All through history, people have made their thirty pieces of silver by trying to discredit the historical facts about Jesus Christ, and especially the Easter message.

The crucifixion is also attested to in some religious traditions outside of Christianity.

Most historians who have spoken about his book have expressed annoyance and even anger that by flying in the face of historical evidence he is reshaping people's perceptions about the past. And he's doing it via a cheap, unscholarly piece of pop-fiction which he peddles as reflecting facts.

Of course, it's not just his lies about the cross that have them upset. Many are more upset about his misreading of the work and motives of people like Leonardo Da Vinci.

A key part of Brown's plot is the idea that in The Last Supper Da Vinci has left coded messages about the 'real' story of Jesus.

The figure depicting St. John, says Brown, is actually a woman - a suggestion, by the way, which has been made in the past. Art historians are quick to point out, though, that Da Vinci often used aspects of the same human study on different characters in various paintings.

One face might, for example, turn up several times in various works. Sometimes, a face might be that of a woman on a man's body or vice-versa. Da Vinci wasn't sending coded messages; he was simply being economical his best studies.

Ideas like Brown's have long been refuted by historians around the world, yet he still maintains in the opening to the book that his story is based in fact.

Yes, it is just a novel and, in literary terms, it is not judged a very good one. The danger, though, is that writers like Brown use their considerable skill and the trust of their readership to misrepresent history - and faith. All for money.

The one good thing about the existence and popularity of The Da Vinci Code is that it gives Christians a platform to share the real story of Easter. It gives us an opportunity to speak about the cross and resurrection to a previously disinterested crowd.

At the end of the day, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are such potent events in history that no mere novel can seriously challenge the onward march of the gospel.

The Da Vinci Code and other works like it may be a temporary thorn in the side of faith, but like all false stories it will be overshadowed by the power and efficacy of what Jesus did for us.