Darrell L. Bock, Breaking the Da Vinci Code. Answers to the Questions Everyone’s Asking (Nashville:
Nelson, 2004). 188 pp.
An excellent work by a leading evangelical New Testament scholar. Not a point-by-point refutation of The
Da Vinci Code but rather a response to its foundational historical and theological claims related to Jesus
and the early church. Bock is research professor of New Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary and
has a Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen.
Ben Witherington III, The Gospel Code: Novel Claims About Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Da Vinci
(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2004). 208 pp.
Another excellent response by one of today’s most prolific New Testament scholars. Witherington, like
Bock, does not take on all the individual claims related to history and artwork of The Da Vinci Code, but
responds to the historical, theological and philosophical foundations that lie behind it: questions of canon,
the deity of Christ, Mary’s place in the early church, the historical value of the Gospels, etc. Witherington is a
professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary with a Ph.D. from the University of Durham.
Bart D. Ehrman, Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code. A historian reveals what we really know about
Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine (Oxford: University Press: 2004). 207 pp.
A well written response by an historian and biblical scholar who is not a conservative or an evangelical.
This is a good text for those who are dubious of conservative Christian responses to The Da Vinci Code
since it confirms that historians of all theological stripes find The Da Vinci Code seriously deficient in its
portrayal of Jesus and Christian origins. Ehrman chairs the Department of Religious Studies at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel, The Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing the Errors in The Da Vinci Code
(Ignatius Press, 2004). 329 pp.
A very thorough and well written work from a Catholic perspective, which systematically debunks the
fallacies of The Da Vinci Code. Miesel is a medieval historian and journalist and Olson is editor of Envoy
magazine. This is the most comprehensive response to all the claims of The Da Vinci Code available
today.
Josh McDowell. The Da Vinci Code. A Quest for Answers (Green Key Books, 2006).
An easy-to-read book presented as a dialogue between three friends who have just seen the movie. Well
written and quite accurate, this is probably the best Da Vinci Code resource for young people.
Richard Abanes, The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code: A Challenging Response to the Bestselling Novel
(Harvest House Publishers, 2004). 96 pp.
A brief but well written and well organized response to many of the claims of The Da Vinci Code. Abanes is
an author and journalist who focuses on religion and the cults.
Amy Welborn, Decoding Da Vinci: The Facts Behind the Fiction of the Da Vinci Code (Huntington, IL:
Our Sunday Visitor, 2004). 124 pp.
A brief but helpful response from a Catholic author, written with a great deal of wit and in a lively engaging
style. Not as well resourced or detailed as Olson and Miesel.
James L. Garlow & Peter Jones, Cracking Da Vinci's Code: You've Read The Fiction Now Read the
Facts (Colorado Springs, CO: Victory, 2004). 252 pp.
An engaging response to The Da Vinci Code in the form of a narrative, where a young woman named
Carrie wrestles with the questions raised by the book, especially those related to sexuality, feminism, the
canon of Scripture, and the Gnostic Gospels. Garlow is the pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in Southern
California, and has a Ph.D. in historical theology from Drew University. Jones is a professor at
Westminster Seminary in California with a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Hank Hanegraaff & Paul Maier, The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction (Tyndale House, 2004). 81pp.
The first half of this short book, “The Da Vinci Deception,” is written by Maier; the second part, “But What is
Truth,” is by Hanegraaff. A helpful work with a feisty tone. Maier is professor of ancient history at Western
Michigan University with a Ph.D. from the University of Basel. Hanegraaff is host of the Bible Answer Man
radio program and president of the Christian Research Institute International (CRI), a Christian apologetic
organization.
Michael Green, The Books the Church Suppressed: Fiction and Truth in “The Da Vinci Code” (Kregel,
2006). 192 pp.
A very good response to the claims of The Da Vinci Code’s perspective concerning the canon of Scripture.
Green is a prolific British evangelical author and scholar.
Erwin Lutzer, The Da Vinci Deception: Credible Answers to the Questions Millions are Asking about
Jesus, The Bible, and the Da Vinci Code (Tyndale House, 2004). 122 pp.
A brief but insightful response written from a pastor’s perspective.
Video
Lee Strobel and Garry Poole, Discussing The Da Vinci Code (DVD series; Zondervan, 2006).
A very helpful DVD curriculum designed for small group or individual study.
Television
A number of well done television documentaries have been produced. While these present a balanced
perspective, the alert observer will notice that when reputable scholars are consulted, they reject The Da
Vinci Code as mostly fantasy. Some of these documentaries include:
Behind The Mysteries: Unlocking Da Vinci's Code - The Full Story. The National Geographic Channel
(ABC News Productions). December 19, 2004. Produced by Jean Marie Condon and Yael Lavie; presented
and written by Elizabeth Vargas.
The Real Da Vinci Code. Channel Four Television (Wildfire Television). February 3 2005. Produced by
Simon Raikes; presented by Tony Robinson.
Secrets To The Code. Dateline: NBC (NBC Universal, Inc), April 13, 2005. Broadcast Producer, Elizabeth
Cole; presented by Stone Phillips.
These and other documentaries are discussed at the website http://priory-of-sion.
com/dvc/documentaries.html