The plot of this thriller is very engaging despite its predictability. It is about a fictitious symbologist/professor from Harvard named Robert Langdon who was summoned to the Louvre Museum by the French police. He and French cryptologist Sophie Nevue scramble about trying to solve complex puzzles and codes led by clues hidden in the works of Leonardo Da Vinci that ultimately lead him to a "one of the greatest mysteries of all time" -- a conclusion about the Holy Grail that opposes the traditional, Christian beliefs about Jesus. In this case, the Grail is purported to be Mary Magdalene who married Jesus and passed on his blood through bearing his child. The book begins with a bold statement that "all descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate." In the sense that the documents and rituals mentioned in the book exist, then yes, this is a fact. However, the statement is misleading because it induces the reader to buy into Brown's historical research which is actually a rather far-fetched interpretation of history. It is dangerous in its believability, because anyone who does not have a clear grasp on Church history -- particularly a good understanding of the proceedings at the Council of Nicea -- could easily be misled. The book incorporates the teachings of Gnosticism which was a heretical cult during the second and third centuries which taught that Jesus was not God, but that His teachings could lead people to divine knowledge. The idea that the Gnostic gospels discovered in Nag Hammadi in 1945 are a more accurate preservation of Jesus' teachings is a popular notion being disseminate in many university classrooms. However, both Christian and secular scholars have dated the Gnostic gospels at a date much later than the canonized New Testament Gospels. If you or someone you know has read this book and felt confused by the ideas it offers, I recommend going directly to the source documents. Read the writings of the Early Church Fathers and take a look at the history and proceedings of the Council of Nicea. Best of all, read the New Testament teachings about Jesus. Even if you don't believe the New Testament is accurate, read them as historical documents and compare them to the documents this novel is based on. This book does not uplift the Christian spirit in the way many other fiction books do, but for those who want to sharpen their God-given critical thinking skills, it may be worth the read. It requires applying a discerning heart and thinking critically and historically. With the right approach, it can be a rigorous exercise in apologetics. What are other Christians saying about this book? What Should Every Christian Know About The Da Vinci Code? by Michael Wilkins in Biola Connections Dismantling The Da Vinci Code by Sandra Miesel in CRISIS Magazine Cracking the Da Vinci Code by Margaret M. Mitchell in Sightings of University of Chicago Divinity School Deciphering 'The Da Vinci Code' by Albert Mohler at Crosswalk.com Facts vs. Fiction in The Da Vinci Code by Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel