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Show SethSot6Ti DAILY HERALD Howtrueis Christian history ii n ‘Da Vinci Code? Art Ball Continued from B1 Assistant BYU football coach Brandon Doman was the guest speaker, filling With May movie due, debate persists some of the 27 New Testament books weren't universally accept- ed until after Constantine's day. Some rejected writings are called gospels, though they lack the narrativehistories that characterize the New Testament's four. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wereearlier and won wide consensus as memories and in for head coach Bronco Mendenhall who hadto leave town unexpectedlyon Friday, Doman said. His first timeat the art ball, Domansaid he was surprised to discoverthe elegantlycoifed guests, top-tier buffet andlive band. gota phonecall yester” he said. “I was in San Francisco recruiting some young men, and just got back not toolong ago. If ! had knownhowwonderful this eventis, 1 would have brought mywife. She is homeputting our three childrentobed. | can’t tell Richard N. Ostling line from Dan Brown's “The Da Vinci Code” tells you whyit’s easily the most disputed religious novelofall time: “Al- print, “Da Vinci" has long been Gospels — the exact opposite of Brown's scenario. Gnostic gos- pels purported to contain secret thefaith from single source they regard as wrong-headed rector Vern Swansonsaid he had a message noone spring salon was the best we've ever had.” Nine hundred and ninetyseven works of art were enteredinthis year’s salon. whichis a record, he said. Of those, 270 were selectedfor exhibition “and are hated by about 670artists.” he joked. “It's great because the * moreartists that enter the better the competition.” Byselling tickets at $40 per couple, the Art Bail raised funds for the muse- um’s newsculpture garden this year, said museum spokeswomanNatalie Pe- tersen. “But the sole purpose of the ball is not to be a she said. “It is a community celebration. Our most important goalis to have the community comeand have a wonder- ful eveningoffine food and dancing at this wonderful communityresource.” spiritual knowledge from Jesus as the means by whichan elite could escape the material world, Nowthe controversy seems release of the movie version of “Da Vinci" May17-19 around the world. Believers have re- wanted tohear“because | sayit every year, This year's depicted in the New Testament a headache for Christian schol- worried about the influence on headed for a crescendo with the Spring Salon, museumdi: The rejected books often portrayed an ethereal Jesus lacking the human qualities ars and historians, who are her everyone wasdressed Before handing out awards for the museum's annual art competition, called the their successors. taught us about Christ is false.” With 46 million copies in dessert bar and dancing.” up nicely with goodfood and beliefs from Jesus’ apostles.and most everything our fathers which theysawas corrupt. On the question of mass burning of texts deemed heretical, leased anextraordinaryflood SIMON MEIN /Sony Pictures of material criticizing the story Actors Audrey Tautou ahd Tom Hanks in a scene fromthe suspense thriller “The Da Vinci Code.” The film, based on the novel by Dan Brown, will be released May 17-19 aroundthe world. — books,tracts, lectures and Internet sites among them. The conservative RomanCatholic Among moreliberal thinkers, group Opus Dei, portrayed as Villainous in thestory, is among those asking Sony Corp. to is- Harold Attridge, dean of Yale's sue a disclaimerwith thefilm Bart Ehrman, religion chair at “wildlymisinterpreted” early Christianity. Ehrmandetails Divinity School, says Brown has Brown's “numerous mistakes” in “Truth andFiction in the Da Vin- the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, likens the phenom- enonto the excitement in the 19th ci Code”and asks: century when masses thought Jesus would returnin 1844. The novel's impact onreligious ideas in pop culture, he says. is “quite unlike anything we've experienced in ourlifetimes.” To give just one example, ci” is billed as more than mere fiction. Br‘own’'s opening page “FACT” all descriptions re accurate.” Ben WitheringtonIII of Asbury “It’s a book aboutbig ideas. youcanlove them or yeu can Theological Seminary is followingupthecriticisms of the novel in "The Gospel Code” with