Quebec theologian takes on The Da Vinci Code

Over 40 million copies of The Da Vinci Code have been sold worldwide. It’s been translated into French (as well as 40 other languages) and has done very well in the Quebec market.

Much to the consternation of Christians in Quebec, many are reading it as a fictional plot framed by an array of solid historical facts. The situation is made even worse by the fact that the novel gives new life to some of Québécois’ traditional myths about the Bible.

The majority grew up hearing about the Bible as a book whose content was, to borrow an expression from the Enron saga, “cooked.” The mistrust many have towards organized religion in general, and the Catholic hierarchy in particular, leads them to suspect the truth is really buried in secret Vatican archives.

Eric Wingender (centre) interacts with participants at the University of Montreal seminar. Photo: Farrah Chanel Taylor

Addressing the issues

Sensing the need to address some of the issues the novel raises, École de théologie évangélique de Montréal (ETEM) set up a seminar that was made available to churches and student groups. So far, it has been presented in eight churches, two Cegeps (post-secondary schools), and two university campuses – one of which was the University of Montreal.

In the days leading up to the University of Montreal event on March 28, students from the GBU (French IVCF) and Campus Crusade for Christ put up 400 posters and distributed a thousand leaflets. Understanding the effectiveness of publicity stunts, they created a “living” Mona Lisa by cutting holes in a life-size reproduction of the famous painting.

“Seeing this walking Mona Lisa, people giggled like kids in front of a clown,” an observer noted. “It was a great hit.”

It was no surprise then that the small amphitheatre where the seminar was held had standing room only, with a total audience of 180.

The presentation, by ETEM dean Eric Wingender, first deconstructed the novel’s esoteric spin on Leonardo Da Vinci’s paintings. “The feminine-looking figure sitting at Jesus’ right [in the Last Supper painting] is identified in the novel as being Mary Magdalene,” he said. “What Brown chose not to mention is the well-known fact that it was the tradition in Renaissance Italy to represent the apostle sitting at Jesus’ right as a feminine-looking teenager.”

Wingender also pointed out that the world Da Vinci was a part of was one in which artistic productions were very tightly choreographed or scripted by tradition. When the artist received the contract to paint the Last Supper, for example, he did not even dare change the seating arrangement found in all the paintings of that period!

“Now try to imagine,” Wingender added, “sneaking a woman into there without people noticing!”

Damaging ideas

Most of the seminar’s time was devoted to The Da Vinci Code’s most damaging ideas: that of Emperor Constantine being responsible for the creation of the New Testament and for the reconfiguration of Jesus from inspired religious figure into full-fledged divine being.

Wingender pointed out that even though the formation of the complete New Testament was a lengthy process, there are solid indications that its core – the four Gospels and Paul’s letters – were gathered together before the end of the first century. “If we do the math, that’s two centuries before Constantine!”

He then elaborated on the historic impossibility of Constantine having something to do with the belief in Jesus’ divinity. “It is well attested that Jesus had been worshipped by Christians as a divine being from the inception of their movement,” he said, “well before Constantine’s time.”

“In fact, when Constantine seized power, he was frustrated because the church was deeply divided over the issue of how to define Jesus’ divinity. One group defended the idea that Jesus was like a clone God had made of himself. The traditionalists would have none of it. They rightly claimed that the only way to stay within the trajectory of the New Testament and of the beliefs of the communities they represented was by confessing that Jesus Christ possessed all the attributes of God, including eternal pre-existence.”

Wanting to conclude with an invitation, Wingender said that even today some secular historians consider the birth of Christianity to be one of history’s greatest mysteries. “This is still a standing question,” he said, “a question each one of us should take up and ponder: Who was Jesus? What is it he said and did for his disciples to start giving him the worship that used to be given exclusively to God?”

Some 20 students took the time to fill out a card indicating interest in attending events organized by the Christian groups.

Reflecting on the experience, Wingender said the event’s climax for him was when, while explaining the beliefs of the early church, he started to read the opening of John’s Gospel that was projected on the screen.

“A very deep silence immediately settled on the room. At first it startled me. But immediately after, I felt overwhelmed and had to make an effort not to cry. I mean, it would have been a strange experience for them to see this middle-aged guy being moved to tears while reciting a poem! But these young people were listening and connecting like it was the first time they were hearing these words.”

Eric Wingender, who wrote this report of his Da Vinci seminar in the third person, is president (dean) of École de théologie évangélique de Montréal (Montreal School of Evangelical Theology), which is accredited with the divinity department of the University of Montreal and supported by the Canadian MB Conference.