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Da Vinci Code like global catechism class May 20, 2006. 01:00 AM MARY LUCKASAVITCH GUEST COLUMN If Chicken Little were a Christian, especially a practising Catholic, he'd probably find now is as good a time as any to start shouting that the sky is indeed falling and falling fast. And the reason for this impending doom and gloom? The Da Vinci Code, of course. Things appeared as bad as they could get when the book first made its debut and forced open debates on the nature of Jesus' relationship with Mary Magdalene, but since the recent tidal wave of publicity surrounding the releases of the paperback version and the movie, it's become downright uncomfortable for the faithful.This really needn't be the case for believers, however. In fact, with a glass half-full approach, we can actually read the book and see the movie and find ourselves growing in the faith to boot!I certainly understand why so many in the Church are angry about this book. After all it does make a mockery of a 2,000 year-old institution, the Roman Catholic Church, and intentionally or not, implies that its members are either terribly naïve or just plain stupid. The book also assaults the most sacred beliefs Christians have about Jesus Christ. What is probably most upsetting of all is that the book can mislead readers into believing what they are reading is not fiction but whole-hearted truth. I, myself, have had to deal with loved ones who have had their beliefs altered if not entirely thrown upside down by The Da Vinci Code. I don't blame them or anyone else for having second thoughts on what they have been brought up to believe their entire lives. It's precisely because of these questions and doubts that The Da Vinci Code is a blessing in disguise.Thanks to Dan Brown, information on the history of Christianity is more readily available than ever before. Even better, this information is not presented in a traditional academic format, but offered up in easily digestible 21st century bites. There really is no excuse for any Christian or interested party to disregard this information, especially if they want to form an opinion one way or the other. The Roman Catholic Church, which has lamented (and still does) The Da Vinci Code, reacted surprisingly swiftly to the groundswell the book created. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops even went so far as to create a website (http://www.jesusdecoded.com) that does a respectable job of breaking through the cracks in the code. One section in particular — "What do you say to a Da Vinci Code believer?" — provides a vantage point that many Christians have probably never considered before. For example, how does a Christian reply to the claim that the Church wanted to erase Mary Magdalene's presence (as the book purports)? Well, how about by pointing out that all four Gospels have Mary Magdalene as the first witness to the Empty Tomb. With such an integral role in the story of the resurrection, she can hardly be swept under the rug. In reality, The Da Vinci Code has provided the Roman Catholic Church with a global catechism class. Some churches have been quick to realize this and started their own Bible-study groups based on the book. Adults who haven't received instruction in the faith for decades are now students again and for the first time are coming into contact with the writings of the early Church Fathers, dating as far back as the 1st century. In addition to increasing the faith, The Da Vinci Code also opens the door for Christians to evangelize which, like it or not, is expected of us. I'm surprised that there hasn't been more movement on this. When The Passion of the Christ was released, ample resources for evangelizing were readily available. Try as I might, I have yet to come across anything about The Da Vinci Code that can be considered user-friendly, no short tract that can be handed out. I suspect that many Christians are simply intimidated at the thought of passing on our beliefs when we're up against hard-core believers of the book. It can all seem so complex, which is why a good place to start is in fact with the book and/or the movie. If we get a good idea of what the claims against Christianity are, we can then tackle each subject one step at a time. I, for one, would have preferred more pleasant circumstances in which to delve deeper into the roots of my faith but the fact of the matter is The Da Vinci Code was the catalyst and for that I'm truly grateful for the book, warts and all.Mary Luckasavitch is a writer who focuses on religion. Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- DIE DULCI FREURE, DEV BOREM KORUM. Gabe Menezes. London, England _____________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. Goanet mailing list ([email protected])
