What do you think?
Rate this book
The Da Vinci Code and the Secrets of the Temple
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown continues to fascinate both conspiracy theorists and regular readers the world over. As Master of the Temple church in London, Robin Griffith-Jones lives at the hub of this excitement, and in this book he unveils the mysteries of The Da Vinci Code, answering questions like Jesus married to Mary Magdalene?Does the Priory of Sion really exist?Is the Last Supper filled with hidden symbolism?What did the Knights Templar discover about Jesus?Is Opus Dei the Catholic Churchs secret service?What exactly is the Holy Grail?As The Da Vinci Code speeds towards its climax, the novels main characters Robert Langdon, Sophie Neveu, and Sir Leigh Teabing follow a string of clues to Londons ancient Temple Church, the spiritual home of the Knights Templar. This very church is where Robin Griffith-Jones has given hundreds of talks to the throngs of modern-day pilgrims on the "Da Vinci trail." In this book Griffith-Jones covers all the main elements of Dan Browns work the Priory of Sion, Opus Dei, Leonardos Last Supper, Mary Magdalene, and more. An expert on the Knights Templar as well as a biblical scholar, Griffith-Jones unpacks Browns understanding of history and Christianity, exploring how much of his version is true, what is plausible, and what is fanciful.A literate insiders introduction, "The Da Vinci Code" and the Secrets of the Temple is perfect for anyone looking to unlock the mysterious secrets of Dan Browns runaway best-seller.
- GenresHistory
130 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2006
1 person is currently reading
42 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 2, 2025
Earlier this week, during a business trip to London, I was able to duck out of my office on my lunch break and walk down the street to visit Temple Church. You turn off Fleet Street down an easy-to-miss alleyway and find yourself in a calm and gentle stone courtyard. Enter the Temple Church itself by pulling the black iron ring on its wooden door and you're in another world, a serene piece of architecture that, considering it's only a stone's throw away from the hustle and bustle of one of London's busiest streets, is remarkably silent.
It's a place I've always wanted to visit; long before The Da Vinci Code introduced some of its features to a wider audience, I had a long-standing interest in its builders, the Knights Templar, due to Broken Sword, one of my favourite video games when I was younger. The building itself is impressive, as is the experience of being there, but this review is written to address a book I bought at a gift stall just inside the exit, The Da Vinci Code and the Secrets of the Temple, written by the current 'Master of the Temple', Robin Griffith-Jones.
The book is a short, simple read with a target audience of those sightseers who visit the church because of its Da Vinci Code connection. It seeks to redress some of the misconceptions about the religious conspiracies and historical fantasies Dan Brown's novel plays with, giving a brief overview of some of the main controversies the novel generated, some mythbusting on the Priory of Sion, Opus Dei and Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper', and an abridged history of the Knights Templar. It ends with a discussion of the connection between Jesus and Mary Magdalene that The Da Vinci Code exploits.
It's all interesting stuff – Dan Brown tilled worthy soil – but prospective readers should bear in mind the book is an introduction rather than an exploration. Still less is it a book that titillates with those exciting conspiracies and religious mysteries; Griffith-Jones is even-handed, neutral and patiently tolerant. He knows the readers are here for the mystery and when he throws cold water over some of those mysteries he does so gently and without scorn.
I would have liked more on the Temple Church itself, but then again there were other books on the church's history I could have picked up at the stall if I had wished. Griffith-Jones' book does retain some value even to those of us who've already heard of Jacques de Molay and the orb-less knight's tomb, not least when he points out that Dan Brown's book, and those like it, thrive in no small part because the church and its various orders and sects are often secretive and have often sought power, making religious conspiracies completely plausible in principle. When Griffith-Jones points out that the conspiracies and the suspicion of religious power "still appeal today to those of us who refuse to submit to the arrogance of churches that have simply lost all sight of their founder, his life and ideals" (pg. 12), he makes a very pertinent point, one worthy of being housed in this impressive Templar church.
It's a place I've always wanted to visit; long before The Da Vinci Code introduced some of its features to a wider audience, I had a long-standing interest in its builders, the Knights Templar, due to Broken Sword, one of my favourite video games when I was younger. The building itself is impressive, as is the experience of being there, but this review is written to address a book I bought at a gift stall just inside the exit, The Da Vinci Code and the Secrets of the Temple, written by the current 'Master of the Temple', Robin Griffith-Jones.
The book is a short, simple read with a target audience of those sightseers who visit the church because of its Da Vinci Code connection. It seeks to redress some of the misconceptions about the religious conspiracies and historical fantasies Dan Brown's novel plays with, giving a brief overview of some of the main controversies the novel generated, some mythbusting on the Priory of Sion, Opus Dei and Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper', and an abridged history of the Knights Templar. It ends with a discussion of the connection between Jesus and Mary Magdalene that The Da Vinci Code exploits.
It's all interesting stuff – Dan Brown tilled worthy soil – but prospective readers should bear in mind the book is an introduction rather than an exploration. Still less is it a book that titillates with those exciting conspiracies and religious mysteries; Griffith-Jones is even-handed, neutral and patiently tolerant. He knows the readers are here for the mystery and when he throws cold water over some of those mysteries he does so gently and without scorn.
I would have liked more on the Temple Church itself, but then again there were other books on the church's history I could have picked up at the stall if I had wished. Griffith-Jones' book does retain some value even to those of us who've already heard of Jacques de Molay and the orb-less knight's tomb, not least when he points out that Dan Brown's book, and those like it, thrive in no small part because the church and its various orders and sects are often secretive and have often sought power, making religious conspiracies completely plausible in principle. When Griffith-Jones points out that the conspiracies and the suspicion of religious power "still appeal today to those of us who refuse to submit to the arrogance of churches that have simply lost all sight of their founder, his life and ideals" (pg. 12), he makes a very pertinent point, one worthy of being housed in this impressive Templar church.
Read
June 25, 2014good
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews