Postmodern Psychology and The DaVinci Code

QUESTION: Postmodern Psychology – The DaVinci Code

ANSWER:

The DaVinci Code (a 2006 film)—“Ron Howard’s film version of Dan Brown’s bestselling novel provides a comfortable, if remarkably flimsy, buttress for viewers looking for reasons to reject the gospel...[Unlike the book version of the story,] Mr. Hanks’ Langdon plays much more the role of a skeptic in the film, losing some of the all-knowing academic tone that defines his character in the book. Langdon often argues with the film’s version of the Holy Grail story, which involves Christ taking a bride and bearing children—regularly referring to the story as a “myth,” something he doesn’t do in the book...

Postmodern Psychology – What’s True for You Is All that Counts
In place of Mr. Brown’s idealized picture of ancient paganism, Mr. Howard and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman have substituted an oh-so-familiar Hollywood religion that is certainly easier to swallow for many—and a more insidious force in modern culture. This is, of course, the religion of me. Langdon’s repeated advice to Sophie in a crucial final scene is, ‘It’s important what you believe.’ Not what’s true, but what’s true for you. In the final analysis, Christianity isn’t entirely repudiated, even if it is based on utter falsehoods, because faith (in something) is important, insofar as that faith benefits those who require it. That, more than Mr. Brown’s silly, easily refuted conspiracy theories, is an all too prevalent cancer on our culture’s understanding of spirituality.”¹

Notes:

Rendered with permission from the book,Understanding the Times: The Collision of Today’s Competing Worldviews(Rev. 2^nd ed), David Noebel, Summit Press, 2006. Compliments of John Stonestreet, David Noebel, and the Christian Worldview Ministry at Summit Ministries. All rights reserved in the original.

¹ Andrew Coffin, The DaVinci Code, World Magazine, May 27, 2006, http://www.worldmag.com/articles/11899.