Dan Brown vs. St. Athanasius: Trinity Sunday
Third Draft. Shortened, simplified and, I hope, more focused. Thanks for your input, everyone! JMS
We’ve all heard of Dan Brown,
the author of The DaVinci Code.
But what can you tell me about St. Athanasius,
and The Nicene Creed?
Take a good look at the life of St. Anthanasius
and you’ll find a real-life character who was short and feisty,
a lot like the hobbit, Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings.
You’ll also find a story far more gripping than the The DaVinci Code.
It’s a good example of truth being stranger than fiction.
So, on this feast of the Holy Trinity,
let’s compare the story of St. Athanasius
with the story of Dan Brown.
If you’ve read the book,
you know that Dan Brown’s novel includes a claim that Emperor Constantine
“invented” Jesus’ divinity and imposed it through “a relatively close vote”
at the Council of Nicea, convened in 325 AD.
Don’t be misled by fiction.
That “relatively close vote” at the Council of Nicea was actually 316 to 2!
Contrary to The Da Vinci Code,
the Gospel of St. John repeatedly refers to Jesus as God
(“Before Abraham, I AM!” says Jesus.
Every time that phrase is used in the Gospel of John,
it’s a direct reference to Jesus as God.)
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke repeatedly refer to Jesus
as Lord, a title reserved to God.
All four Gospels show Jesus asserting divine privilege:
changing the Law of Moses, forgiving sins, raising the dead, etc.
Contrary to Da Vinci,
opposition to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity
and belief in the divinity of Christ
came from within the Imperial Court itself,
not from ordinary believers
who held fast to the belief that “Jesus is Lord.”
For nearly five decades,
influential forces within the imperial court
systematically persecuted those who accepted the Nicene Creed.
Over the course of many years,
Athanasius, like a real-life Frodo Baggins,
was target of murderous plots and schemes.
Yet, against tough odds, he won!
Athanasius was “a man of the people.”
His courage allowed the ancient affirmation,
“Jesus Christ is Lord!”
to continue to resound down through the centuries.
Don’t be misled by Hollywood fiction.
The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity forms the core belief of our faith
in which we proclaim
the unity between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
It’s not just a matter of words.
it’s a matter of who God is
and who God is…for you!
If Christ is not God,
then we are not saved by a God who loved us enough to die for us.
If Christ is not God,
then the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
is not God’s abiding presence in our midst.
Be led by the truth:
This truth:
“Jesus is Lord.”
On dark nights when you wonder if your life has any meaning or purpose,
wonder instead about the height, the breadth, the depth of God’s love
and know that you can never fall outside the out-stretched arms of Christ,
who is God, your God.
On bright mornings when the world awakes
and you open your eyes to a new day
and you hear the voice of your children
and feel the touch of those you love…
on such days when you know that life is good and that life is a gift,
know also that Jesus, your Lord and God, is the One who made all this for you.
Be led by the truth.
When you fail to live up to your convictions,
turn to Christ whose words remove the sting of sin.
When you have questions and doubts,
turn to Christ, who is God,
whose words alone bring light out of darkness,
and heal every hurt.
On this Feast of the Holy Trinity,
be led by the truth…
The truth preserved in the ancient teachings of your Church,
the truth you acknowledge at the heart of your belief,
the truth you know and touch at the core of your life.
____________________
Second Draft:
Dear Friends,
I've always struggled with preaching the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, not because I don't believe it, just because it's so abstract...and my mind is wired for nuts and bolts, not syllogisms). Anyway, thanks to the DaVinci Code, the doctrine of the Trinity is a hot topic. Thanks, Mr. Brown!
I welcome any and all suggestions regarding this first draft. Post them on the board or e-mail them directly to me at jms48@fuse.net.
Thanks,
JMS
We’ve all heard of Dan Brown,
the author of The DaVinci Code.
But how many of us have heard of St. Athanasius,
defender of The Nicene Creed?
A recent article in America Magazine by John D. Hagen, Jr.,
does a wonderful job of turning the tables on Mr. Brown’s novel.
