Vatican criticizes, debunks "DaVinci Code"

The DaVinci Code, like Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, isn’t the kind of book that criticizes the Catholic Church in an acceptable manner.

Many dramas have appropriately criticized the misbehaviors of priests and other church officials. But The DaVinci Code presents fundamental elements of Christian faith as conspiracies and fabrications. It presents lies as if they were historical truth.

And it’s amazing that the Vatican is so late to the party when it comes to debunking the novel. But here they are. And with Ron Howard (who one prominent Christian film reviewer has insisted is a Christian) making the movie anyway, this fuss is just going to get louder.

Personally, I’m avoiding the book because of how many people have complained that it’s poorly written, with dialogue no better than a Hardy Boys novel. But I’ve read enough testimonies by trusted friends who have read it to know that it is a poorly researched, deliberately distorted piece of work.