April 23, 2004: I received word last night that Pastor Jim's and Peter Jones' book "Cracking Da Vinci's Code"
is #17 on the New York Times Nonfiction, Paperback Best Seller List!!!
Dan Brown's book "The Da Vinci Code" has sold more that 6 million copies, has been
translated into 40 languages, and (we are told) is being made into a movie - directed by
Ron Howard. The book is seemingly everywhere.
"The Da Vinci Code" is fiction - and should be treated as such. But many are not.
Due to Dan Brown's book, many have lost confidence in the Bible and in Christianity...
and tragically, in Christ (as divine).
After reading "The Da Vinci Code," people are filled with hundreds of questions that
begin with "is it true that...?" In other words, they wonder if Jesus truly was not
divine, as Dan Brown maintains. They wonder if Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene -
and had offspring, whose descendents live in France today. They wonder if the New
Testament books were merely fabrications. They wonder if the true gospels are The
Gospel of Thomas and "Q." They wonder if Gnosticism is the true Christianity. They
wonder if the true divinity is not the God of the Bible, but the "Sacred Feminine."
All of these claims are in Dan Brown's popular novel. And there are many other false
claims throughout the book.
Peter Jones and I have written a book titled "Cracking Da Vinci's Code" (Victor Books;
Cook Communications) answering the questions raised by Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code."
It should now be in most stores - Wal-Mart, Target, Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton, and
your local Christian book stores. In addition, you can order the book online directly
from Cook Communications - www.cookministries.com or from the standard online sources
(www.amazon.com etc.).
Why should you read "Cracking Da Vinci's Code?"
It will help you explain to people where and why Dan Brown's perceptions of Christianity
are fundamentally flawed. It will help you explain how one can know that Jesus is divine.
It will help you explain why your New Testament is reliable. It will help you explain
why The Gospel of Thomas is not reliable. It will help you explain why we cannot rely
on a fictitious document called "Q." And most importantly, it will help you explain
the true "agenda" of Dan Brown's book. In other words you will be able to "crack" the
"code."
Peter Jones is well qualified to co-author "Cracking Da Vinci's Code." A graduate of
Harvard (and other schools), he is a Gnostic and paganism expert - two movements at
the core of Dan Brown's book. (Born in Liverpool, he was a school chum of John Lennon!)
My academic training is in the history of Christianity - thus I responded to Dan Brown
on those issues. For more on Peter Jones' speaking and books, see www.cwipp.org. My
website is www.jimgarlow.com
May I ask a favor? Will you please forward this email on to others? The attacks made
on Christianity by Dan Brown need to be answered. The book retails for $14.99. The
price is reduced in most stores and online locations. If you are interested in
purchasing quantities of the book, either contact Cook Communications - or contact
Lacy at lgarlow@skylinechurch.org (619.415.5445).
Sincerely,
Dr. Jim Garlow
www.jimgarlow.org
Victor Books to Release
Cracking Da Vinci's Code
Separating Fact from Fiction
Colorado Springs, CO - The DaVinci Code,a novel by Dan Brown (Doubleday), has
dazed and disillusioned many Christians with its numerous and troubling
postulations. To help believers separate fact from fiction, Victor books will
release a new title, CRACKING THE DAVINCI CODE.
Brown’s seemingly harmless work of fiction recounts supposed historical facts
that chip away at many of Christianities foundations, for example, whether the
early Church fathers really believed Jesus was Divine. Another notion of the
book is that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had offspring that
constitute the true Holy Grail.
Fiction or not, people are puzzled even troubled by some of the misconceptions
in Brown’s novel, because they’re disguised as historical evidence. Victor’s
new book refutes these claims and provides the information one needs to crack
the code with the Truth. Two of Christianity’s top research authors, Dr. James
Garlow, who holds degrees from Asbury and Princeton Seminaries; and Dr. Peter
Jones, who holds degrees from Gordon-Conwell Seminary, Harvard Divinity School
and Princeton, have collaborated to provide the practical insight to answer
questions about the modern heresy. Garlow, the pastor of Skyline Wesleyan
Church in San Diego, Calif., is the author of How God Saved Civilization and A
Christian’s Response to Islam. Jones is a professor of New Testament at
Westminster Seminary in Escondido, and is the author of The Gnostic Empire
Strikes Back and numerous other works.
While Garlow and Jones are treating the project with the utmost precision in
scholarship and research, the resulting book will be reader-friendly addressed
to the layperson for ultimate usability. A discussion guide in the back of the
book is ideal for personal or group studies.
In CRACKING THE DAVINCI CODE, Garlow and Jones will not only counter many
allegations made by Brown; they will also expose what they call Brown’s real
agenda. They will actually crack the code to reveal, among other things, what the
true Holy Grail is. Further, the book will reveal pagan influences in today’s
culture—including some surprising teachings and traditions in the Church at
large.
Countering the misinformation in The Davinci Code has been on the Cook agenda
since the book began stirring up controversy among Christians last fall. We want
to help Christians understand how The Davinci Code works to undermine the
Christian faith, said Bruce Adair, Executive Vice President of Cook
Communications Ministries. That’s what we’re here for, to provide materials
that help Christians deal with controversies such as this. Victor is the Cook
brand targeted at helping Christians deal with the contemporary issues by
understanding the truth of God’s word.
Supporting CRACKING THE DAVINCI CODE will be downloadable sermons for pastors,
something Adair feels can help the Church at large deal with the questions
Christians are already raising since the release of Brown’s book less than a
year ago.
Providing practical resources in history and apologetics is part of our mission
as Christian publishers, Adair said. Considering the devastating effect the
novel could have on Christians, we want to provide a resource to help Christians
deal with questions that can arise from the misleading novel. And the
knowledgeable authors we have signed are just the right ones to do it.
CRACKING THE DAVINCI CODE is slated for release in May of this year.
Victor Books is an imprint of Cook Communications Ministries (CCM), a non-profit
Christian communications organization providing, discipleship resources for
churches and families in the US and other English speaking countries. Cook
Communications Ministries International (CCMI) is currently working in over 83
countries and in 150 languages to build the church and families by providing
training for developing Christian publishers as well as products to support
discipleship. For more information about our ministry please visit our web site
at www.cookministries.com
Cook Brands: Victor, NexGen, FaithKids, Life Journey, Honor and RiverOak.
