Crack the Da Vinci code with a range of resources from Church Army

17 Oct 2006

With the UK DVD release this week of Dan Brown's conspiracy thriller The Da Vinci Code, Church Army has produced a range of resources and materials to help fans understand the mysteries and issues highlighted in the film.

The Da Vinci Code - a big budget production starring Tom Hanks and directed by Academy Award Winner Ron Howard racked up £30.4 million at the box office by the end of August this year, with millions more expected from the official DVD issue. The movie tells the story of college professor Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu, pursued by the police for murder as they try to search for truth in a rollercoaster of centuries-old clues and conspiracy theories.

Church Army's Word on the Web, has published seven daily special Da Vinci Code emails which explore aspects of the film in bite-sized 300-word chunks. The studies, written by author, broadcaster and Church Army evangelist, Andrew Wooding are available on the Word on the Web website. Andrew comments: "These are ideal for fans of The Da Vinci Code, for those who looking for truth, and for Christians who want to be informed about what all the fuss is about."

Grove Books have also published Coded Messages by Church Army researcher Steve Hollinghurst which shows how The Da Vinci Code taps into the thirst for conspiracy theories and explores how issues raised by the book and the film can be used to build bridges with those outside the church.

Steve comments, "This book and film has got millions of people talking about issues of faith, spirituality and Christian history. It shouldn't be dismissed, and Christians need to seriously engage with this debate, the facts and what it is saying about our culture. We need to understand why the book's version of events is attractive to so many and should be part of the solution rather than the problem for those seeking truth. It is vital that we are able to engage positively with this agenda and show why the Christian faith has answers that are relevant for spiritual seekers today."  Steve's book can be ordered from Grove Books or by  following this link.

Church Army also launched a special Da Vinci Code action idea, which features different ideas for organising a Da Vinci Code evening.

To find out about the range of resources available from the Church Army website, visit the  page. For more information about word-on-the-web or to sign up for the free daily emails, visit