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1. Something that I learned about the Shroud of Turin that surprised me the most was the amount of controversy around it. There is so much information on the internet that attempts to prove the Shroud is both real and fake.

2. This topic is interesting for me because I have grown up in the Catholic faith. Seeing as I am currently in school with a science-based program, I find it interesting to learn the scientific facts behind my faith.

3. Research that I found most interesting was that the blood type found on the Shroud was type AB along with the carbon dating that points to the time of Christ. I found it very interesting to compare eyewitnesses testimonies in the bible with the comparison to scientific evidence.

4. Based on this research, I am most likely to remember how researchers appeared to purposefully take a part of the Shroud that was not authentic. This stood out to me because it seems as though many people want us to turn against religious faith and only trust science.

5. A pseudoscience belief that I feel is most harmful is Ideology, I feel this way because politics, religion and culture have caused humanity to form a lot of hate towards each other in disagreement. A belief that is the least harmful would be Patternicity because this is caused by our own perceptions.

6. If I could pass on my knowledge to a family member or friend I would educate them on the critical thinking process and to always educate themselves before they make assumptions.

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Description:
This image is of Pope Francis, admiring, reflecting and praying at the Shroud. He claims that the Shroud is an icon of love and reflects the love Jesus had for humanity when being crucified.
Connection:
This photo connects to Appeal to Authority, seeing as the  Pope is a very powerful man; showing him while reflecting his faith upon the Shroud could influence others to believe as well. A reason for belief is Ideology, It reflects the power of religion and how it influences us to search for meaning in our lives. Using the critical thinking process, it is important to recognize assumptions, emotions, biases and to synthesize evidence. It is difficult to compare our faith with scientific evidence because Jesus' time was hundreds of years ago.

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This picture reveals a study that was completed by forensic anthropologist Matteo Borrini and chemistry professor Luigi Garlaschelli. They painted blood onto a mannequin and attempted to mimic the shroud.
Connection:
This photo connects to Red Herring because it this study was based on assumption of the position Jesus was laying. They claim that they still do not know if the cloth was laid on the person who was just laying there, wrapped around the body or moved before putting in a particular place. A reason for belief is Perception and Observation, these studies reveal only what was perceieved by assumption and words from the bible. Using the critical thinking process, It important to recognize assumptions, emotions, biases, synthesize evidence and identify alternatives. Using a reason for belief Confirmation bias, people would believe that Jesus is capable of doing anything and he purposefully left prove of his existence on the cloth in order to lead people closer to God.

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Description:
This picture is an overlay of one of the first paintings of Jesus. It was matched to the Shroud to compare its similarities.
Connection:
This photo connects to Ancient wisdom because it uses a product that was conducted in the 6th century, 6 years after the discovery of the shroud.  A reason for belief is Patternicity, Ideology and confirmation Bias, having a religious background may cause individuals to believe this is real without exposing other evidence. Patternicity is a belief because they are trying to depict the details of Jesus face in order to confirm it was truly him.  Using the Critical thinking process  it is important to synthesize evidence and select the best alternative. It is hard to compare and contrast two different images from centuries ago but it appears that the two faces are similar In size. A flaw with this photo is that the man on the shroud has much for facial hair which could make him look similar to many photos.

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This website discusses the DNA evidence found on the shroud. This website claims that there is no proof of paint on the cloth meaning this is indeed human blood.
Connection:
This website connects to All natural, Dr. Ballone of Turin has completed multiple blood tests discovering that the blood is indeed natural and non synthetic, it has proven to be blood type AB of a male. This is a significant blood type because only 3.2% of the world have this and 18% of those people are Jewish. A reason for belief is Perception and Observation, Dr. Ballone had an understanding of the controversy of the Shroud prior to investigating so he was able to uncover the truth himself with investigation. Using the critical thinking process, it would be best to evaluate evidence and identify alternatives. Dr. Ballone found some very convincing evidence along with other specialists who claim that real linen is unable to hold paint the way the shroud has appeared. Also there has been proof of pollen in the linen which is proof that the cloth came from Eastern Europe.

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The nature of Jesus' crucifixion as declared in the Bible is one filled immense with torture, humiliation, and pain. The blood found on the Shroud of Turin is believed to be the blood of Jesus on...

