I finished reading Dan Brown’s new book, The Lost Symbol, last night after a long weekend away. This review, of sorts, is my first impression. To undertake a full scale review of the book is a task best left for the professionals. My review is simply from the perspective of an ordinary Christian who is likely to be engaged in conversation over the book with friends & co-workers.
Note: There may be some spoilers in here, so if you don’t want me to ruin it for you, read the book first.
The Good
It is a fast moving story that grabbed my attention. I had a difficult time putting it down, and think it will probably make a good movie. I have an interest in reading about conspiracies and secret societies, so this book was right up my alley. Throw CIA into the mix, and it makes for a decent thriller. There are some glaring errors, tortured sentences, and a couple of slow moving parts. It wasn’t a bad read, but there are some things that are no so good.
Apologetics
At the outset, let me state emphatically that no serious apologetic against Christianity appears anywhere in this book. Anyone with even minimal training in apologetics will recognize that the author is working with a view of Christianity that is a caricature. The Scriptures, when they are used, are simply a device to move the plot along, quoted as a proof text to reinforce the presuppositions of the characters in the story. It is the same technique that is used in an evangelical sermon, where the speaker quotes scripture out of context to make a point, or uses Jesus merely as a reference but never interacts with Jesus as He presents Himself.
I seriously doubt that there is anything here that the thinking Christian will find challenging to their faith, but weaker brothers & sisters among us may have some trouble discerning the errors contained therein.
If there is an apologetic for anything in his book, it is an apologetic for Free Masonry. At several places, the author downplays any questions surrounding the ties between the occult (in the demonic sense of the word) and Free Masonry, and speaks glowingly of their service to mankind. His solution to all of the religious tension in the world is to present The Masonic Brotherhood as the system that will allow all of the competing faiths to worship “God” together.
In all of the discussions that go on about other religions and “isms” however, nothing is treated in an apologetic way. The religions of the world and ancient mysteries are presented as fact, without question, except for one; Christianity. And none are presented as contradicting each other. They are simple steps we take toward our own godhood.
Higher Criticism
Much of the same arguments that are found in The Da Vinci Code are recycled here through the use of higher criticism & proof texting to support the view that Jesus is not who He says he is. One wonders if the author has ever seriously considered the truth claims of Christ and read a serious apologetic presentation, or if he merely dabbles around the edges of the faith.
Scripture is presented as being on par with other sacred writings, with no real difference between pagan texts and the Word of God. No attempt is made to view scripture through any other lens than that of a syncretistic world view that sees all religions ending at the same point, worshiping the same god who merely goes by different names.
History
I find it odd that a book can be filled with so many references to Christianity, and be so concerned with presenting everything in its place historically, but make no mention whatsoever of the Reformation. Arguably one of the most pivotal events, not only in church history but human history as well, the Reformation is apparently absent from the author’s view of Christianity.
I don’t know if that is a good thing or not, but suspect that if the author did mention the Reformation in his works that it would receive the same shabby treatment as the rest of Christendom. Maybe he is saving that for his next work.
Consequently, I would have to say his view of history has a gaping hole in it, and suggest that if he did have some understanding of the impact of the Reformation on Christian thought, his view of Jesus might be different.
Spirituality & Worldview
As I mentioned before, in the author’s world view all religions end at the same point. The hidden message of The Bible is that you are a god, and you just don’t know it, along with a lot of scientific stuff if you read between the lines. Yawn. This is the same worldview that he and others have been pushing for years, and this worldview is exactly where the emergent church is headed. Much of what is argued by way of dialog in the book I have read before in the writings of some emergents.
The instructional value in reading a book like this, for those of us who do have a Christ-centered world view, is to see the errors, misrepresentations, and logical fallacies present in the book and to be ready with an answer when we discuss it with our friends who will read & have their worldview reinforced.
In evaluating the various belief systems and phenomenon presented in the story, experience, it turns out, is the final authority. Katherine witnessed certain things happen, therefore she believes that they are real. This is true not only of her character, but with all of the characters in his book. Doctrines & dogma are bad. Spirituality, and more importantly, spiritual experience, regardless of the form or truth claims, is true and almost always good in some way.
There is also the concept that individual words have the ability to create reality (The Secret, Joel Osteen, et al) and that the thoughts of millions of people thinking the same thing can influence the present world in a supernatural way. It is truly inconsistent that the supernatural demonstrations of Christ’ authority over creation as recorded in Scripture are dismissed, but the supernatural acts of Noetics are accepted as fact.
Conclusion
I will not go into anymore detail regarding the errors in the book. There are a couple of doosies, but I’ll leave finding them to the reader. So what makes this a “Lutheran” review?
First, any student of the Reformation should see the errors in the way that Christianity is presented. Since Lutheranism holds to a high view of Scripture, the Lutheran reader should clearly see that the Word of God is misused and abused throughout the book.
The substitute gospel in this book is a form of justification by enlightenment. That is to say, justification in the secular sense and not in the Biblical. God’s Word (& Lutheranism) teaches justification by faith alone on account of Christ alone. There is no concept of sin in the Biblical sense here. The only thing wrong with man is his lack of knowledge, his inner gnostic remains in darkness as long as his man-made religion keeps getting in the way.
What man really needs to do is to dump all of the doctrine & dogma, the creeds that separate religions and keep them in competition with one another, and embrace the light of the Masonic Order.
As a Lutheran, I find the treatment of Christianity minus the Reformation almost comical, and as a follower of Christ I find the author’s suggestion that all religions lead to the point of man becoming God to be not only disingenuous, but sloppy as well. If you are going to interact with a belief system, the least you can do is present it in truth. But, that may be a bit much to ask considering the author’s previous work.
I would not recommend this book for young people who are not able to defend their faith, or for those who are easily swayed by the popular culture. For those who are more mature and are looking for connecting points with their friends who will read the book, it will be helpful to be well versed in apologetics along with a careful read of the Lost Symbol.
Until next time, Peace.
Doug
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