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THE DA VINCI CODE Author Roundtable
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FaithfulReader.com: What kind of reaction has your book received? If your book has not been released yet, what has the response been when people hear you're writing a book about THE DA VINCI CODE?
Richard Abanes: I have received extremely positive feedback about my book from Christians, as well as non-Christians, nominal Christians, the religious and the irreligious. They have all enjoyed my book because of the approach I took --- i.e., just deal with the facts; let history speak for itself. I felt it was very important that my book be able to speak to the non-religious as well as the religious, so I deliberately used a wide variety of sources to show where Brown's book is flawed. I do not simply quote from the Bible to prove a point, but instead deal with history using sources that would be more acceptable to those persons who may not even believe in the Bible. Consequently, after going through my book, the reader realizes that no matter what religious perspective one may hold, Dan Brown's book comes up far short of accurate.
James L. Garlow: It has been received extremely well. It has been as high as #96 on USA Today's top 150 books --- having stayed on that list for the last four weeks. It also became #17 on the New York Times bestseller list. In addition, we have been told that it is #4 in Wal-Mart stores in terms of inspirational books. But on a much more personal and emotive level, I am extremely excited that people who read our book come to the understanding that they can have complete confidence in the New Testament and its reliability, and examine the evidence for Jesus' claim to be divine. That is the most gratifying thing to me. Over a ten-day span, Peter Jones (my co-author) and I were on ten different national TV shows. It was especially meaningful to be able to assure people that they can have complete confidence in the New Testament and in the claim that Christ is both fully God and fully man.
Peter Jones: Our particular book focuses on this "Gnostic" ideological agenda, and seeks to alert people that this is not true Christianity. It has sold very well (we have been on national TV 8 times and featured on the front page of the New York Times), but we get mixed reactions. Some people find it too strident, too black and white, too self-consciously "Christian" and evangelistic. Others praise us for this approach. It does seek clarity, and for that some think it too confrontational.
Steve Kellmeyer: Mixed. Those with an open mind love it. Others don't. My book was first on the market, the first to ship. It is an unabashed and accurate description not only of Catholic history and theology, but of Wiccan history and theology. As such, it steps on a lot of toes. Dan Brown's Wiccans don't like to talk about their history, nor do they like a serious study of their symbology. So they haven't liked this book much.
Similarly, I point out that Brown's success is built on Christian fundamentalism. Many American Christians have long claimed that their church represents true historical Christianity, a Christianity that was suppressed and replaced by Constantine and Catholics. All Dan Brown did was take the fundamentalist claim (evil Catholics suppressed the truth), replace the contents of what was suppressed (now it's supposedly goddess worship), and re-issue it. As a result, many Christians don't like my book either. It hits too close to home.
Catholics, on the other hand, tend to love this book. Brown recognizes that fundamentalists tend to have a distorted understanding of sex and women, an understanding that devalues both. Since the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon, the root of all theological errors, he places this false Christian theology on the lips of Catholic priests and bishops. I point this out. I articulate the theological problems many adult Catholics felt but were unable to articulate. My book gives them the words they need to point out Dan Brown's mistakes.
Erwin W. Lutzer: The response to my book has been most gratifying. One grandfather who read it said that he gave it to his grandson who had read THE DA VINCI CODE and came away believing it...and my book provided the answers they were looking for. Others who haven't even read THE DA VINCI CODE have benefited from my book because they knew someone who had read the novel. For people willing to look at all the evidence, this is an opportunity for Christians to become better rooted in their faith.
Darrell L. Bock: The reaction has been intense interest and appreciation. The book is doing very well. Many appreciate the way I have focused on the first 325 years of the history of the church and laid out many ancient texts, both from within the Bible and outside of it, including some of the "secret" gospels and other texts Dan Brown only alludes to or merely names. Readers find it interesting to actually read portions of the texts Dan Brown only names and see for themselves what they say.
Sandra Miesel: THE DA VINCI HOAX won't be out until June but my Crisis article has gotten a great deal of positive feedback. It's also received a few sneering letters on how my facts are no better than his facts. Carl and I have received good reactions from our interviews and speaking appearances.
Carl E. Olson: The reaction has been very positive and many people are eager to read THE DA VINCI HOAX. However, we've also heard from readers who think we are either trying to make money or that we are shills for the Church. The attitude of such readers appears to be that any response is a sign of insecurity and that our motives, as Christians, cannot be trusted.
Dan Burstein: SECRETS OF THE CODE has engendered a terrific response since publication in April. It is currently on the New York Times bestseller list and we have had lots of great community discussions, call-in radio shows, and so forth. I have learned a lot about many things from callers and questioners. In general, SECRETS OF THE CODE has triggered the response it was written to elicit: discussion of ideas, research into history, curiosity, inquiry and debate.
Ben Witherington III: Go, Ben, go!
Amy Welborn: The book has been received very well. I just sold ten copies to a guy in Puerto Rico who is distributing it to his friends! It's sold well, and has been reviewed well, not just in the religious press, but in the secular press as well.
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