And he does so with the help of a little guy who resembled
(believe it or not), the Hobbit, Frodo Baggins, from the Trilogy of the Rings.
I’m talking about St. Athanasius.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
Take a good look at the life of St. Anthanasius
and you’ll find a story far more gripping than the The DaVinci Code.
You’ll discover the amazing truth about the Nicene Creed…
You’ll discover the biblical foundation of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity…
You’ll discover the vital force at the heart of our faith: Jesus Christ is God.
Brown’s novel includes a claim that Emperor Constantine
“invented” Jesus’ divinity and imposed it through “a relatively close vote”
at the Council of Nicea, convened in 325 AD.
Yet the doctrine that we celebrate today had been discussed
since the time of the apostles
and the “relatively close vote” was 316 to 2!
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Contrary to The Da Vinci Code,
the Gospel of St. John repeatedly refers to Jesus as God
(“Before Abraham, I AM!”)
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke repeatedly refer to Jesus
as Lord, a title reserved to God.
All the Gospels show Jesus asserting divine prerogatives:
changing the Law of Sinai, forgiving sins, raising the dead, etc.
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Furthermore, in direct contradiction to The Da Vinci Code,
opposition to the divinity of Christ
emanated from within the Imperial Court itself,
not from ordinary believers who, responding to biblical teaching,
held fast to the belief that “Jesus is Lord.”
For nearly five decades,
influential forces within the Court of the Emperor
systematically persecuted those who accepted the Nicene Creed.
Athanasius, like a real-life Frodo Baggins,
was drawn into combat with a menacing, imperial power.
Over the course of many years,
he was target of murderous plots and schemes.
Yet, improbably, he won!
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Athanasius was “a man of the people.”
His courage allowed the ancient affirmation,
“Jesus Christ is Lord!”
to continue to resound down through the centuries.
Don’t be misled by Hollywood fiction.
More importantly,
don’t be misled into thinking that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity,
has nothing to do with you or your life today.
The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity isn’t simply a matter of words.
It forms the core belief of our faith in which we proclaim
the unity between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
It’s not just a matter of words.
It’s a matter of the heart,
it’s a matter of the mind,
it’s a matter of who God is
and who God is…for you!
If Christ is not God,
then God did not “so love the world” so as to enter into our world
in the person of Jesus Christ in order to love us as one of us.
If Christ is not God,
then we are not saved by a God who loved us enough to die for us.
If Christ is not God,
then the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
is not God’s abiding presence in our midst.
If Christ is not God,
then we do touch the living Spirit of God
in the lives of the people we love…
nor in the lives of the poor,
nor in the lives of those with whom we worship
nor in the live of those with whom we strive to build a better world.
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Be led by the truth:
“Jesus is Lord.”
He is the Holy One whose love gathers us here together today.
He is the Holy One through whom all galaxies, planets,
oceans, mountains, canyons and plains were made…
yet He knows your name.
_________
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Be led by the truth.
On dark nights when you wonder if your life has any meaning and purpose,
wonder instead about the height, the breadth, the depth of God’s love
and know that you can never fall outside the out-stretched arms of Christ.
On bright mornings when the world awakes
and you open your eyes to a new day
and you hear the voice of your children
and you feel kiss of your spouse
and feel the touch of those you love…
on such days when you know that life is good and that life is a gift,
know also that Jesus, your Lord and God, is the One who made all this for you.
Be led by the truth.
When you have questions and doubts,
when you struggle,
when you fail to live up to your convictions,
turn to Christ whose words remove the sting of sin,
bring light out of darkness,
and heal every hurt.
Be led by the truth.
So that,
when your heart breaks for children who hunger
and for people who live in war zones;
you’re heart is aching for Christ;
when you reach out to a brother-in-law fighting an addition
or a sister who is divorced…
you reach out to Christ himself who said,
“whatsoever you do to the least among you,
you to it to me.”
___________
Don’t be misled by fiction,
be led by the truth…
The truth preserved in the ancient teachings of your Church,
the truth you yourself touch at the heart of your life as a Christian:
the truth that Jesus is God
and that his love, God’s love, is greater than anyone can know.
