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Though unoriginal in its allegations, The Da Vinci Code proves that some misguided theories never entirely fade away. They just reappear periodically in a different disguise. Brown's claims resemble those of Arius and his numerous heirs throughout history, who have contradicted the united testimony of the apostles and the early church they built. Those witnesses have always attested that Jesus Christ was and remains God himself. It didn't take an ancient council to make this true. And the pseudohistorical claims of a modern novel can't make it false.

For more on what the early church fathers can teach us about Jesus and the Bible, see our sequel to this article.

Collin Hansen is editorial resident for Christian History magazine. More Christian History, including a list of events that occurred this week in the church's past, is available at ChristianHistory.net. Subscriptions to the quarterly print magazine are also available.

Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

The Da Vinci Code is available from Amazon.com and other book retailers.

The publisher offers more information about the author, an excerpt, and a reader's guide.

The book has its own web site, as does author Dan Brown. The New York Daily News recently ran an article about controversy over the book.

ABC has more information about the program on its website.

Other refutations of the book's contents have appeared from Darrell Bock at Beliefnet, Al Mohler at Crosswalk, Margaret Mitchell at Sightings, and Sandra Miesel at Crisis.

Christianity Today's Film Forum has noted upcoming plans for a movie based on the book. Ron Howard is slated to direct.

For more on early church heresies about the nature of Christ, see Christian History's Issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church, available in its fully illustrated print form the Christian History Store or as text online.

Christian History Corner appears every Friday on Christianity Today's website. Previous editions include:

John Paul II's Canonization Cannon | Why and how this pope has made over 470 saints. (Oct. 24, 2003)

Will the Next Pope Be an African? | Sixty-four years ago, the Roman Catholic Church consecrated its first black African bishop. Is it time now for the next step? (Oct. 17, 2003)

When Denominations Divide | The two-century-old "Unitarian controversy" suggests a grim prognosis for the current crisis in the Episcopal Church (Oct. 10, 2003)

Our Brothers and Sisters, the Episcopalians | The Episcopal Church needs our help. Here's why we should give it (Oct. 3, 2003)

Six 'Faith-based' Stories and a Moral | Are Christian social ministries worth fighting for? (Sept. 26, 2003)

Breaking Down the Faith/Learning Wall | How the history of Christians in higher education has stacked the deck against Robert Sloan's "new Baylor." (Sept. 19, 2003)

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November (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47