Spanish bishop says Pope’s new book antidote to “Da Vinci Code”

Nov 9, 2007 / 09:52 am

During the presentation of Pope Benedict XVI’s book “Jesus of Nazareth,” the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Spain, Bishop Ricardo Blazquez of Bilbao, said the book strengthens the faith and clears up the doubts of those who felt shaken by recent publications such as “The Da Vinci Code” and “The Gospel of Judas.”
 
Bishop Blazquez said the Pope’s book is “very rich, sober and well presented” and “simplifies complexities” while at the same time “help[ing] believers dispel possible confusion with clarity.”
 
“Many people knew nothing about Jesus” until the book by Dan Brown appeared, the bishop continued, noting that “Jesus of Nazareth” is a historical investigation that “seeks to confront the well of insecurities that has been created” in society.
 
“This book strengthens faith in Jesus Christ,” he stressed, pointing out that while the book is not a biography it does “follow the major milestones of his public activity.”
 
The book presents “not only the Jesus Christ of yesterday but also of today and forever,” and it presents reflections on “the current situation with much sobriety, without rhetoric or superfluous embellishments.  It is both deep—because he does not beat around the bush—and simple, as the author has the gift of communicating.”