We’ve all heard of Dan Brown,
the author of The DaVinci Code.
But what can you tell me about St. Athanasius,
and The Nicene Creed?
Take a good look at the life of St. Anthanasius
and you’ll find a real-life character who was short and feisty,
a lot like the hobbit, Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings.
You’ll also find a story far more gripping than the The DaVinci Code.
It’s a good example of truth being stranger than fiction.
So, on this feast of the Holy Trinity,
let’s compare the story of St. Athanasius
with the story of Dan Brown.
If you’ve read the book,
you know that Dan Brown’s novel includes a claim that Emperor Constantine
“invented” Jesus’ divinity and imposed it through “a relatively close vote”
at the Council of Nicea, convened in 325 AD.
Don’t be misled by fiction.
That “relatively close vote” at the Council of Nicea was actually 316 to 2!
Contrary to The Da Vinci Code,
the Gospel of St. John repeatedly refers to Jesus as God
(“Before Abraham, I AM!” says Jesus.
Every time that phrase is used in the Gospel of John,
it’s a direct reference to Jesus as God.)
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke repeatedly refer to Jesus
as Lord, a title reserved to God.
All four Gospels show Jesus asserting divine privilege:
changing the Law of Moses, forgiving sins, raising the dead, etc.
Contrary to Da Vinci,
opposition to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity
and belief in the divinity of Christ
came from within the Imperial Court itself,
not from ordinary believers
who held fast to the belief that “Jesus is Lord.”
For nearly five decades,
influential forces within the imperial court
systematically persecuted those who accepted the Nicene Creed.
Over the course of many years,
Athanasius, like a real-life Frodo Baggins,
was target of murderous plots and schemes.
Yet, against tough odds, he won!
Athanasius was “a man of the people.”
His courage allowed the ancient affirmation,
“Jesus Christ is Lord!”
to continue to resound down through the centuries.
Don’t be misled by Hollywood fiction.
The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity forms the core belief of our faith
in which we proclaim
the unity between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
It’s not just a matter of words.
it’s a matter of who God is
and who God is…for you!
If Christ is not God,
then we are not saved by a God who loved us enough to die for us.
If Christ is not God,
then the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
is not God’s abiding presence in our midst.
Be led by the truth:
This truth:
“Jesus is Lord.”
On dark nights when you wonder if your life has any meaning or purpose,
wonder instead about the height, the breadth, the depth of God’s love
and know that you can never fall outside the out-stretched arms of Christ,
who is God, your God.
On bright mornings when the world awakes
and you open your eyes to a new day
and you hear the voice of your children
and feel the touch of those you love…
on such days when you know that life is good and that life is a gift,
know also that Jesus, your Lord and God, is the One who made all this for you.
Be led by the truth.
When you fail to live up to your convictions,
turn to Christ whose words remove the sting of sin.
When you have questions and doubts,
turn to Christ, who is God,
whose words alone bring light out of darkness,
and heal every hurt.
On this Feast of the Holy Trinity,
be led by the truth…
The truth preserved in the ancient teachings of your Church,
the truth you acknowledge at the heart of your belief,
the truth you know and touch at the core of your life.
____________________
Second Draft:
Dear Friends,
I've always struggled with preaching the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, not because I don't believe it, just because it's so abstract...and my mind is wired for nuts and bolts, not syllogisms). Anyway, thanks to the DaVinci Code, the doctrine of the Trinity is a hot topic. Thanks, Mr. Brown!
I welcome any and all suggestions regarding this first draft. Post them on the board or e-mail them directly to me at jms48@fuse.net.
Thanks,
JMS
We’ve all heard of Dan Brown,
the author of The DaVinci Code.
But how many of us have heard of St. Athanasius,
defender of The Nicene Creed?
A recent article in America Magazine by John D. Hagen, Jr.,
does a wonderful job of turning the tables on Mr. Brown’s novel.
And he does so with the help of a little guy who resembled
(believe it or not), the Hobbit, Frodo Baggins, from the Trilogy of the Rings.
