The DaVinci Code, Rob Bell and Saul:.
This weekend I read the DaVinci Code. Yes, I broke down and read it. I have a few thoughts about it. Not that anyone cares at this point, pretty much everything that can be said, has been said... yet... I will through in an idea or two.
First. The book is fiction. At times is reads like non-fiction. I guess this is why everyone is so upset. It was slow in a few places. There were a few moments in the book where I was bored, because the main characters were too slow in figuring out clues. It made me skip pages at a time. Nothing new to contribute here though.
Second. We live in an Age when we are obsessed with history. It's interesting to me that we are a culture (America) who has very little history of our own and that in this time in our culture we are completely fascinated by history. I'm not sure why this is. But between the popularity of folks like N.T. Wright among pastors and Rob Bell who is something of a "gateway drug"* to the emergent converation. People love Rob because he makes history, especially Jewish history (our history within the church) intelligible. He's not the first to do this obviously. Rob reads a lot of other people. The point is, people eat history up. Whether it's a Ben Franklin, John Adams, George Washington, Hamiliton, or Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Pearl Harbour we are a culture in search of some bearings. History provides this. A sense of trajectory. DaVinci Code taps into this modern day desire to connect with who we are by understanding how we connect with the past.
Third. People want to believe this is true. I think this is directly connected to our loss of mystery within the church.
Forth. If you are a pastor and you are concerned that your congregation will be lead astray by the DaVinci code you might want to look at what you are teaching. IF you are teaching a lot of topic, "3 steps to a better life" sermons then it should not be a surprise to you they believe Dan Brown as much as you. (or more) If you spend most of your time telling people your opinion on what the Bible has to say, but never giving people the chance to tell you what they actually think, it might be a surprise that a lot of your congregation smiles and tells you your sermon was "nice" but actually think you are a crazy narrowminded individual.
Fifth. For the pastors and congregations who are really concerned. I appreciate your love for the people of your congregation. But there is a part of me who thinks the church sounds like Saul, when faced with Goliath. We are looking for someonen else to go and fight and frankly we are missing out on the power of God and his good news. I personally don't think God is all that intimidated by DaVinci code. DaVinci code is a book turned into a movie. a movie....
*Thanks to Tony Jones for the gateway drug metaphor
This weekend I read the DaVinci Code. Yes, I broke down and read it. I have a few thoughts about it. Not that anyone cares at this point, pretty much everything that can be said, has been said... yet... I will through in an idea or two.
First. The book is fiction. At times is reads like non-fiction. I guess this is why everyone is so upset. It was slow in a few places. There were a few moments in the book where I was bored, because the main characters were too slow in figuring out clues. It made me skip pages at a time. Nothing new to contribute here though.
Second. We live in an Age when we are obsessed with history. It's interesting to me that we are a culture (America) who has very little history of our own and that in this time in our culture we are completely fascinated by history. I'm not sure why this is. But between the popularity of folks like N.T. Wright among pastors and Rob Bell who is something of a "gateway drug"* to the emergent converation. People love Rob because he makes history, especially Jewish history (our history within the church) intelligible. He's not the first to do this obviously. Rob reads a lot of other people. The point is, people eat history up. Whether it's a Ben Franklin, John Adams, George Washington, Hamiliton, or Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Pearl Harbour we are a culture in search of some bearings. History provides this. A sense of trajectory. DaVinci Code taps into this modern day desire to connect with who we are by understanding how we connect with the past.
Third. People want to believe this is true. I think this is directly connected to our loss of mystery within the church.
Forth. If you are a pastor and you are concerned that your congregation will be lead astray by the DaVinci code you might want to look at what you are teaching. IF you are teaching a lot of topic, "3 steps to a better life" sermons then it should not be a surprise to you they believe Dan Brown as much as you. (or more) If you spend most of your time telling people your opinion on what the Bible has to say, but never giving people the chance to tell you what they actually think, it might be a surprise that a lot of your congregation smiles and tells you your sermon was "nice" but actually think you are a crazy narrowminded individual.
Fifth. For the pastors and congregations who are really concerned. I appreciate your love for the people of your congregation. But there is a part of me who thinks the church sounds like Saul, when faced with Goliath. We are looking for someonen else to go and fight and frankly we are missing out on the power of God and his good news. I personally don't think God is all that intimidated by DaVinci code. DaVinci code is a book turned into a movie. a movie....
*Thanks to Tony Jones for the gateway drug metaphor
posted by mark at
12:35 PM
2 Comments:
Amen! Our church is doing a "Discovering the mysteries behind Hudson Hawk" series. Think through Bruce Willis as Christ figure...the recurrent use of singing to symbolize the tap-dance we all do around sin...
i pretty much love reading your blog.
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