|
| ||
|
|
04/20/2006
Opinions About
Da Vinci Can Be Debated, But the Truth is Immutable
PHILADELPHIA, April 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- In advance of what may be the most controversial film to hit the silver screen in decades – “The Da Vinci Code” -- Westminster Theological Seminary has launched its own response website, www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com, for the purpose of being a repository of historical fact and biblically- sound resources addressing the points of dispute originating in Dan Brown’s best-selling novel by the same name. “When talking about opinions, there is plenty of room for discussion,” explains Dr. William Edgar, Professor of Apologetics at Westminster. “However, when the word ‘truth’ is thrown into the mix, then it becomes more complicated. By its very definition, ‘truth’ is not up for debate – it is what it is, and one either accepts it or not.” While www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com is sponsored by a seminary, it was not created for a seminary mindset. Instead, its intent is to facilitate informed spiritual discussion by providing a simplified, yet scholarly, bullet point responses to some of the more fantastic claims about Christianity in the novel’s storyline. The main topics addressed on thetruthaboutdavinci.com website include 1) Is Jesus God?; 2) Is the Bible true?; 3) Was Jesus married?; 4) Lost Books of the Bible – Are they Real?; 5) The Sacred Feminine – What is It?; and 6) The Holy Grail. “The immediate answers to those questions are straightforward, no ‘bells and whistles’ points,” remarks Dr. Peter Lillback, the seminary’s president. “It was our aim that a visitor can land on any page of the site and find enough information – without having to dig any further -- to have ‘doubt about the doubt’ that has been created by ‘The Da Vinci Code’.” The Westminster site, www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com, which went live on Good Friday, April 14th, includes such contributors such as author and speaker Os Guinness; authors of the best-selling Cracking Da Vinci’s Code Peter Jones and Jim Garlow; author Lee Strobel; Dallas Theological Seminary Professor and author Darrell Bock; Redeemer Presbyterian Pastor Tim Keller; among others. “Swirling around this book are so many discussions about ‘seeking the truth,’ it seems that in that pursuit, the best place to start would be by looking at the truth of the Biblical message, centered in Jesus Christ, which has stood the test of time for thousands of years and for which people are still willing to lay down their life,” Edgar added. “Our job is easy – we don’t have to manufacture or create our position. We need only to examine the facts and let them speak for themselves.” Separate Christian and mainstream advertisement campaigns -- featured in USA Today, Christianity Today and Charisma and various denominational publications -- will roll out closer to the movie’s release date. The intent of the ads is not to invite controversy around the film, but to give people a place to go find answers to the questions that will undoubtedly be raised. The tagline, designed to create both awareness and intrigue among its readers, will be variations of “There is fact. There is fiction. You decide online.” For more information about Westminster Theological Seminary’s response site, visit http://www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com.
| |
|
| ||