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Description:
This website discusses 8 facts that could prove this is the authentic burial cloth of Jesus. It discusses DNA samples, art work comparison from the time of christ and the probability of ultraviolet radiation.
Connection:
This website connects to Ancient wisdom and mystical energy. Some of the facts discuss how they compared artifacts that were used at the time of christ and they compared paintings that were created at the earliest sightings of Jesus himself. The ultraviolet radiation could be a form of mystical energy, they claim that when Jesus was resurrected from the dead a burst of radiation emitted causing the image to appear on the cloth. A reason for belief would be Patternicity, because they are trying to compare artwork that has a similar face. Using the critical thinking process, it would be appropriate to synthesize all of the evidence and identify alternatives.  Another reason for belief could be confirmation bias, these facts could sway individuals decision based on if they are christian or not.

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By Brian Chilton| The Shroud of Turin is perhaps one of the most controversial artifacts of all-time. Either it is one of the most incredible, holy relics related to Jesus of Nazareth or it is one of the most ingenious hoaxes ever invented. The Shroud of Turin is a 14' 5" x 3' 7" linen cloth that holds the image of a crucified man that matches the description of the manner in which Jesus of Nazareth was crucified.

The front and the back of the crucified man is shown, the front on one end of the cloth and the back on the other end with the head meeting towards the middle. The hands of the man are crossed while the knees are slightly bent. Blood covers the Shroud especially at the nail marks on the hands and feet.

The Shroud is quite controversial, especially since 1988. A team of researchers took three samples from the Shroud and dated them using radiocarbon at three independent laboratories. The test deemed that the Shroud dated to around 1260-1390 A.D. thus seemingly proving that the Shroud was a medieval hoax.

Yet, the Shroud was not put to rest. Further tests seem to elevate the probability of the Shroud's authenticity. As one investigates the Shroud, it must be understood that the resurrection of Jesus does not rest upon the Shroud's authenticity. However, if the Shroud is authentic, it adds further weight to the Christian's claim.

There is no way to conclusively prove or disprove the Shroud. Yet, data will lead one to accept or reject the Shroud's authenticity. From my research, I have discovered 8 reasons why the Shroud is probably the authentic burial cloth of Jesus.

1) The 1988 carbon-dating test was flawed

Many researchers will dispute the claim, however, a growing consensus of researchers are accepting the notion that the 1988 carbon-dating test was flawed (Stephen Adams, Telegraph, 2009).

It is well documented that the Shroud was damaged by a fire in the 1200s and was extinguished and repaired by a group of nuns at the cathedral where the Shroud was held.

A person can still see the marks on the Shroud where it was damaged. It is now widely accepted that the fibers tested in 1988 came from the nuns' repair work. Recent studies confirmed that this was the case as dye was found on the fibers that were tested, indicating that the fibers did not originate with the original cloth (Adams, Telegraph, 2009).

In 2013, a new set of tests were conducted on the Shroud that placed the cloth to the time ranging from 300 B.C. to 400 A.D., well within the time of Jesus of Nazareth (Stanglin, USA Today, 2013). Thus, the 1988 testing is no longer the knockout punch that it was once held to be.

2) The blood on the Shroud is authentic

Skeptics have long thought that the image and blood on the Shroud were painted on the cloth. However, it has been confirmed that the blood and image have separate origins. When examining the cloth, researches have noted that the blood appeared before the image. The Turin Shroud researchers have adopted the slogan "blood first, then image" to describe the Shroud. The blood has been confirmed as authentic hemoglobin and identified as Type AB.

3) The image on the Shroud is not a painting

As archeologist Ted Wright noted recently on The Bellator Christi Podcast, when researching the Shroud, we can rule out several things that the Shroud is not. One of those things that has been negated is the idea that the Shroud is a painting. The image on the Shroud is only a few fibers deep.

Also, the image is a photographic negative and is three-dimensional. Whatever the image is, it certainly did not come from a painter's brush.

4. The pollen on the Shroud is found exclusively in the Jerusalem area

Pollen has been found throughout the Turin Shroud. Dr. Max Frei noticed that around the head and the abdomen, the imprints of flowers are visible although they are quite difficult to observe.

The pollen and the imprints match flowers found in the vicinity of Jerusalem including the pistacia lentiscua, the chrysanthemum coronarium, and the gundelia tourneforii (Whanger and Whanger, Duke.edu, 2015). The Council for Study of the Turin Shroud from Duke University notes the following:
"While there are images of hundreds of flowers on the Shroud, many are vague or incomplete. We feel we have identified, tentatively but with reasonable certainty, twenty-eight plants whose images are sufficiently clear and complete to make a good comparison with drawings in the botany literature.
Of these twenty-eight plants, twenty-three are flowers, three are small bushes, and two are thorns. All twenty-eight grow in Israel. Twenty grow in Jerusalem itself, and the other eight grow potentially within the close vicinity of Jerusalem, either in the Judean Desert or in the Dead Sea area or in both. All twenty-eight would have been available in Jerusalem markets in a fresh state" (Whanger and Whanger, Duke.edu, 2015).

