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Original poster

The Da Vinci Code in an RE lesson?

82 replies

Martorana · 07/05/2014 09:33

I only have 13 year old ds's word for this, but he tells me that they have been talking about the Holy Grail in RE and yesterday they watched a bit of the Da Vinci Code and discussed the Blood line of Jesus, the stuff about there being women in the picture and all the rest of it. Apparantly it was discussed in a "some people think" way, rather than in a "this is a load of bollocks" way. Would you be happy with this? I can see how it would make for some interesting discussion, and the "of course it is claptrap" line might come in the next lesson............

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 07/05/2014 11:42

I would have a real problem with the Da Vinci Code being treated on an equal basis with any major religion. I would not have a problem with it (or the works of Erich von Daniken or similar) being used to make the point that the question one should ask when faced with something like this is not, "how do we explain this" but, "what is the evidence".

because they didn't suit the message of the time

Not entirely. Many were indeed left out because they were considered heretical. Some were left out because they were written much later than the books in the New Testament - at least two are thought to have been written in the 5th Century, after the New Testament canon had been settled. And some were excluded on the basis that they were not written by the apostles or their close associates but were still regarded as good for teaching.

NigellasDealer · 07/05/2014 11:28

the ideas set out in a simplified fictionalised version in the Da Vinci code had been promulgated decades before, and yes, some people believe it, just like some people believe that they are consuming the body and blood of a skinny bloke who may or may not have been nailed to a cross 2000 years ago in Jerusalem.

senua · 07/05/2014 11:24

It could be an interesting "see how people twist things* for their own purposes" discussion.

  • 'things' being a deliberately vague word. Insert descriptor of choice here - word of God, cannonical scripture, history, myth, folk lore, etc. We could even get on to "what is truth?"Grin
worldgonecrazy · 07/05/2014 11:17

There is slightly more evidence for some of the Da Vinci Code theories than there is for shape shifting lizards.

The Da Vinci Code was the first time many people learned that the apocryphal bible texts existed, and I think it useful for children to learn that there were bits left out of the Bible because they didn't suit the message of the time.

At 13 the children may also be questioning why it would be such a terrible thing if Jesus was married or had children.

Fiction can be used to open up discussions.

NigellasDealer · 07/05/2014 11:13

seems about the right level to me tbh

Original poster
Martorana · 07/05/2014 11:10

Because "some people believe this" is what a good RE teacher says about established legitimate beliefs. Saying "some people believe this" without qualification about the Da Vinci Code conspiracy theories is like putting belief that the Royal Family are shape shifting lizard people on a par with Christianity.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 07/05/2014 11:01

Some people do think it. Why is it any more deserving of an 'of course this is bollocks' follow-up than any of the other beliefs they'll be studying in RE?

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