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My fascination with the Shroud stems from my faith. I was a Christian long before I had ever heard of the Shroud. Nothing would change, if tomorrow, somehow, it was proved a fake. The charges by some (not you) that it is somehow a crutch of faith, a thing worshipped, a graven image, etc., are preposterous.

Same with me, exactly.

Part of the fascination for me is that science (the self appointed answer guys) can't prove it's a fake.

A friend of mine insisted that Leonardo DaVinci 'photographed' it (???) so I gave her "The Resurrection of the Shroud" by Mark Antonacci. The book is kind of dry but the author was an atheist lawyer who compiled all the medical, scientific and archeological evidence available up to now (a couple of years ago) and came away from his research a believer. My friend (a Unitarian) is a believer as well after reading the book and doing research on her own.

It is interesting that some people who believe that the Shroud is authentic are not Christian. Several shroud researchers are Jewish and some are agnositic, and they have accepted that it is authentic. Barrie Schwortz, who appeared on the PBS special, who is a good friend, is Jewish (not Jews for Jesus) and convinced that it is genuine.

There is, from some people on this thread, and in other FR threads, a hint of anti-Catholic bias -- a bias against relics and veneration or respect (misstated as worshipping). That is too bad. (I'm not Catholic BTW).

If you follow Christian Talk Radio -- I don't but my wife does -- you learn that some of the strongest support for the Shroud's authenticity is in the Evangelical conservative movement. I think of Evangelical Scholars like Gary Haberstam and conservative preachers like Ken Stevenson. There is also a strong movement of acceptance among the Anglican and Orthodox traditions. The strongest arguments against the Shroud come now from Jesus Seminar scholars, many of whom deny that Jesus was even buried. And then there are a few, quite difficult to comprehend, critics in this forum who just spew out confusing charges.

A Christian whose faith is enduring and strong should never fear the pursuit of historical or scientific inquiry. Faith can be true. Faith can be strong.

Shroudie