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February 09, 2006
The Da Vinci Challenge
It will be interesting to see how this evolves. There is one Catholic on the expert list:
Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP, is the founding Director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City, CA She has a M.A. in Education in Media Studies from the Institute of Education, University of London, and a Diploma in Catechetics, as well as a Certificate in Pastoral Communications, from the University of Dayton in OH. Pacatte is the film/TV columnist for St. Anthony Messenger and a contributor to The Tidings. She also co-authored the award-winning book series, Lights, Camera...Faith! A Movie Lectionary.
And four Orthodox, including Frederica Mathewes-Green, Patrick Henry Reardon of Touchstone, and Terry Mattingly.
These experts are not paid, but of course, Sony is paying Grace Hill Media for their work. I've not yet seen any figures, and in the name of transparency and honesty, it would be helpful for this Christian organization to be upfront about how much they're being paid by Sony to help sell their movie. Hollywood Jesus, the old (in internet years) website that was really first on the Christian-engaging-culture scene, is also involved.
What is striking is that in all of the "Who's Who" and "What's What" material about people and things in the book, there is no mention of Opus Dei, at least that I can find. A rather interesting omission. And glaring.
Do you know? A website of this nature, with experts (we hope) telling the "truth) about the Da Vinci Code could have been dreamed up and promoted without taking a dime from Sony. Could have. Because frankly, you're now in bed with them. Hope it's good for you.
My other question, aside from money, is whether any of these people, from Grace Hill to Hollywood Jesus to the experts, have a)read the script or b)seen any kind of cut of the film. I'm assuming that Grace Hill has - that they know exactly what they're encouraging people to see. Any information on this question would be welcome, either on the comments board or in an email to me.
Some of Grace Hill Media's past projects - that is, films they have taken on to sell to Christian audiences. Some make sense. But...The Producers??? Elf? Kingdom of Heaven???
And here's the snarkiest, rudest question of all: Could it be possible that this mainly Protestant-driven enterprise is perfectly happy to point people towards The Da Vinci Code because, in fact, it is the "Catholic Church" that is constantly besmirched, by name? In encouraging (or at least not discouraging) people to see the film, they are reinforcing bad vibes around the word "Catholic," then are happy to "correct" the film by directing them to their own resources, produced by their own denominations?
(To make my point clearer, see this Orlando Sentinel piece from a few days ago regarding Campus Crusade for Christ's tremendous efforts in regard to The Da Vinci Code. Josh McDowell has written a book, is quoted as encouraging people to see the film, and his group is publishing a 500,000 print run magazine-version of his book.)
If a biopic were produced that dramatized ill-founded, negative "alternative" histories of Billy Graham, John Wesley or Martin Luther, would Grace Hill agree to push the film to Christian audiences, thereby making more money for the film's producers, all for that "teachable moment?" Would Campus Crusade for Christ and Josh McDowell be producing materials that have the impact of encouraging people to see the film? I 'm not completely sure, but I tend to doubt it.
Oh, and the experts might want to get in touch with the webmasters on at least one point. In two places, the site identifies the "Dead Sea Scrolls" has having been found at Nag Hammadi, Egypt.
Uh, no.
Update: Carl Olson has some thoughts that have provoked me a little bit - I would have said "no" if invited to participate, but you have to admit - it's kind of odd that none of the Roman Catholic Da Vinci debunkers were even invited to participate, while a couple of the Protestant debunkers (Bock, WItherington, both fine scholars btw) were. Huh.
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I saw this Catholic News Agency story on "The Da Vinci Challenge". Apparently, Sony Pictures, ahead of the May 19 release of "The Da Vinci Code" movie has created a website to host essays from DVC critics/experts. But, noticable was the lack of Catho... [Read More]
Tracked on Feb 9, 2006 3:30:48 PM
Comments
I read the book early on and was disturbed by it. I have read along with all the comments since and will NOT bother to see the film. I can't imagine what any one can say that would ever get me to change my mind.
Posted by: dick at Feb 9, 2006 10:40:54 AM
The whole thing is an elaborate bore, so far as I can tell. "Evidence" that Jesus was married, extracted from a Da Vinci painting? International conspiracies, with a dose of gnosticism thrown in? Yawn. I can't figure out why this silly book has gotten so much attention, except that there seem to be a lot of people who don't have enough to do.
