medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
It is, of course, a silly, misleading, and poorly written book. But on the
bright side, I have a couple of students who are going to study in Italy
next semester specifically after getting excited by Brown's "Angels and
Demons". Assuming they benefit from the experience, they'll have Brown to
thank for it in an oblique fashion. Now if only I could be confident that
my class and assigned "serious" readings will have done enough to send them
off without Brown's yarns completely dominating their outlook . . .
Sean Field
At 04:30 PM 12/14/2004 -0500, you wrote:
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>Make no mistake about it, Brown promotes his book as "fact." His cult
>disciples consider the book the fifth gospel. As a medievalist, it seems
>to me that the author deliberately distorts events to support his
>theses, particularly the "Vatican" plot to turn Christ into God and
>degrade Mary Magdelene. Brown does invent his legends, but rather
>utilizes existing ones, e.g., the 16th-c. myth that Constantine covered
>up original, pristine Christianity and institutionalized a clerical,
>oppressive Church.
>THomas Renna
>
>
> >>> [log in to unmask] 12/14/2004 9:45:41 AM >>>
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
>culture
>
>It is a work of fiction. I have not read it yet for that reason. Does
>Dan
>Brown make any claims to be supported by fact? Shouldn't we look for
>a
>scholarly review in a literary journal?
>
>Medievalists tend to not like fiction based on legends. Perhaps this
>is because
>many people reading books like Dan Brown's jump to conclusions about
>historic
>facts. Is this his fault? I have an unpublished novel about King
>Arthur which
>is umpublished mostly because people who have read it seem to respond
>with: "Is
>that what really happened?" No! Its fiction. When people do not
>appreciate
>fiction for what it is, it takes the fun out of it.
>
>--V. K. Inman
>
>
>Quoting Elena Ivanova <[log in to unmask]>:
>
> > medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
>culture
> >
> > Is there any scholarly review of this book available? A budding
>medievalist
> > still in highschool has read it while noone was looking and I would
>like to
> > provide him with a review... Sorry if I have missed any previous
>discussion
> > on the subject.
> >
> > Thanks:
> >
> > Elena
> >
> >
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Sean Field
Assistant Professor
University of Vermont
Department of History
Wheeler House
133 S. Prospect
Burlington, VT 05405
802-656-4408
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