These findings suggest that the Turin Shroud must have originated in, or at least have been in the vicinity of, Jerusalem. That the pollen dates to the first-century also provides an indication that the Shroud was first found in first-century Israel.

5. The wounds of the man on the Shroud match the details of Jesus's crucifixion

Any examination of religious art depicting the crucifixion of Jesus shows the nail prints in the palms of the hand. However, the Turin Shroud shows the nail marks at the lower part of the hand into the wrist. Experiments conducted on cadavers note that the Turin Shroud accurately depicts how crucifixions would have transpired.

In addition, the whip markings on the man's back match the ends of the flagrums used by the first-century Romans for scourgings.

6. The points of the face match those of the earliest portraits of Jesus

The Council for Study of the Turin Shroud also made another important evaluation of the Shroud. They noted that early depictions of Jesus match certain details of the facial image found on the Shroud. The Christ Pantocrator of St. Catharine's Monastery at Sinai is one of the oldest Byzantine religious icons which dates to the 6 th century (i.e., 500-599 A.D.).

For more information on the Christ Pantocrator painting, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Pantocrator_(Sinai).

7. The identical position and type of blood on the face of the Shroud with that of the Sudarium of Oviedo.

Another artifact of great interest is a cloth called the Sudarium of Oviedo. The Sudarium is a covering that is said to have been placed over the face of Jesus when he was lowered from the cross. The cloth may have remained there for his burial. The Gospel of John notes the possibility of both cloths.

John notes that "The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself" (John 20:7). While the Sudarium does not contain a facial image, it does have a large amount of blood around the nose and forehead.

The Sudarium is mentioned around 570 A.D. by one Antoninus of Piacenza. The blood markings on the Sudarium match the blood markings on the Shroud and also contain the same Type AB hemoglobin as found on the Turin Shroud.

8. The probability of high-powered ultraviolet radiation used to make the image on the Shroud.

One of the more bizarre features of the Shroud is the X-ray that is found of the man's teeth and fingers. Upon closer examination, one will notice squares around the mouth. These squares have been discovered to be an X- ray of the man's teeth. The fingers appear elongated because a person is viewing the man's phalanges.

Nothing existed in medieval or ancient times that could produce such an X-ray as this. It has been theorized that when Jesus resurrected from the dead, a large burst of radiation emitted which would have created the image on the cloth. Studies have indicated that "the power of VUV radiations required to instantly color the surface of linen that corresponds to a human of average height, body surface area equal to = 2000 MW/cm2 17000 cm2 =34 thousand billion watts makes it impractical today to reproduce the entire Shroud image using a single laser excimer, since this power cannot be produced by any VUV light source built to date (the most powerful available on the marked come to several billion watts)" (uCatholic.com, 2016).

To make matters more interesting, the research team at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre noted that "measuring devices either malfunctioned or ceased to work at all...previously performed analyses with the instruments seemed to have been distorted by an electromagnetic disturbance" (uCatholic.com, 2016).

This does not prove that the Shroud originated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and it does not prove that high-powered radiation created the image on the Shroud, but the connection of the two is quite compelling.

Conclusion

As archaeologist and Christian apologist, Ted Wright, once said, "we can't be completely dogmatic about the Shroud of Turin. But there is certainly a high degree of probability that it is genuine." I think Wright is correct.

It must be said that the Christian does not need the Shroud of Turin to provide evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. A compelling case for the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth can be made without the Shroud. However, if the Shroud of Turin is authentic, then the believer can catch a glimpse of the Galilean who brought about salvation to the world. If not, the Christian has nothing to lose.

It is truly a win-win situation. The documentary evidence from both Christian and non-Christian sources alone are enough to verify the reliability of the crucifixion and resurrection account. But, it would not be surprising if the same Jesus who appeared to skeptical Thomas is the same Jesus who left a relic that would demonstrate to billions and billions more that he had indeed risen.

Can we ever be certain that the Turin Shroud holds the image of Jesus of Nazareth? Probably not. However, the evidence seems highly probable that the Turin Shroud is genuinely the cloth that covered Jesus of Nazareth before his amazing resurrection from the dead. If so, the image of Jesus could have been left behind, but the real Jesus is no longer there. He is alive! Jesus is now at the "right hand of God and intercedes for us" (Romans 8:34).

