Perhaps you are thinking - why this again? Well it's summertime and sadly The Da Vinci Code is still on the best-seller list. So here are just a few points to arm yourself with as you chat at the poolside, or perhaps when the holidays end and you are discussing them with colleagues or friends.
* 'The Da Vinci Code' (TDC) claims the marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene is part of the historical record. In reality, there is no credible historical record that Jesus was married.
* Christ's divinity, according to TDC, was the result of a close vote at the council of Nicaea in 325 AD. However, the earliest sources consistently witness to a belief in the Lord Jesus as divine. He is referred to in this way both in New Testament documents (written before AD 70) and early creeds, as well as the works of the early church fathers (e.g. Ignatius AD 105, Clement AD 150). There is nothing to support the claim that the vote to affirm the creed was close (some sources indicate 316 to two) and even those opposed hardly considered Jesus to be a mere mortal! Dip into the writings of Arius to see the losing side's beliefs about Jesus and you will see it does not match up to Brown's theories. (Note: Even TDC's own logic is untenable. If Jesus is not divine, why would Mary Magdalene be the Holy Grail even if they had been married and had a child?)
