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The Catholic Response to
The Da Vinci Code

New Date!
August 16 - September 7, 2004

Please note: It is helpful, but not necessary for participants in this seminar to have read the book.

Please select from the following links form more information about this Online Interactive Seminar:

• General Information
• Weekly Topics
• Seminar Tuition
• Participation Requirements
• Certificates of Completion
• Meet the Instructor

Rave reviews from past Da Vinci participants:

I feel so empowered! Because of this seminar, I can stand up and defend my Faith from a different perspective with a secure knowledge of the facts.
- B.M. Arkansas

People talk about [The Da Vinci Code] frequently, and I wanted to have a way to share the truth about its claims. The information I received in this course was actually better than I was looking for, because it was more general than just a point-by-point refutation of the claims made in the book. All of material of the course will be helpful in evangelization and reassurance of Catholics with doubts . . [and] is useful for our own spiritual growth.
- J.S., Virginia

This was my first experience with The Catholic Distance University and I found it to be completely enjoyable and exhilarating.
- Msgr. M.H., Texas

The praise keeps coming!
See What Other Students Have to Say...

General Information:

Perhaps like many others, you’ve been asked the following questions lately:

• How do we know Jesus wasn’t married?
• What happened to the "lost gospels" of Thomas, Philip, and Mary Magdalene?
• Did Leonardo Da Vinci hide Gnostic, anti-Catholic clues inside his paintings?

These and many more questions have arisen over the past year due to the novel "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. "Everyone loves a conspiracy," ponders Brown’s lead character in his book. It seems Brown isn’t exempt from this observation, since his book is loaded with conspiracy theories that involve the Catholic Church.

The controversial book "The DaVinci Code," although fiction, puts forth a number of theories (stated as fact) that have raised a number of theological issues and even caused some Catholics to question their Faith. This seminar will distinguish fact from fiction by responding to a number of the historical and theological errors presented as truth throughout this "mischievous" book, whose author, according to his statements on his website, hopes will cause people to question their accepted religious beliefs (read: Christian faith).

Seminar participants will gain the information necessary to respond intelligently to the assertions found in the book as well as to other modern-day heretical challenges (e.g. New Age gnosticism). Participants need not have read the book.

"The Catholic Response to The Da Vinci Code" online interactive seminar will reveal the truth about Gnostic teaching, the Knights Templar, and Leonardo da Vinci’s life and his three major paintings dealt with in the book. Enroll in "The Catholic Response to The Da Vinci Code" today and learn to separate the fact from the fiction.

Weekly Topics:

• Week 1: Gnosticism by Any Other Name…
• The true precepts of Gnosticism and its history
• A comparison/contrast of Gnostic and Christian beliefs
• The Gnostic Writings, such as "The Gospel of Thomas" and "The Gospel of Mary Magdalene" and "The Gospel of Phillip"
• Mary Magdalene



• Week 2: Good Story, Bad History
• The truth about the rise and fall of the Knights Templar
• Do secret societies from the time of the Crusades still exist?
• Why were the Knights Templar really suppressed?



• Week 3: Da Truth About Da Vinci
• Correcting Brown’s revisionist art history: the truth about DaVinci’s "Mona Lisa," "The Last Supper," and "Madonna/Virgin of the Rocks"
• Was Leonardo DaVinci a homosexual? Did he oppose the Catholic Church and favor a nature-worshipping, feminist religion?
• Is priestly celibacy used by the Church to oppress women?
• What is the Church’s real teaching about human sexuality?

Seminar Tuition Schedule:

• Tuition: $95.00.

To pay by credit card you may enroll online, or call CDU at 1-888-254-4CDU.

To pay by check, mail a completed Online Seminar Registration Form, along with your check (made payable to The Catholic Distance University) to:

Participant Requirements:

Requirements for the seminar include:

• logging on to the Conference Site at least once a week to read the weekly keynote address
• reading excerpts that may be required by the Instructor
• responding online to the reflection question each week
• submitting a one-page reflection paper within 30 days from the end of the Seminar

Minimum Time Requirement:

• 3 hours each week = 9 hours
• 1 hour for reflection paper

Seminar Certificate:

A Certificate of Completion awarding 1 CEU/10 clock hours will be sent upon completion of the reflection paper. The certificate can be taken to your respective diocese for appropriate application toward certification.

All reflection papers are to be mailed to:

or e-mailed to:

srschlather@cdu.edu

Meet the Instructor

Rev. Jerry Wooton

Reverend Jerry a. Wooton was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Arlington in May 1996. He was born in Vicenza, Italy, has traveled widely, and served in the U.S. Military.

Fr. Wooton received a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also received a Master's Degree in Divinity and a Master of Arts Degree from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.

Father, a history buff, is currently the Parochial Vicar of St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax City, Virginia. He is a regular course instructor for CDU. This is his first Online Seminar with CDU.

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