh. (The study will wrap up May 17 at the church at 7 p.m.)

Christian Book Supply in Kalispell offers "Cracking Da Vinci's Code: You've Read the Fiction, Now Read the Facts" by James Garlow and Peter Jones; "Breaking the Da Vinci Code: Answers to the Questions Everyone's Asking" by Darrell L. Bock; and "Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction" by Hank Hanegraaff.

"There's a lot of interest right now," said Martha Tannehill, a saleswoman at Christian Book Supply. "The concern, I think, is about a lot of these 'Da Vinci Code' allegations going unchallenged, and people don't want them to go without saying, 'Wait a minute, that's not true.'"

Reporter Heidi Gaiser may be reached at 758-4431 or by e-mail at hgaiser@dailyinterlake.com.