Posted on 07/28/2019 6:02:04 AM PDT by Kaslin
In an imaginary “ranking” of Christian topics that elicit the most fervent discussions, Jesus Christ is No. 1. But near the top is the Shroud of Turin — believed by millions of Christians to be the authentic burial cloth of Jesus. This “ranking” was inspired by you — Townhall readers who wrote over 500 impassioned comments in response to my July 21 piece, “Shroud of Turin: New Test Concludes 1988 ‘Medieval Hoax’ Dating Was a Fraud.”
I purposely read all your comments to gain insight into my role as an adviser and fundraiser for a groundbreaking exhibition about the Shroud of Turin at the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. This spectacular museum, among the largest and highest rated in the city, is located only three blocks from the Capitol. And just prior to the January 20, 2021, presidential inauguration is when this high-tech Shroud exhibit is scheduled to open.
Threaded throughout hundreds of your responses about all aspects of the Shroud was one overarching theme summarized by these three comments:
“Anyone who requires physical evidence to underpin their faith doesn’t understand the concept of faith.”
“JESUS CHRIST died for all. HE is what is important. Making such a fuss about this piece of cloth is a distraction from HIS work of SALVATION.”
“I respectfully submit that the only ‘relic’ which really matters is the one which was left us on that first Easter morning: The tomb is empty! He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!”
Of course, “He is Risen” is also the foundation of my Christian faith, (made slightly more complicated by having been born Jewish). But I feel compelled to discuss and explore the comment that reads in part, “…such a fuss about this piece of cloth...”
And my response is simple: The Shroud of Turin exists because HE exists. An answer that echoes what God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14).
Thus, the existence of the Shroud of Turin raises two questions that I will attempt to address: First, what exactly is the Shroud? And second, a deeper dive into “Why does the cloth exist?”
The Shroud of Turin is a 14.5-by-3.5-foot linen cloth with a linear front to back mirror image of a crucified man. The Shroud has the distinction of being the most studied artifact in the world, yet the cloth’s numerous mysteries remained unexplained by modern science.
At this moment the Shroud lies in a fireproof box in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, as it has continuously since 1578. (But secretly relocated between 1939 and 1946 when Italian authorities feared Hitler was seeking possession.)
Dating the Shroud has been controversial and the subject of my July 21 piece.
Among Shroud historians, there is no dispute that in 1352, over 200 years before the Shroud was housed in Turin, Geoffrey DeCharney displayed the cloth in Lirey, France marking the beginning of the Shroud’s documented "modern" dating.
There is also much circumstantial Shroud evidence through art, artifacts, and coins that pre-dates 1352. Moreover, scientifically verified botanical evidence found on the cloth in the form of pollen, dust, flowers, and even the weave and type of linen traces the Shroud back to first-century Jerusalem.
The cloth with its mysterious properties has survived wars, invasions and the ravages of time including numerous fires — most recently in 1997 at its home cathedral in Turin.
Most harrowing was the 1532 fire in Chambéry, France. Miraculously the entire cloth was not destroyed but left those distinctive linear markings along both sides of the Shroud that we see today. Hard to imagine, but the linen cloth was stored in a silver box, folded in 48 layers, when drops of molten silver burned through the cloth’s outer folded edges.
The point is, against all the odds, the Shroud exists. And, as stated earlier, because He exists. There is also a significant Bible-based reason found in the Gospel of John known as “Doubting Thomas” (John 20:24-31).
But first, a “guest” who will explain this passage needs a proper introduction:
It turns out that the many Townhall readers who commented about not needing the Shroud’s “physical evidence to underpin their faith,” represent a large swath of Christian believers. I learned this when asking Russ Breault— my fellow Shroud exhibit team colleague, and a world-renowned Shroud expert and speaker — if he had experienced similar attitudes after over 30 years of hosting his popular “Shroud Encounters” to sell-out crowds.
Breault replied:
“I get that statement all the time! When someone says, ‘I don't need the Shroud for my faith,’ I usually say, ‘That is fantastic! But that doesn't mean the Shroud was not meant for someone else.’ ”
Breault continued: “In the Doubting Thomas story, Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who ‘believe yet have not seen,’ but Jesus did not condemn Thomas for his unbelief. In fact, a week after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared a second time, and the first person he spoke to was Thomas, who was not there to witness Jesus’ first appearance. Jesus then quotes Thomas' words back to him, ‘Thomas, thrust your hand into my side and place your fingers into my nail wounds and be not faithless but believe.’
At this point, Thomas — forever known as "Doubting Thomas" — makes the strongest profession of faith in the New Testament saying, "My Lord and my God." Then Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who can believe without seeing. So we are blessed if we can believe without seeing, but we are not cursed if we can't get there without some additional evidence.
Therefore, perhaps the Shroud is a silent witness to the world offering all of humanity the same opportunity Jesus gave to Thomas. In some proverbial sense by looking at the Shroud, we too can thrust our hand into His side and place our fingers into His nail wound and find our faith in the process.”
Thank you, Russ! And now my final thoughts for Townhall commenters.
If blessed with great faith, you are free to ignore or downplay the image on the Shroud showing Christ’s great suffering and victory over death. Yet, take comfort in knowing that the Shroud is there to supplement or reinforce the faith of others while potentially witnessing to the ever-increasing number of Doubting Thomases found throughout the world.
In the end, I believe that the Shroud exists as proof of God’s greatest gift to mankind —the Lord Jesus Christ — who lives and reigns forever and ever. Alleluia!
(Now, let the comments begin!)
