Reflection/Discussion Guide
The DaVinci Code

Tracey L. Hurd, Ph.D.
Resource Developer
Lifespan Faith Development, UUA
Boston, MA

The DaVinci Code
By Dan Brown
New York: Doubleday, 2003
ISBN 0-385-50420-9, 454 pages

Description

The DaVinci Code, a novel by Dan Brown, describes a race to solve a mystery revealed to Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon and Parisian cryptologist Sophie Neveu, a race that starts with the death of a prominent curator. From the beginning the reader is brought into a maze of symbolism, art history, and religious theory, with detailed descriptions that give this work of fiction an authoritative tone. While some may yearn to dust off their humanities courses notebooks, and tease out what is and isn’t fact, others may simply enjoy the ride. Uncovering nuances of DaVinci’s work, a secret society, and theories that trouble tenets of current Christianity, Brown draws the reader into the mystery and the quest to understand whatever greater theory lurks. The narrative spins faster as Langdon and Neveu become hunted themselves. At each twist and turn there are new pieces of the puzzle, and just when it feels like the plot is on the verge of being over-the-top, there’s a last closing mystery followed by a resolution.

About the author

The author of four novels (including Digital Fortress, Deception Point, and Angels and Demons), Dan Brown is a writer whose work is full of detail. The DaVinci Code is the second in a trilogy of books (the third is being written) featuring Robert Landon, a Harvard symbologist whose decoding skills help him solve mysteries nested in historical, architectural, and religious facts and theories. He is married to an art historian and painter who collaborates with him on research for his writing. Brown’s official website is (http://www.danbrown.com).

Why would this book appeal to Unitarian Universalist readers?

This novel's combination of fact and fiction has spurred enormous controversy. There are literally hundreds of websites devoted to discussing or contesting its premises, not to mention television specials and articles! It has inspired the public to consider how we come to know religious history and doctrine. And it has enraged those who find fault with sources, interpretations, and representations included in Brown’s book. It is a useful (and enjoyable) novel for Unitarian Universalist readers because it draws us again into thinking about what is important for understanding religion. How does the controversy about this book (including specific points of theology, such as the possibility that Mary Magdalene may have been Jesus’ wife) affect us as Unitarian Universalists? As Unitarian Universalists, does our search for truth and meaning lead us to query each point raised in the book as either fact or fiction? How do we live in relationship to religious history?

Discussion Process

Book discussions should reflect the interests of the participants. Some discussions work best with an appointed moderator; free flowing conversation works well for others. Starting the discussion with a very accessible question and asking each participant to comment creates a tone of sharing. Discussion of “The DaVinci Code” can lead easily to a debate about what is fact versus what is fiction. The questions below are intended to offer alternatives that will engage participants in thoughtful discussion.

Reflection and Discussion Questions

1. What did you enjoy most about this novel? Which characters in the novel appealed to you most and why?
   
2. This novel has been described as empowering to women. Is this true or not true for you?
   
3. Has this book influenced your view of Christianity? How so? Has it affected your own perspective on Unitarian Universalism in relationship to Christianity?
   
4. The idea that Jesus may have had a spousal relationship with Mary Magdalene is central to this novel. What do you think about this issue? Why has this been so controversial (beyond trying to discover whether it is factual)? Would this make Jesus more or less a prophet for Unitarian Universalists?
   
5. This novel has sparked a lot of discussion about what is “fact” versus what are Dan Brown’s ideas. How important is or was that issue to your enjoyment of or perspective on the book?
   
6. Who in this novel had faith? Which characters' representations of faith are appealing to you and/or similar to your own? Which are most different?
   
7. In the novel, Sophie witnesses a shocking act that is connected to religion. As the story unravels, Sophie’s understanding of what she saw and how it is connected to a greater context emerges. At first Sophie’s process is intellectual, but towards the end there is a sense of affective understanding. How does this journey of understanding relate (or not relate) to your own journey of religious or spiritual knowing?
   
8. A perspective on the origin and meaning of the chalice, as a symbol of masculinity and femininity joined together, is offered in the novel. Does this make you feel differently about a flaming chalice as a symbol of our faith? Why or why not?
   
9. The mystery of the "DaVinci Codes" sweeps many readers up in the fervor of finding out the historical truth about Christian religion. How is this kind of religious “detective work” useful or not useful to you as a Unitarian Universalist? One of our UU principles is to affirm a “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” Does the search for the “truth” about Christian history lead to a greater understanding of its “meaning?”
   
10. The novel asserts that religion has changed from being Goddess-centered (celebrating women, child bearing and aspects of women’s sexuality/bodies) to male/God-centered. What would it be like if the major religions were Goddess centered today?
    
11. The lead characters in the novel have a calling to locate the Holy Grail. What is the “holy grail” you seek in your spiritual quest?
    
12. To whom would you recommend this book and why?

Resources about women and religion

In addition to the many resources available from the on-line publication, UU Faith Works (www.uua.org), the UUA offers the following resources specific to exploring women and religion.

• “Film as Theological Text” (REACH, Fall, 2001) Focuses on women in community through the following featured films: Babette’s Feast, Daughters of the Dust, Mary Magdalen: An Intimate Portrait, and Breaking the Waves.
  
• Cakes for the Queen of Heaven: A ten-session adult seminar in feminist theology.
  By Shirley A. Ranck (Boston: Unitarian Universalist Association, 1986). This is currently out of print, but available from some congregations, district libraries and the UUA Lifespan Faith Development Loan Library.
  
• Rise Up and Call Her Name: A Woman-Honoring Journey into Earth-Based Spirituality. By Elizabeth Fisher (Boston: Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation, 1994). Web site: http://foxfables.org/pages/17437/index.htm