From Publishers Weekly
The popularity of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code has caused Christian apologists to address what they consider to be its heresies and historical errors. Witherington, a New Testament scholar at Asbury Theological Seminary, intends in this volume to add his voice to the growing criticism of Brown's novel. Each chapter treats an issue—the formation of the canon, the "married Jesus" theory, etc.—and then offers a wealth of background material to support an evangelical Christian viewpoint. Drawing on his background in Christian theology and church history, Witherington explains his position in a lucid and sometimes whimsical style. He is particularly strong when exploring and explaining the processes of textual criticism and redaction, and in helping readers understand the flow of Christian history and the development of doctrine. The influence of Gnosticism, ancient and modern, likewise receives extensive treatment. The book closes with an appeal for a more rational, and less speculative, consideration of the Jesus story. Quite apart from its treatment of Brown's novel, this book is a fine exposition of mainstream evangelical teaching and merits wide readership. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
Dan Brown's international bestseller The Da Vinci Code has raised many questions in the minds of readers. - Was Jesus really married to Mary Magdalene? - Did he father a child with her? - Did Constantine suppress the earliest Gospels and invent the doctrine of Christ's divinity? - Do the Gnostic Gospels represent the true Christian faith which the early church sought to supplant? The Da Vinci Code, in blurring the lines between fact and fiction, popularizes the speculations and contentions of numerous more serious books that are also attracting wide attention. How should we respond to claims that we now have documents that reveal secrets about Jesus, secrets long suppressed by the church and other religious institutions? Do these new documents successfully debunk traditional views about Jesus and early Christianity? Ben Witherington confronts these claims with the sure-footedness of a New Testament scholar, yet in the plain language that any interested reader can follow. He takes us back to the early centuries after Jesus' death and tells us what we can really know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the canonical Gospels and their Gnostic rivals.


From the Inside Flap
"In these few pages, an eminent New Testament scholar not only explodes the follies of The Da Vinci Code but also dissects the claims of certain scholars to find in the Gnostic Gospels a historically authentic Jesus and an alternative Christianity. Timely and compelling!" William Lane Craig, coauthor of Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? "Unlike so many critiques that carefully mince words, Ben Witherington explains exactly why currently popular attempts to treat the historical Jesus in a revisionist manner are so wide of the mark. Beginning with a bang by noting 'seven deadly errors' right on through the conclusion, Witherington pulls no punches while showcasing his wonderful sense of humor. Here the reader is treated to an excellent evaluation, making points that many of us wish were made far more frequently. This book is simply a delightful read." Gary R. Habermas, author of The Risen Jesus and Future Hope "Ben Witherington won't stop at refuting the historical errors of The Da Vinci Code. He will not rest until he refutes the novel's spiritual error as well. Witherington names the narcissism at the heart of the Gnostic revival and offers the New Testament's God-centered good news in its place." David Neff, Editor, Christianity Today


About the Author
Ben Witherington III (Ph.D., University of Durham, England) is professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and the author of numerous books on the New Testament, including Women and the Genesis of Christianity (Cambridge University Press), Jesus the Sage (Fortress Press) and The Jesus Quest (IVP). With Hershel Shanks he is coauthor of The Brother of Jesus (HarperSanFrancisco), a book on the controversial James ossuary. A frequent contributor to Beliefnet.com, Ben has also appeared on numerous TV news programs, such as the Peter Jennings ABC special Jesus and Paul--The Word and the Witness and the O'Reilly Factor.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The controversy over the facts behind the fiction of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code continues. New Testament professor Ben Witherington enters the fray with a critical examination of non-traditional readings of early Christian history. In The Gospel Code, he refutes claims that Jesus married to Mary Magdalene and responds to assertions that the Gnostic Gospels represent the true Christian faith. A withering attack on ancient heresies.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"The Da Vinci Code, in blurring the lines between fact an fiction, popularizes the speculations and contentions of numerous more serious books that are also attracting wide attention. How should we respond to claims that we now have documents that reveal secrets about Jesus, secrets long suppressed by the church and other religious institutions? Do these new documents successfully debunk traditional views about Jesus and early Christianity?" Ben Witherington confronts these claims the sure-footedness of a New Testaments scholar, yet in the plain language that any interested reader can follow. He takes us back to the early centuries after Jesus' death and tells us what we can really know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the canonical Gospels and their Gnostic rivals.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly