DaVinci Code in Canada

Like many churches, we're doing a series on the Da Vinci Code. It starts this Sunday and goes three weeks.

Part of my motivation for this series came on Easter morning when my brother showed me a CanWest article that said 22% of Albertans believe the Da Vinci Code is true. When I read that I thought, "Oh boy, we've got to talk about that. People aren't thinking." And so we are.

I'm really stoked about the press we're getting for this series. Last Saturday, we had a full page article in the Edmonton Journal and yesterday I had a chance to go on the Rutherford Show (a popular call in radio show here in Alberta) to share what we're doing.

Canadians in particular are vunerable to being influenced by Dan Brown's book. While many Canadians claim to have Christian roots, most of them don't attend church. Moreover, with the universities in Canada being so anti-church, I doubt they'll recieve much guidance from these institutions as to what's historical fact and what's historical fiction. I worry that what The Da Vinci Code will accomplish is allowing many Canadians to simply write off the church and the gospel in one fowl swoop.

All this being said, I'm wondering if The Da Vinci Code might end up being a tempest in a teapot. I woke up this morning to a radio DJ saying the critics were giving the movie a thumbs down. If the movie bombs, interest in the book will blow over in a hurry. Another challenge here in Edmonton anyway is the run the Oilers are making in the playoffs. Who cares about Da Vinci when the Oilers are winning.

Don't get me wrong. I still think the series is worth doing. Dan Brown has provided a wonderful opportunity to educate people on the historicity of the gospel. I know whoever shows up on Sunday will find it compelling.

I guess we'll see...