The Shroud of Turin is a centuries old linen cloth that bares the image of a crucified man; a man that millions believe to be Jesus of Nazareth. Is it really the cloth that wrapped his crucified body, or is it simply a medieval forgery, a hoax perpetrated by some clever artist? Modern 20th century science has completed hundreds of thousands of hours of detailed study and intense research on the Shroud. It is, in fact, the single most studied artifact in human history, and more is known about it today than ever before. Yet, the controversy still rages on. This paper will provide different arguments and theories that have been proposed by those on both sides of the issue because then, by knowing the facts and theories, one can make up their own mind about the Shroud. To begin with we will examine the actual Shroud itself.

The Turin Shroud is currently kept inside three locked containers in the Turin Cathedral: a wooden case, an asbestos-covered iro

n chest, and a silver-decorated wooden casket. Inside its casket, the Shroud is rolled around a velvet-covered staff and wrapped in red silk. It has a backing of Holland cloth, which was added in 1532 after it was damaged in a fire. It is a strip of pale biscuit-colored linen, 4.4meters by 1.9meters with an additional 8centimeter strip on its left-hand side. It bears various folds and blemishes that have been accumulated throughout its long life. Most conspicuous are the marks of the aforementioned 1532 fire, which burned through one corner of the cloth, damaging it in several places, most notably through the shoulders of the image. The burn-holes have been repaired with patches of altar cloth, but blackened areas are still clearly visible around them. There are also four sets of three round burn-holes dating from before the 1532 fire, which are generally known as 'poker marks,' because that is what they are widely thought to have been. The four sets line up when the cloth is folded, so many believe they were made at the same time, possibly in an attempt to test the Shroud's authenticity by subjecting it to 'trial by fire.' The burn marks, whatever their significance, are not the reason that people look upon the Shroud. It is the image that attracts all the attention, for is it not truly the image of the Lord Jesus Christ? Down the center of the cloth, taking up nearly 4meters of its total length are two images showing the front and back of a naked, well-proportioned man. The cloth is believed to be a winding sheet, which means that the corpse would have been laid on one half, and his front covered with the other. The man is bearded, with very long hair hanging down past the shoulders at the back, and stopping at shoulder-length at the front. The hands are modestly crossed over the groin region. The sole of one foot, darkened with what appears to be blood, is clearly outlined on the image of the back. Also, there are small, pierced wounds on the head, and a round one on the only visible wrist - as if a nail had been driven through it. There is a wound as if from a large stab in the chest, blood from which also runs across the small of the back. The face appears to be swollen and contused, and over 100 scourge marks have been counted on the back. These wounds also curl around to the front of the body and legs.

First of all, to disprove that the image was painted on, the researchers examined the image itself. They found that there were no substantial traces of pigment, ink or dyes found on the cloth. Also, looked at under a microscope, the color of the image showed no sign of soaking along the threads, as most paints would. Even individual threads showed coloring on just one side. They found it inconceivable that an artistic technique would not allow any paint to soak through something just 0.3millimeters thick.

Personally, I feel that if people believe that the Shroud of Turin is truly a miracle, which Joe Nickell defines as "supernatural phenomena believed to have divine origin" (Nickell, Looking for a Miracle, 1983 pg.10), then they should not be so concerned with proving it as such. As it says in the New International Version of the Bible, in John chapter 10, verse 25: Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracle I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep." As believers in Jesus and his resurrection, people should not be worried about getting others to agree with their beliefs, because as non-Christians, their lack of faith restricts them from understanding God's works. Also, I think that, in general, today's society relies too much on science to provide explanations for various occurrences in everyday life. No matter how advanced, or smart, or how much technology we possess, there will always be things that cannot be explained and we must accept that. I also understand that some of the theories

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Approximate Word count = 2656
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)