Much ado...

Those of you with the memory will recall the writings of the late Dr. John Boswell of Yale University. A scholar, theologian, historian, and openly gay man Dr. Boswell made a huge splash when he unearthed obscure documents of Christian antiquity he claimed were proof the Church had once celebrated gay marriage. The media went wild. Here was a story that allowed them to mask their anti-religious and particularly anti-Christian attitudes with scholarship and strike a blow for that sacrament of the hippie culture, unlimited sexual expression. The problem came when other scholars started examining the claims, especially the claim of a long lost rite for same sex marriage, and soon discovered that Dr. Boswell had played fast and loose with some of the evidence and liberally inserted his own wishes into his interpretations of the text. Only hard core activists now consider this part of his work to be serious scholarship.

Some years later Dan Brown made headlines over the world with a novel he claimed was truthful, well researched proving Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and a secret order of people through the ages, including Leonardo DaVinci, had protected the dynasty founded with Jesus and Mary's child. Again the media went wild and many Christians felt the blast of his claims. In the weeks that followed the fervor scholars examined the book and found numerous flaws, inaccuracies, and distortions. DNA evidence taken from the royal line claimed by the author to be the family of Christ turned out to have no evidence at all of semitic origin. No one now, except for conspiracy theorists, sees the DaVinci Code as a serious historic work.

And now the same carefully scripted media machine is at work with the unvieling of the supposed tomb of Christ and his family in a documentary by "Titanic" director James Cameron. Timed for a holy period in the Christian calendar, Lent, the director takes information that has been in circulation for decades and repackages it via film as "proof" that he has the bones of Christ. Two months from now, of course, when scholars have basically torn apart his "proof" and exposed his profiteering and shoddy scholarship the media frenzy will have passed and the story, if there is one, will be buried on the bottom of page 20 in the local paper.

So what do we need to do when the next one comes down the line?

First, don't panic. The Christian faith has been challenged from the very days Christ walked the Earth and we've survived and always will. In fact most of the current crop of people taking shots at the historic Faith are actually just repackaging stuff the Church has faced centuries ago. The Faith has remained constant and so have the heresies and we'll get through whatever comes next just fine.

Second don't be impressed with credentials, star power, or media savvy. They have no direct relationship or claim to truth. People with important titles, advanced degrees, or media competence can be wrong or choose to lie for their own ends. Even educated people can sometimes say or write very dumb things, or have their vision clouded by an agenda, and just because its in print or on TV doesn't mean its valid. Christians need to develop a healthy skepticism as consumers of popular culture and always look beyond what it presents.

Third, learn your Faith. I am consistently amazed at how little even people who would claim to be devout Christians know about what they believe. Knowledge is power and when you know your Faith you will not be easily panicked or impressed when someone comes out with a well written book, a powerfully staged documentary, or impressively footnoted lecture. Opponents of Christianity are counting on you being uninformed and will, given that chance, attempt to fill that void with their own skewed vision. Its tough, though, to crack a Christian who has taken the time to know their Faith.

Finally, consider being attacked a kind of honor. If Christ and the Faith didn't matter no one would bother but the truth is they do, and those who attack for whatever reason they choose give, in their own way, a kind of respect to our Lord and to those who struggle to follow Him. It makes one wonder what they are afraid of and points, in its own way, to the power, often unrealized by even those who claim Christ, of who we follow and what we believe. And when the claims, as they always have been, are proved bogus it is our Faith and not the critics who will be stronger for it all.