Posted by: Adam at Feb 9, 2006 11:56:05 AM
This is a win-win for Sony. There is no such thing as bad publicity. Providing as many forums as possible to talk about the film will only stoke greater interest. It sparks more and more conversation, giving even those not disposed to like it or see it something to talk about with those who eat up the story hook, line and sinker. This breeds the "water cooler effect."
Like the omission of Opus Dei representatives in the "experts" section of this new site, I am also suspicious about the lack of Catholics on the panel. This book is a full-frontal assault on Catholicism. Having evangelicals and Orthodox on the panel lets them criticize some of the scriptural and Christological claims of DVC, but still allows them to get in a few hits at the Catholic Church. There is much for evangelicals and Orthodox (of a more polemical stripe) to use to take comfort in and bludgeon the Church. Despite being a good writer, Frederica Matthewes-Green is no friend of Catholicism.
But, as Amy said, one wonders whether it is best to collaborate with this group or not allow Sony to have any credibility.
Posted by: Jason at Feb 9, 2006 12:03:09 PM
It's more than a bore. The way this is being represented really brings to the fore the latent (and not so latent) anti-Catholicism in our society.
Michiko Kakutani wrote an article in the NT a few weeks ago on the James Frey furure. She writes: "We live in a relativistic culture where television reality shows are staged or stage-managed, where spin sessions and spin doctors are an accepted part of politics, where academics argue that history depends on who is writing the history, and where an aid to President Bush, dismissing reporters who live in the 'reality-based community' can assert that 'we're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality'".
The Da Vinci Code fits neatly into this theory. Instead of being mocked for its ridiculous lies and phony assertions, the thing is being taken seriously. I wish more people could connect all the dots in this culture of relativism... Our society has lost its connection to truth.
Posted by: Tony A at Feb 9, 2006 12:07:44 PM
I think the last question is a bit of a low-blow. Even if Grace Hill were thinking in "anti-Catholic" terms, supposing that people like Reardon, Mathewes-Green, and Mattingly would cooperate in it is pretty darned unfair. If someone like Bob Jones or Tim LaHaye were a part of it, then you might have a case. You're above that sort of thing, Amy.
Posted by: QD at Feb 9, 2006 12:22:20 PM
Tony,
Amen to that. Sony's PR firm will continue to mine the pockets of evangelicals as long as many of thier leaders are willing to "debate". As someone has previously posted, this has really gotten quite boring- the Catholic basing, international cabals of papists etc...it is soooo 18th century. Yawn
Posted by: JP at Feb 9, 2006 12:23:47 PM
It's not the experts. Well, not all of them, at least, QD. It's the PR group that I'm questioning. And strongly. When I see that "Kingdom of Heaven" was one of their projects, I'm questioning more than ever.
Posted by: Amy at Feb 9, 2006 12:26:07 PM
I think this was a very foolish move on Grace Hill's part. They will have to do serious work to maintain their OWN credibility after this. Frankly, as they take on more projects, they are looking more and more mercenary and I am finding myself having to take a very hard look at any project they recommend since it appears to be money and not values that drives their operation.
I think Amy's suggestion that Grace Hill isn't more skittish about Da Vinci because it's just Catholics--as opposed to real Christians--being maligned is valid. I'm sure it isn't the result of a conscious decision against Catholics("Let's git them papists!") but Grace Hill's decision to take this project bespeaks how remarkably out-of-touch they are about Catholic sensibilities.
Since we do make up 25% of the US market,that strikes me as fairly significant blindspot.
Posted by: Greg Popcak at Feb 9, 2006 12:27:17 PM
What is striking is ... there is no mention of Opus Dei, at least that I can find. A rather interesting omission. And glaring.
Probably keeping them in the wings as Albino Monk Assassins (TM).
(To make my point clearer, see this Orlando Sentinel piece from a few days ago regarding Campus Crusade for Christ's tremendous efforts in regard to The Da Vinci Code...)
Of course a lot of "Bible-believing Christians" will be plugging DVC -- it bashes "Romish Popery". (Hey, Josh @ CCC: The Treaty of Westphalia ended the Reformation Wars in 1648. Where were you?)
