Women, the DaVinci Code, and the Church
As the DaVinci Code fever has spread across the land like a pandemic, I decided that maybe it was time for me to devote some of my jealously guarded reading time to dig into this most recent phenomenon of the popular culture. Being somewhat slow in the popular culture realm (I only just watched my first episode of Seinfeld a few months ago—in rerun, of course), as well as being reluctant to spend hard earned money on cultural “fluff” (my description), a generous parishioner loaned me a copy of Dan Brown’s screamingly successful best seller.
Even though it is a riveting read, especially towards the middle of the book when the DaVinci Code is explained, I am a bit perplexed as to what all the fuss is about. The whole plot of the book is so implausible that anyone who takes it seriously must also be afraid of their own shadow. Oh, I can understand how the book might raise some eyebrows in the Roman Catholic Church due to the book’s blending of a smidgen of fact with a huge dose of fantasy. That can be a dangerous combination to the credulous. But I suspect that rather than exhibiting an anti-catholic bias, as some allege, Dan Brown more than likely wrote the book with his tongue-in-cheek—much the same way that he suggests Leonardo DaVinci painted many of his masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa. I only wish that I had an imagination as vivid as Dan Brown’s.
Like many people, I too like a good thriller (although I usually consign them to my summer vacation reading list). The DaVinci Code is just that—a good thriller. Its literary value, if any, is for others to judge, though I personally fail to see any. In my humble opinion, it is hardly even in the same league as The Tales of Narnia. But let’s face it, in our consumer society, the bottom line of dollars and cents speaks louder of a book’s success than its literary merit.
All this is to say that I was disappointed in the book as something that would contribute to literary or even spiritual insight. There are shades of such insight in the book, such as its treatment of what it describes as the “sacred feminine.” But this is presented in such a facile and sensational way, that it seems more ridiculous than helpful. Still, it is true that Christian theology has stressed the masculine nature of God and utterly dismissed the possibility of a feminine nature of God. Some argue that this is because it’s the way God “really” is. This position also underlies arguments against the ordination of women and the equality of women in society.
Obviously, I do not agree with these points of view. I personally believe that the presence of women in the clergy has greatly benefited the ministry of the church. The election of our first female Presiding Bishop in the Episcopal Church is an exciting development to my mind. I know this election already has sparked protests from those who believe it violates the purposes of God. In my humble opinion, that is an anachronistic position. I believe that God can and does do a “new thing” in the church and in the world.
So as completely fictional as the plot of the DaVinci Code is, its focus on Mary Magdalene and the importance of women to the life and ministry of Jesus touches on a long neglected area of interest. For that, I am grateful. The fact that the DaVinci Code was also a fascinating read didn’t hurt either. If you haven’t read it, you might want to add it to your summer reading list.
Even though it is a riveting read, especially towards the middle of the book when the DaVinci Code is explained, I am a bit perplexed as to what all the fuss is about. The whole plot of the book is so implausible that anyone who takes it seriously must also be afraid of their own shadow. Oh, I can understand how the book might raise some eyebrows in the Roman Catholic Church due to the book’s blending of a smidgen of fact with a huge dose of fantasy. That can be a dangerous combination to the credulous. But I suspect that rather than exhibiting an anti-catholic bias, as some allege, Dan Brown more than likely wrote the book with his tongue-in-cheek—much the same way that he suggests Leonardo DaVinci painted many of his masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa. I only wish that I had an imagination as vivid as Dan Brown’s.
Like many people, I too like a good thriller (although I usually consign them to my summer vacation reading list). The DaVinci Code is just that—a good thriller. Its literary value, if any, is for others to judge, though I personally fail to see any. In my humble opinion, it is hardly even in the same league as The Tales of Narnia. But let’s face it, in our consumer society, the bottom line of dollars and cents speaks louder of a book’s success than its literary merit.
All this is to say that I was disappointed in the book as something that would contribute to literary or even spiritual insight. There are shades of such insight in the book, such as its treatment of what it describes as the “sacred feminine.” But this is presented in such a facile and sensational way, that it seems more ridiculous than helpful. Still, it is true that Christian theology has stressed the masculine nature of God and utterly dismissed the possibility of a feminine nature of God. Some argue that this is because it’s the way God “really” is. This position also underlies arguments against the ordination of women and the equality of women in society.
Obviously, I do not agree with these points of view. I personally believe that the presence of women in the clergy has greatly benefited the ministry of the church. The election of our first female Presiding Bishop in the Episcopal Church is an exciting development to my mind. I know this election already has sparked protests from those who believe it violates the purposes of God. In my humble opinion, that is an anachronistic position. I believe that God can and does do a “new thing” in the church and in the world.
So as completely fictional as the plot of the DaVinci Code is, its focus on Mary Magdalene and the importance of women to the life and ministry of Jesus touches on a long neglected area of interest. For that, I am grateful. The fact that the DaVinci Code was also a fascinating read didn’t hurt either. If you haven’t read it, you might want to add it to your summer reading list.
Fr. Peter Harer
Prince of Peace Episcopal Church
Dallas, PA
Re-printed with permission.
posted by Lunar Mark @ 10:56:00 PM
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