The Shroud of Turin: A Scientific Enigma
Michael Kowalski SpeakerNet Sponsor
- Organisation:
- British Society for the Turin Shroud
- Region:
- Anywhere
- Notice Period:
- Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
- Type:
- Not for Profit
- Fee:
- Expensed: Travel Expenses of 20p per mile plus accommodation if greater than 100 miles from Halifax
- Category:
- Uncategorised
- Updated:
- 26th August 2024
- Tagged:
- Shroud Of Turin | Relics | Jesus | Scientific Mystery
There are few historical artefacts that have been studied as extensively as the Shroud of Turin. It is an enigma which has intrigued historians, artists and scientists ever since the publication of the first photographs taken of the Shroud at the end of the nineteenth century. Since that time, successive generations of experts drawn from a diverse range of specialist fields of study have spent countless hours searching for evidence that could reveal the true nature and origin of this ancient linen cloth. These included a group of scientists who in 1988 radiocarbon-dated a sample of fabric taken from the Shroud of Turin. They concluded that the sample of fabric was produced in the period 1260-1390AD, prompting one of those scientists to declare that, “Someone just got a piece of linen, faked it up and flogged it”.
Many people have since accepted this conclusion believing that this brings to an end any debate over the nature and origin of the Shroud. However, even at the time of that fateful dating test, there was already a large amount of historical and scientific evidence that appeared to challenge that conclusion and the amount of this contradictory evidence has increased significantly as a result of ongoing research over the years since that test.
This 60-minute presentation provides an overview of this evidence, focusing in particular on the astounding findings revealed by scientific examinations of the image markings visible on the Shroud, which undermine the claim that a medieval artist could have simply “faked it up and flogged it”. It explains why, after have examining the Shroud's image markings and bloodstains, several forensic scientists have concluded that they are consistent with the tortures described in gospel accounts of the crucifixion. It also outlines evidence which shows that the Shroud is much, much older than the age indicated by the carbon dating test and explains why that test may have failed to give the true age of this enigmatic cloth.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. If space permits, the presentation may also include a display which features a full-sized replica of the Shroud of Turin as well as full-sized negative images of the front and back of the body.
Views: 126 | Enquiries: 0About Michael Kowalski
Michael is recognised as a leading expert on the Shroud of Turin and has given presentations about this remarkable cloth to audiences in the UK and Europe. He is the author of 'The Shroud of Christ: Evidence of a 2,000-Year Antiquity' which provides a detailed account of the dating evidence revealed by over a hundred years of research. He is also the editor of a six-monthly magazine produced by the British Society for the Turin Shroud.
Michael’s interest in the Shroud began in the late-1970s when he read a magazine article which included pictures of the extraordinary photographic negative images of the Shroud. This interest has persisted over the years and has been a major focus for him since taking early retirement in 2016.
The Shroud of Turin is possibly the world’s most studied historical artifact, generating a regular flow of new research publications. Although many people have dismissed the Shroud as a medieval forgery, largely due to the result of a controversial carbon dating test, there is a wealth of compelling evidence that contradicts the conclusions of that test. Most persuasive of all is the extraordinary image of a man which is visible on the Shroud which scientists are unable to explain or replicate.
Michael has a strong desire to raise public awareness of this remarkable cloth and is happy to give talks on the Shroud. He can be contacted by email at outreach@bstsnewsletter.com.
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