The Sea of Faith and the Turin Shroud: True? Fake? Does it matter?
Wednesday 15 November 2023
On the face of it, there are few mysteries in life that divide ‘believers’ and ‘sceptics’ so decisively as that of the true origin of the Shroud of Turin.
- Start Date:
- Wednesday 15th November 2023
- Start Time:
- 7:00PM
- Location:
- Zoom
- Contact:
- Marianne Mead
- Speakers:
- Dave Francis
- Host:
- Sea of Faith
- Cost:
- Free
An ivory-coloured piece of linen kept in Turin Cathedral, measuring 4.5 metres long by 1.1 metres wide, contains the image of the body of a tortured and crucified man. But how old, exactly, is this piece of cloth? What caused the marks to be made on its surface? Is the appearance of the Shroud the result of a natural phenomenon, or the work of an artist? Or could it possibly be a kind of photograph of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth?
The arguments have raged back and forth, particularly since Carbon 14 dating was undertaken in 1988 and appeared to show a mediaeval origin for the linen. There are, however, good reasons for doubting the reliability of the procedures that were carried out.
I’m going to outline some of the scientific, literary and historical analysis and theory about the Shroud that has taken place in recent times, and propose a ‘Sea of Faith’ type solution to the mystery that not only answers the question about the marks on the Shroud, but explains the origins of the Christian belief in the resurrection itself.