And I did read your typo as "sunshine" even before you corrected it. There are many things we can't perceive yet, but like sunshine, they are there! The biography of St. Benedict of Nursia says at one point near the end of his life (around 540 AD), the Lord permitted Benedict to see the whole world gathered within a beam of light.
Actually, I think it’s longhand, since there are more letters in Elsie, than there are in LC. 😁
That was a joke! (Hee hee)
Well; I think there is only TWO choices:
Eternity WITH hellfire or
Eternity without it.
One is a state of being 'saved'; the other isn't.
I’ll take all the feelings of affection from wherever I can find them these days.
Sounds like my barn.
The reason I have 2-3 of so many tools is because I can't ever find one when I need it!
That only happens to the knights who say NI.
But; to an illiterate; there are the same number of sounds.
Go figger.
We should know; however; that ELSIE is NOT the same as LC.
One has electricity; the other...?
Just do a Google search on the biographies of Clement of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Eusebius of Caesarea, Origen of Alexandria, and out of them the Bishop of Hippo, Augustine, who made sure the Cathological formula became the religious organ of the Roman State.
You can count on the fact that their errors came from the roots of making priests the subordinates of the religious power structure, with the ordinary "lay" people taking the big hit in this fiasco.
That's my opinion. All this was present even in Paul's time, of which he wrote to the people ogf Galatia. You will not in that epistle he was not boosting any other Gospel than the one given to him by revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ. Especially not the one being lived out by Simon bar Jona, raising problems in Paul's own home sending church of Antioch.
“It DOES NOT say “Scripture is the only thing inspired by God, and will remain forever the only thing inspired by God.”
What it says is that anything that contradicts the Gospels Genesis to Revelation is from Satan no matter who it comes from to include Mary, Angels, or the roman church, Gal 1:8.
So for you to not accept 2 Tim 3:16-17 makes perfect sense since you have accepted so many other false gospel teachings from the church of Satan that are completely contrary to the Holy Word of God.
Oh you mean like all the additions?
1 . Prayers for the dead . …………-—————————……300 A.D.
2. Making the sign of the cross ………………………… …300 A.D.
3. Veneration of angels & dead saints …………-————…….375 A.D.
4. Use of images in worship………………………………… . 375 A.D.
5. The Mass as a daily celebration……………………………… 394 A.D.
6 Beginning of the exaltation of Mary;the term, “Mother of God” applied a Council of Ephesus—————————————— 431 A.D.
7 Extreme Unction (Last Rites)……………………………… ..526 A.D.
8. Doctrine of Purgatory-Gregory 1…………………………… .593 A.D..
9. Prayers to Mary & dead saints ……………………………… .600 A.D.
10. Worship of cross, images & relics ……………………… … 786 A.D.
11 Canonization of dead saints ………………………………… ..995 A.D.
12. Celibacy of priesthood …………………………………… …1079 A.D.
13. The Rosary ……………………………………………… … 1090 A.D.
14. Indulgences ……………………………………………… …..1190 A.D.
15. Transubstantiation-Innocent III …………………………… 1215 A.D.
16. Auricular Confession of sins to a priest …………………… 1215 A.D.
17. Adoration of the wafer (Host)…………………………… .. 1220 A.D.
18. Cup forbidden to the people at communion …………………..1414 A.D.
19. Purgatory proclaimed as a dogma……………………………..1439 A.D.
20. The doctrine of the Seven Sacraments confirmed …………….1439 A.D.
21 Tradition declared of equal authority with Bible by Council of Trent…………………………………………————————… 1545 A.D.
22. Apocryphal books added to Bible ………——————……….1546 A.D.
23. Immaculate Conception of Mary……………………………….1854 A.D.
24, Infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals, proclaimed by the Vatican Council ……………… 1870 A.D.
25. Assumption of the Virgin Mary (bodily ascension into heaven shortly after her death) ……………………………-—————————————————……1950 A.D.
26. Mary proclaimed Mother of the Church……………………… 1965 A.D.
1977 - As a Catholic, I read the New Testament, realized all the additions Catholicism had made over the centuries (hundreds of years after the first apostles died) and became Lutheran. Well, it’s an important year for me!
I don't know about the guy in the picture, but . . . that fellow needs a shave-and-a-haircut, 2 bits!
Quite a list. Would appreciate a source, please.
Did you ever bother to look up what St. Paul was dealing with when writing Galatians 1, btw?
You're acting like (say) Lutheranism, or the Rev. Bud's Down-Home Old Time Gospel Faith Mission are the original sources of doctrine, and Catholicism and Orthodoxy are offshoots.
It's the other way around.
You're getting carried away with your rhetoric here.
For one thing, the OldTestament isn't part of the Gospel; rather, as St. Paul teaches later in Galatians, the Law was our Schoolmaster to lead us to Christ. So it wasn't the Gospel, the Good News *of* Christ.
For another, when Paul wrote Galatians, he CANNOT have been speaking of Revelations, since John hadn't written it yet.
You better tell both the author of Hebrews, and St. Paul that, then.
Or, you're engaged in sophistry of the "no true Scotsman" type.
I haven't been able to find the phrase "saving faith" *in* the Bible.
But there are a number of passages *in Scripture* which talk about losing the faith.
Should I conclude that the concept is a doctrine of men, then? /dry>
St. Paul's up the creek then.
1 Cor 4:15 "I became your Father through the gospel."
But the real answer is that the context (there's that word again) of the verse, is that Jesus was slamming the Pharisees.
(He went on to say "call no man teacher" right after that, too, but I've heard all *kinds* of Evangelicals touting the "anointed teaching of the Rev. so-and-so." And what of the title "Doctor" (which if IIRC is the latin word for "teacher"...I'm sure the MDs are just gonna *love* that one.)
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