hate them,” Brown said in a speechlast week. “But we're all talking about them, andthat's really the point.” Browntold National Public Radio's “Weekend Edition” during a 2003 publicity tour — he lecturesin Singapore, Turkey and 30 USS. cities. He's given55 broadcastinterviews. Assaults on “DaVinci" don't just come from evangelicals like Witherington. A senior Vatican declinesinterviews now — that his characters and action are official, Archbishop Angelo Amato, called for a boycott of thefilm Friday, sayingit fictional but “the ancienthistory. the secret documents,therituals — all of this is factual.” Around the sametime, on CNNhesaid containedslanderous offenses against Christianity. IRS PROBLEMS? EX-IRS AGENTS AND TAX PROFESSIONALS NEGOTIATE FOR YOU! ..dthe (Nation's) most successful(in termsofsize) tax-resolution company.”* The WallStreet Journal | Free Tax Settlement Analysis: ConfidentialInterview by Appointment Only 800-377-9720 WeAlso Negotiate: Defaulted Student Loans Credit Card andPersonal Debt 800-499-0951 www.taxexperts.com JK Harris & Company endorsement by the WSJ “Whydidn’ t that “the backgroundisall true.” Christian scholars begto dif- fer. Amongthekeyissues: became a man(Philippians2:6). Historiansalsosaythe bish- ops summoned to Nicaea by Constantine never questioned the long-heldbelief in Jesus's divinity. Rather, they debated technicalities of howhe could be bothdivine and human. D Jesus's divinit: Brown's version in “Da Vinci": Christians viewed Jesus as a mere mortal until A.D. 325 whenthe Emperor Constantine “turned Jesusintoa deity” by getting the Council of Nicaea » The New Testament. Brown's version: “More than Ehrmanof North Carolina says there’s little evidenceto support thatclaim. Rejected books simplydisappeared because people stopped using them, and nobodybothered to make new copies in an agelong before the printing press. » Jesus as married Brown's version: Jesus must have wed because Jewish decorum would “virtually forbid” an unmarried man. His spouse was Mary Magdalene and their daughterinaugurated a royal bloodline in France. Critics: First century Jewish endorsedivine status by “a rela- 80 gospels were considered His critics’ version: Larry Constantine chose onlyfour. Jews married but Esseneholy gospelsthat spokeof Christ’s mendid not. The Magdalene myth emerged in medieval times. tively close vote His newBible “omitted those Hurtadoof Scotland's Univer- sity of Edinburgh, whose“Lord human traits and embellished Jesus Christ” examines first century belief in Jesus’ divin- those gospels that made him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up and burned.” The Dead Sea Scrolls and manuscripts from ity, says that “onchronology. issues, developments, andall the matters asserted, Brown strikes out: he doesn't even get on base.” Heand others cite the worship of Jesus in epistles that Paul wrote in the 50s A.D. One passageteachesthat Jesus. “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God athing to be grasped” and Dutch Oven Cook-off At Young Living Farms Saturday April 29th | Contestants apply on-line at www.younglivingfarms.com not the four Gospels. Critics: Historians say Chris- tians reached consensuson the authority of the first century's four Gospels andletters of Paul during the second century. But Browncites the Nag Ham- madi “Gospel of Philip” as evidenceof a marriage, but words are missing from critical passage in the tattered manuscript: “Mary Magdalene(missing) her mofethan (missing) the disciples (missing) kiss her (missing) on her (missing).” Did Jesus kiss Maryon the lips, or cheek or forehead? Whatever, Gnostics would have seentherelationshipas platonic andspiritual, scholars sey. > Lookingfora hair salon? Looknofurther, contact YOUNG LIVING Or call 1-800-371-0819for more info ag Hammadi, Egypt, were “the earliest Christian records.” historian Josephus said most Mountainland Applied Technology College Judging at 1 pm. ana for the NewTestament” but 0 RAY MOUNTAINLAND COSMETOLOGY for your next salon appointment MATC 763-0324 MaTc wa Ee Purchase ANY6-inchoriginal, large original, or Signature sandwich, with any size soft drink, and receive a FREE Cookies and Ice Cream sandwich! Taste It. Love It. Crave It, Sask renin canpeneaeVallwthyer alyat Sree Cookies per coupon per person per visit. Valid through May25, 2006 |