Some hope to use the film as a 'teachable moment' that could turn the occasion to their advantage. Rather than organize protests or boycotts - steps taken in the past against controversial films - Evangelicals and Catholics instead are mobilizing 'truth squads.' They're producing books, websites, TV documentaries, DVDs, and study guides. Unless the copyright-infringement trial in London (which now awaits the judge's decision) brings an injunction against use of the material, the May release of the film starring Tom Hanks will surely magnify its global impact. With sales of more than 40 million, the book has become a cultural phenomenon. That's the task facing Christians already distressed by Dan Brown's wildly popular novel, 'The Da Vinci Code,' and his claim that the thriller is based on historical facts.
In a world accepting of docudramas and reality TV shows that aren't real, how does one counter a blockbuster movie whose theme challenges the orthodox religious history of the Western world?
