That stupid book

Another of Dan Brown's historically idiotic books is about to hit the screen. How outraged should Christians be? As Miss California demonstrated this week, simply stating your position can be important and effective. It can also be a teaching opportunity.

Amy Welborn describes her response to the first book:

So immediately, the teacher in me started working...this struck me as one of those teaching moments. All of a sudden, people are interested in, you know...THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA. In some homily Gregory the Great gave in 591. For God's sake, why not answer their questions about it? ....

I never called for any kind of boycott beyond, "Why would anyone want to spend money on something really stupid?" ....

This was about using an opportunity to teach.

As one of my publishers said at the time, "You could have a program in a parish called 'The history of Catholicism from 300-325' and 8 people would show up. But you have a program about 'Fact and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code and hundreds come — and you're able to teach the same substance"

And he was absolutely right. I loved the opportunity to talk to people who'd never thought before about the origins of the Gospels, about the nature of Jesus' ministry and teaching, about the formation of the canon of Scripture. To explore the Catholic traditions about Mary Magdalene — it is such interesting stuff, and it is substantive, and people were curious about it, roused by that stupid book. [more]

Angels, Demons and Other Creatures - Via Media