I’m talking about St. Athanasius.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
Take a good look at the life of St. Anthanasius
and you’ll find a story far more gripping than the The DaVinci Code.
You’ll discover the amazing truth about the Nicene Creed…
You’ll discover the biblical foundation of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity…
You’ll discover the vital force at the heart of our faith: Jesus Christ is God.
Brown’s novel includes a claim that Emperor Constantine
“invented” Jesus’ divinity and imposed it through “a relatively close vote”
at the Council of Nicea, convened in 325 AD.
Yet the doctrine that we celebrate today had been discussed
since the time of the apostles
and the “relatively close vote” was 316 to 2!
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Contrary to The Da Vinci Code,
the Gospel of St. John repeatedly refers to Jesus as God
(“Before Abraham, I AM!”)
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke repeatedly refer to Jesus
as Lord, a title reserved to God.
All the Gospels show Jesus asserting divine prerogatives:
changing the Law of Sinai, forgiving sins, raising the dead, etc.
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Furthermore, in direct contradiction to The Da Vinci Code,
opposition to the divinity of Christ
emanated from within the Imperial Court itself,
not from ordinary believers who, responding to biblical teaching,
held fast to the belief that “Jesus is Lord.”
For nearly five decades,
influential forces within the Court of the Emperor
systematically persecuted those who accepted the Nicene Creed.
Athanasius, like a real-life Frodo Baggins,
was drawn into combat with a menacing, imperial power.
Over the course of many years,
he was target of murderous plots and schemes.
Yet, improbably, he won!
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Athanasius was “a man of the people.”
His courage allowed the ancient affirmation,
“Jesus Christ is Lord!”
to continue to resound down through the centuries.
Don’t be misled by Hollywood fiction.
More importantly,
don’t be misled into thinking that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity,
has nothing to do with you or your life today.
The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity isn’t simply a matter of words.
It forms the core belief of our faith in which we proclaim
the unity between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
It’s not just a matter of words.
It’s a matter of the heart,
it’s a matter of the mind,
it’s a matter of who God is
and who God is…for you!
If Christ is not God,
then God did not “so love the world” so as to enter into our world
in the person of Jesus Christ in order to love us as one of us.
If Christ is not God,
then we are not saved by a God who loved us enough to die for us.
If Christ is not God,
then the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
is not God’s abiding presence in our midst.
If Christ is not God,
then we do touch the living Spirit of God
in the lives of the people we love…
nor in the lives of the poor,
nor in the lives of those with whom we worship
nor in the live of those with whom we strive to build a better world.
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Be led by the truth:
“Jesus is Lord.”
He is the Holy One whose love gathers us here together today.
He is the Holy One through whom all galaxies, planets,
oceans, mountains, canyons and plains were made…
yet He knows your name.
_________
Don’t be misled by fiction.
Be led by the truth.
On dark nights when you wonder if your life has any meaning and purpose,
wonder instead about the height, the breadth, the depth of God’s love
and know that you can never fall outside the out-stretched arms of Christ.
On bright mornings when the world awakes
and you open your eyes to a new day
and you hear the voice of your children
and you feel kiss of your spouse
and feel the touch of those you love…
on such days when you know that life is good and that life is a gift,
know also that Jesus, your Lord and God, is the One who made all this for you.
Be led by the truth.
When you have questions and doubts,
when you struggle,
when you fail to live up to your convictions,
turn to Christ whose words remove the sting of sin,
bring light out of darkness,
and heal every hurt.
Be led by the truth.
So that,
when your heart breaks for children who hunger
and for people who live in war zones;
you’re heart is aching for Christ;
when you reach out to a brother-in-law fighting an addition
or a sister who is divorced…
you reach out to Christ himself who said,
“whatsoever you do to the least among you,
you to it to me.”
___________
Don’t be misled by fiction,
be led by the truth…
The truth preserved in the ancient teachings of your Church,
the truth you yourself touch at the heart of your life as a Christian:
the truth that Jesus is God
and that his love, God’s love, is greater than anyone can know.
posted by BlueCollarPreacher at 8:15 AM
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