Posted by: Ken at Feb 9, 2006 12:48:21 PM
Plenty of conservative evangelicals are upset with DVC. Ain't just a Catholic issue. Here are some strong words from the president of Dallas Theological Seminary:
"The Da Vinci Code phenomenon is merely a symptom. There are underlying reasons why this anti-Christian book was number one on amazon.com, number one in the New York Times, selling at Wal Mart, Barnes & Noble, and seemingly every store in between, and is now headed for Hollywood. First, we need to realize it is a symptom of unbelief on the part of the world.Jesus Himself said, “Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). The Jesus of the Bible is not the Jesus people naturally want, because He exposes our sins even as He offers us the cure for them. So Christianity has always been shadowed by heresies seeking to water down the true Jesus and impugn the inspired Scriptures that tell us about Him. And Christians are called to counterthose heresies. Second, we need to confess that it is a symptom of a problem within the church:a shallow understanding of what we believe and why we believe it.Yes, I’m grieved to see the world ingesting such spiritual arsenic. But I’m embarrassed and alarmed to see Christians either not responding or being confused and misled by it. When large masses of Christians are only casually familiar with the doctrinal foundation of their faith and the basis for trusting their Bible, they will be neither salt nor light. In short, The Da Vinci Code is a big deal because it represents a direct, growing, and effective attack on Jesus Christ..."
Posted by: Larry at Feb 9, 2006 1:11:09 PM
Of course! Most of the debunking books have come from that end. But then...you have, on the Sony/Grace Hill website, the prez of Fuller Theological seminary saying, outright, "Read the novel! See the movie!" IF it's so poisonous...shouldn't you avoid it?
Posted by: Amy at Feb 9, 2006 1:17:16 PM
What or who is Grace Hill?
Posted by: Julia at Feb 9, 2006 1:35:13 PM
Amy -
I don't think this is a Protestant/Catholic thing. The bookstore at my parents' evangelical (mega)church is fully stocked with all manner of books debunking the Da Vinci Code. When I first read the book 3 years ago, I was still an evangelical Protestant, and I certainly got the impression that my fellow evangelicals were quite concerned by the book.
I think you could make a case that Protestants and Catholics are concerned by different things in DVC. The Protestant effort is mainly focused on defending the integrity of Scripture. It's not too much of a wrench for them to concede that the Church (esp. the medieval Church) might have done the awful things that Brown alleges. The Catholic effort is necessarily concerned with both Scripture and the authority and integrity of the Church . . . which is as it should be.
Posted by: Tope at Feb 9, 2006 1:42:40 PM
Dear Julia,
See About Us from Grace Hill Media.
....Jonathan Bock conceived of a new strategy to bridge the chasm that existed between Hollywood and the relatively untapped market of Religious America. In 2000, Grace Hill Media was born and quickly established itself as the reigning market leader in reaching People of Faith.Grace Hill Media is committed to highlighting entertainment for the faith community which shares in their beliefs, that explores their values, and that enhances and elevates their view of the world. The hallmark of Grace Hill Media is integrity. We constantly balance the wants of our clients with the needs of our audience, and always strive to act as counsel and advocate for both. In recognizing the business demands of Hollywood, while remaining sensitive to the values of the faith audience, Grace Hill Media stands alone in the entertainment industry.
Jonathan Bock is the founder and president of Grace Hill Media. Mr. Bock began his career in publicity at Warner Bros. Prior to that, he was a sitcom writer, widely regarded throughout the industry as "not very good." Mr. Bock serves on the board of Reel Spirituality at Fuller Theological Seminary and is a deacon at Bel Air Presbyterian Church. Father of two beautiful daughters, he's married to his first wife, Kelly....
Among their clients are ABC, NBC, Disney, Universal, 20th Century Fox, New Line Cinema, Paramount, Sony units, etc.
They market Hollywood to Christians.
Think of it as "bottom of the barrel" catechesis.
Posted by: Old Zhou at Feb 9, 2006 1:45:50 PM
My initial reaction is that this is all rather surreal. I'm all for using the Coded Craziness for good — when and if possible — but I think Amy is correct in saying "you're now in bed with them." Indeed. And she is definitely correct to ask this question:
If a biopic were produced that dramatized ill-founded, negative "alternative" histories of Billy Graham, John Wesley or Martin Luther, would Grace Hill agree to push the film to Christian audiences, thereby making more money for the film's producers, all for that "teachable moment?
Of course not. For some (certainly not all) Evangelicals, this probably appears to be a win/win situation: get a few licks in on the Catholic Church and promote your responses to the Code — responses that will focus almost exclusively on defending Scripture, not on telling the full story of who wrote the Bible (Catholics), who preserved the Bible (Catholics), and who defined the canon of the NT, aided by the Holy Spirit (Catholics).
