Breaking the DaVinci Code

Did Jesus father a child with Mary Magdalene?
Did Constantine invent the concept of Jesus’ divinity?
Is the true divinity a polytheistic androgyny?

Arthur Rosen

Wednesdays, Noon - 2:00 p.m.
January 12 & 19, 2005
D.O.C. House

The DaVinci Code has been a best seller for almost two years. It is being translated into forty languages and will soon be filmed by Columbia Pictures. It is well known as a quick reading who-done-it with a quest, a chase, and a clash between academics and ecclesiastics. Less well known is its alternative gospel and its conspiracy theory, complete with attacks on the Catholic Church and misinformation about history.

Breaking the DaVinci Code will explore the principal issues raised by the book. It will begin with a brief outline of the main characters and story line. Emphasis will then be placed on the book's alternative gospel and conspiracy theory. Both will be detailed and critiqued. Sources for the critique will include "The DaVinci Hoax," "The Gospel Code," and "de-coding DaVinci." The course will end with a discussion covering all materials.

Presentation will be by PowerPoint and will be illustrated with videos. It will be useful to have read The DaVinci Code, although it is not necessary.

Class is limited to 25 participants.

Arthur M. Rosen is a graduate of Yale University, Brooklyn College, and the Columbia Graduate School of Business Executive Marketing Program. He is a member of the New Hampshire Jewish-Christian Interfaith Partnership and is the Lynch Scholar at Temple Emanuel, Andover, MA. Art is a study leader at Colby-Sawyer’s Adventures in Learning and at ILEAD, where he is also past-chair of the curriculum committee.