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ARTICLE

Scott's Spotlight: The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction?
by Scott Juba
Published: October 28, 2005

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Related Sites:
· Dan Brown's Official Site

If Dan Brown wrote a book claiming that Abraham Lincoln escaped his assassination and ran off with Scarlett O'Hara, would it change society's perception of history? According to Dr. Joseph Kelly, one of the nation’s leading experts on The Da Vinci Code, the answer is no. By the same reasoning, he contends people should not alter their views on religion because of a work of fiction.

Kelly, who is the chair of religious studies at John Carroll University, addressed the validity of The Da Vinci Code historical claims during a presentation at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio on October 17. He downplayed the novel's major claim that Jesus and Mary Magdalene engaged in a sexual relationship that fostered a child. "This didn't happen, but it doesn't mean that [The Da Vinci Code] is not important," Kelly told the crowd.

Although Kelly pointed out several flaws in author Dan Brown's research, he praised the novel's underlying messages regarding attitudes towards women. Kelly said people like the book because the possibility of a marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene shows that the negative sentiment against women that has pervaded much of history could have been different from the very beginning.

Kelly also noted that in The Da Vinci Code, "Contrary to everything the ancient world stood for, the child [of Jesus] was a girl."

Kelly, who has presented his views on the book to over 13,000 people in the United States, also applauded Brown for dispelling the centuries-old myth that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.

Kelly described much of the factual controversies surrounding The Da Vinci Code by saying, "[Brown will] look at a multiplicity of interpretations and choose the one he likes best."

In some instances, however, Kelly classified Brown's claims as total fabrications. For example, Brown claims that The Council of Nicea officially proclaimed the divinity of Jesus in a close vote. In reality, as Kelly pointed out, the council voted over 300 to 2 to declare Jesus' divinity.

In addition, Kelly rejected Brown's interpretation of Da Vinci's famous painting of The Last Supper. "You can't force this painting into The Da Vinci Code mold," he said.

At the same time, Kelly acknowledged that all storytellers use artistic license in their films and books, noting that even Mel Gibson strayed from the scriptures in "The Passion of The Christ."

Historically accurate or not, the influence of The Da Vinci Code is unquestionable. "No book has ever sold like this- not even close," Kelly acknowledged, "and it's making people think."