One of the dangers of apologetics is taking a utilitarian, pragmatic approach that can distort the Big Picture even while getting many of the details right. My experience as an Evangelical (I entered the Catholic Church in 1997) was that such an approach often took place when dealing with matters of history. Yes, Catholic apologists do the same thing and there is plenty of mediocre apologetics and dubious historical "research" in the Catholic world (I'm thinking here of popular level works, not academic works). But, when it comes to Church history, many Evangelical apologists will (understandably) focus on defending the Bible while providing only what is absolutely necessary about the larger context, which is thoroughly Catholic.
I applaud and respect the efforts of Evangelicals such as Dr. Bock in responding to the Coded Craziness. But I don't think I would want to be involved in The Da Vinci Challenge site because I don't want to be part of the Sony Publicity Machine; this is a project (publicity stunt?) that has a certain smell of condescension to it. I have no interest in exhorting people not to see the movie (after all, I will see it), but I'm certainly not going to tell people they should it, as though they need to view it in order for them to be told the truth about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the Bible, Emperor Constantine, and Leonardo da Vinci.
Posted by: Carl Olson at Feb 9, 2006 2:07:28 PM
Some real big names on the panel of experts. In addition to the ones Amy mentioned, there are the following:
1. George Barna
2. Darrell L. Bock (of Dallas Theological Seminary; a prominent Da Vinci critic)
3. Tony Campolo
4. Chuck Colson
5. Gloria Gaither
6. Hugh Hewitt
7. Josh McDowell
8. Charles C. Ryrie
9. Lee Strobel ("The Case for Christ")
10. Ben Witherington III (Asbury Theological Seminary)
Hard for me to believe these people are selling out somehow. These are highly respected people in evangelical (and, to a certain extent, mainline) Protestant circles. Ryrie for example won't be too well known by Catholics, but trust me, he is HUGE. I don't think their integrity is for sale. They probably just felt that they could most effectively counter the errors of DVC "from the inside".
Posted by: Larry at Feb 9, 2006 2:17:28 PM
I am very, very familiar with Dr. Ryrie's work, having read far too many of his books (I own nearly all of his works). I don't know much about him personally, but he is, I think, a very overrated theologian and author. He also has a strong bias against Catholicism. That's not to say he isn't well-intentioned in his involvement in this site. Said involvement is certainly a matter of prudential judgment. But, to pick up on one of Amy's point, what does it say about Christians when they end up relying on the one attacking their beliefs to provide a forum for them to respond to those attacks? I hope their efforts result in much good, but at the moment I am quite dubious about the entire thing.
Posted by: Carl Olson at Feb 9, 2006 2:26:59 PM
Actually, Carl, the list Larry mentions is almost a "Who's Who of the late 20th century American Scene," and most have anti-Catholic biases of some degree.
By and large, these "experts" don't have any interest in defending the Catholic Church from misrepresentations in DVC.
They are there to explain Scripture (i.e., evangelize) and make a few historical points (i.e., evangelize) and say a few things about Jesus Christ (i.e., evangelize). They are happy to do it. "Come worship with us; we'll show you the real Jesus after you enjoy the film!"
Posted by: Old Zhou at Feb 9, 2006 2:31:18 PM
A few rambling thoughts...
1) True that a number of evangelicals out there who would love to "get a few licks in on the Catholic Church." But this is not the group. Not by a long shot. They'll be starting another web site for that. Think MacArthur, Sproul, Ankerberg, Horton, and Kennedy.
2) We seem to be forgetting in the discussion here that there are Orthodox and a Catholic on the "expert" list? Perhaps someone should contact John Allen (he seems to be popular in St. Blog's as of late esp. in regards to Opus Dei) and volunteer him to the party?
3) Why can't one could look at the issue of the Sony and Grace Hill collaberation as a concerted effort on Sony's part to respond to the criticisms by marketing to us and, to a certain extent, doing it respectfully?
I guess I see this as "Hollywood Trying."
But, it is Hollywood. And they LIVE for controversey like this. Sells more movie tickets.
[Old Zhou, didn't Jesus offer "bottom of the barrel" catechesis? Those gospel stories he tells are just, well, so simple!]
Posted by: Brigid at Feb 9, 2006 2:51:05 PM
Thanks, Old Zhou.