"True, we do not have absolute proof for the identity of the man of the shroud. Neither do we need it to demonstrate the reality of the death and resurrection of Jesus (or for anything else in the Christian faith). But it appears to provide strong empirical corroboration for Jesus' resurrection, and when combined with the historical evidence for this event I would submit that we have a twofold apologetic from both science and history." - Dr. Gary Habermas, New Testament historian
Sources
Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible. Nashville: Holman, 2017.

Pastor Brian Chilton is a graduate of Liberty University School of Divinity in 2015 with a Master of Divinity in Theological Studies. He is also a graduate of Gardner-Webb University with a Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy in 2011. Graduate of Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute in 1998 with an Associate in Religion/Church Ministry. He has also earned from Biola University the Certificate in Christian Apologetics in 2016. Beginning in early 2000, Pastor Brian left the ministry for 7 years and nearly became an agnostic due to doubts pertaining to the reliability of the Bible and the hypocritical behavior by some Christians that he knew. He came back to a strong, vibrant faith after encountering Josh McDowell's book The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict and Lee Strobel's book The Case for Christ.

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8 Reasons Why The Shroud Of Turin Might Be The Burial Cloth Of Jesus

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By Brian Chilton| The Shroud of Turin is perhaps one of the most controversial artifacts of all-time. Either it is one of the most incredible, holy relics related to Jesus of Nazareth or it is one of the most ingenious hoaxes ever invented.

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This website discusses how forensic investigators ran tests similar to how Jesus Christ is resembled on the Shroud and the results appear that the Shroud is fake.
Connection:
This website connects to Appeal to Authority because these investigators are trying to claim they have found the conclusion to the investigation. A reason for belief would be Perception and Observation because after a few trials of applying real and synthetic blood to a human and imprinting a similar face onto linen, they claim it is nearly impossible to make a similar image. Using the critical thinking process it would be appropriate to recognize assumptions and identify alternatives. Another reason for belief could be Confirmation Bias because many people try to prove that the Shroud of Turin is fake meaning they are driven to proving the public wrong. A limitation to this website Is that there is no photographic evidence of this trial.

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Shroud of Turin Is a Fake, Bloodstains Suggest

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The Shroud of Turin, said by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus, is likely a fake, as a new study using modern forensics techniques finds its bloodstains are completely unrealistic.

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Description:
This video shows an experimental archeologist named Luigi Garlaschelli who claims he has found a technique that proves Shroud of Turin could be fake.
Connection:
This video connects to Red Herring because the archeologist is trying to prove that we may have been distracted from the real question. A reason for belief would be Perception and Observation, the public has made the decision that the Shroud is real because the bible states that Saint Veronica wiped Jesus' face with a cloth prior to resurrection. Also, the face on the cloth resembles the description of Jesus' appearance. Using the critical thinking process it would be best to evaluate and synthesize evidence and identify alternatives. Another Red flag would be Unexplained because even though Luigi Garlaschelli claimed this method could be used centuries ago it still does not prove that this specific type of paint was used on the Shroud.

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This video discloses the evidence found with the carbon dating of the Shroud. It reveals that the first few samples of the Shroud were defective because they used a part of the Shroud that was visibly patched. This patched was sewn by sisters added to the cloth after a fire had taken place.
Connection:
This video connects to Ideological support because these reputable labs claimed that the part of the cloth they used was valid when they were proven to be wrong. They wanted us to believe that the shroud was dated around the 15th century, meaning the cloth is not the blood of Jesus Christ. A reason for belief is Confirmation Bias because skeptics who doubted the Shroud was real would have believed that the reputable labs were telling the truth. Applying the critical thinking process proved that the evidence needed to be evaluated, this is why a strand of the cloth studied by Raymond Rogers proved that the sample was not from the original linen.

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This Video looks at the 5 mysteries of The Shroud of Turin. It describes different studies and beliefs as to why this could be the Shroud of Jesus Christ himself.
Connection:
This video connects to unexplained because there have been so many different theories attempted to prove that this is the imprint of Jesus Christ, but none of them has been fully confirmed. A reason for belief would be Ideology because we are trying to prove that Jesus left evidence behind in order to better understand our religious beliefs. Applying the critical thinking process and scepticism would be beneficial to gather all information and synthesize evidence. It is best to avoid and emotional bias because this case needs to be scientifically proven. Another reason for belief is emotional connection, many people want to believe the shroud is real in order to confirm their religion. A flaw with this video is that there are so many unexplained mysteries that it's hard to confirm what is real and what is fake.

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5 Mysteries About The Shroud Of Turin That Cannot Be Explained

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Post #1: The Shroud of Turin: Assignment 2 

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Post #1: The Shroud of Turin: Assignment 2 

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Made by Kaitlyn Bordadagua, Working individually.