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[[Image: davincicode.jpg|thumb|right|120px|''The Da Vinci Code'' book cover (UK 1st edition)]]   

[[Image: davincicode.jpg|thumb|right|120px|''The Da Vinci Code'' book cover (UK 1st edition)]]   

The Da Vinci Code creates an alternate history of Christianity which contradicts much of the historical record, leading to protests that the book is attacking the church.  Although only a novel, Dan Brown feeds the impression throughout The Da Vinci Code of having meticulously researched the history of Christianity, although many assertions have been pointed out as spurious, including the existence of the Priory of Sion, an organization created in 1099 in the book, while in truth it was a hoax created in 1956. He includes a fact page in the beginning of the book and makes references to numerous historical sources, historians and scholars throughout to give an appearance of scholarly research. In an interview on [[Good Morning America]], Dan Brown stated with conviction that if he had been asked to write a non-fiction version of The Da Vinci Code he would change none of the historical material he included in the novel. Brown's critics of his claims for historacity asked him to appear with them and answer the charges of his many errors (over 30), but Brown refused to do so, saying he was too busy working on his next book.

The Da Vinci Code creates an alternate history of Christianity which contradicts much of the historical record, leading to protests that the book is attacking the church.  Although only a novel, Dan Brown feeds the impression throughout The Da Vinci Code of having meticulously researched the history of Christianity, although many assertions have been pointed out as spurious, including the existence of the Priory of Sion, an organization created in 1099 in the book, while in truth it was a hoax created in 1956. He includes a fact page in the beginning of the book and makes references to numerous historical sources, historians and scholars throughout to give an appearance of scholarly research. In an interview on [[Good Morning America]], Dan Brown stated with conviction that if he had been asked to write a non-fiction version of The Da Vinci Code he would change none of the historical material he included in the novel. Brown's critics of his claims for historicity asked him to appear with them and answer the charges of his many errors (over 30), but Brown refused to do so, saying he was too busy working on his next book.

Many authors have written books debunking the historical inaccuracies in the Brown's book, selling millions of copies.

Many authors have written books debunking the historical inaccuracies in the Brown's book, selling millions of copies.

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The book is set up to be a thriller. Robert Langdon, a Harvard “symbologist” (a fictitious field of study), is summoned to help solve a murder committed at the [Louvre]. Langdon and Sophie Neveu, a cryptographer with the French police, are left with a trail of clues to unravel, and with the help of resident scholar Sir Leigh Teabing, crack the codes to uncover groundbreaking secrets.

The book is set up to be a thriller. Robert Langdon, a Harvard “symbologist” (a fictitious field of study), is summoned to help solve a murder committed at the [[Louvre]]. Langdon and Sophie Neveu, a cryptographer with the French police, are left with a trail of clues to unravel, and with the help of resident scholar Sir Leigh Teabing, crack the codes to uncover groundbreaking secrets.

The first astounding thing Langdon discovers is "the truth" about the biblical figure [[Mary Magdalene]]. In the novel Mary Magdalene was a Jewish woman from the tribe of Benjamin and [[Jesus]]’ single most important disciple—in fact she was more than his disciple, she was his lover and wife, and the mother of their child, Sarah.  She was Jesus’ female counterpart, if not entirely “equal” to him, she was pretty close, and meant to be worshipped as a goddess.

The first astounding thing Langdon discovers is "the truth" about the biblical figure [[Mary Magdalene]]. In the novel Mary Magdalene was a Jewish woman from the tribe of Benjamin and [[Jesus]]’ single most important disciple—in fact she was more than his disciple, she was his lover and wife, and the mother of their child, Sarah.  She was Jesus’ female counterpart, if not entirely “equal” to him, she was pretty close, and meant to be worshipped as a goddess.