I wonder if Grace Hill has ever turned down any offers to promote films?
On an earlier thread, I think Amy reported that Chuck Colson would be doing something about Catholicism? I believe his wife is Catholic but he surely isn't.
Amy's right. How hard would it have been to put together an on-line forum not hosted by Sony? Maybe somebody should do that and solicit essays from the Catholic perspective.
Posted by: Julia at Feb 9, 2006 2:56:20 PM
3) Why can't one could look at the issue of the Sony and Grace Hill collaberation as a concerted effort on Sony's part to respond to the criticisms by marketing to us and, to a certain extent, doing it respectfully?
That's certainly one way to look at it and I think it bears consideration. But I think this is also a clever way for Sony to be able to say, "Hey, we want to help the discussion and we did our part to let everyone have their say." So, the whacky, anti-Catholic conspiracy theory gets a full-blown movie with top flight actors, director, etc. — and Christians (the vast majority of them not Catholic!) get a website. Hmmm....
I think that all Christians would do well to remember how Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" was repeatedly denounced by Hollywood and the MSM as 1) anti-Semitic, 2) historically inaccurate, and 3) bizarrely violent/bloody. Now we have a movie that, if it adheres to the novel (which it apparently does), is clearly anti-Catholic, historically inaccurate to a degree that is stupifying, and quite bizarre in its crazy brew of New Age-isms, radical feminist blarney, and neo-gnostic pseudo-scholarship. And Christians are going to be involved in a website sponsored by the studio that is producing it? Again, it just doesn't add up to me...
Posted by: Carl Olson at Feb 9, 2006 3:10:01 PM
The following is from the linked article in the Orlando paper:
Johnston [of Fuller Theological Seminary]says that, as a result of conversations with Bock, he and another faculty member, Richard Mouw, have agreed to be part of a group of evangelicals and mainline Christians that will be writing articles related to the movie. They also will serve on an advisory panel that the media can contact when the film opens.
The marriage of convenience -- if that is what it is -- between evangelicals and the film's producers "doesn't seem so startling to me," says Teresa Berger, professor of ecumenical theology at Duke University Divinity School. "That's how consumer capitalism functions in relationship to religious traditions."
- - - - - -
My questions: They are going to be self-appointed experts for the press to consult?
I don't think the book and movie even mention Protestants, much less Evangelicals.
- - - -
As for Scripture's Catholic connection: The Book of Mormon was engraved on plates; Mohammed was supposedly God's stenographer.
The Old and New Testaments were written by identifiable people. The Bible did not drop from Heaven - it was written by Jews and Catholics; and Jews and Catholics decided which peieces were going to be included. Why is it that Evangelicals are the appointed apologists for the New Testament when none of them were around for another 1,000 + years.
It's almost funny.
Posted by: Julia at Feb 9, 2006 3:14:16 PM
Look at USA Today article, "Evangelicals Miss the Big Picture," By William Romanowski (a Calvin College professor):
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060206/cm_usatoday/evangelicalsmissthebigpicture
Interesting quote found there:
"Evangelicals can influence Hollywood when they think of the cinema as an arena for cultural discourse but not a place for converting members of that culture to a specific Christian orientation. In other words, evangelicals' goal for the movie industry should be to encourage discourse, not merely evangelizing."
This is in response to movies like Crash, Million Dollar Baby and Brokeback Mountain but I think it addresses WHY a certain segment of evangelicalism wants to engage with Hollywood and move beyond bans and boycotts....
[Carl, it does "add up" -- and the adding is $$$'s!]
Posted by: Brigid at Feb 9, 2006 3:17:43 PM
Perhaps the following is worth noting. The only Catholic listed is from the Pauline center, which is about a mile away from Sony Picture Studios. (I doubt it's worth noting that the bookstore is just a couple of doors down from a Carl's Jr.)
Posted by: jay at Feb 9, 2006 3:49:20 PM
Hey Jay, is it worth noting that I worked at a Carl's Jr. in 1974? One night while closing up the store, I was reaching up above the grill machine (through which the beef patties passed on a chain belt) in order to clean the grease traps in the ventilation system, and I leaned on the top of the grill machine. It was just like Kwai Chang Cain in "Kung Fu"...instant scar branded into my right forearm. Ouchie.
Posted by: Old Zhou at Feb 9, 2006 3:54:09 PM
