Amazon.com
Ian Wilson's well-written and intelligent book gives a balanced view of evidence for and against the Shroud of Turin's authenticity (including new finds such as the presence of human blood and DNA on the Shroud), and along the way, provides a fascinating discussion of subjects ranging from capital punishment in first-century Palestine to the chemistry of radiocarbon dating. For Wilson, the Shroud's ultimate significance resides in the very fact of Christians' fascination with it. The Shroud represents the possibility that the Resurrection actually happened; if there's any chance the Shroud is authentic, and if that chance excites you, then historical facts are a crucial aspect of your faith. Given that, the Shroud of Turin becomes much more than a curiosity for cranks and crazies. It's a valuable incitement to introspection for all believers.
--Michael Joseph Gross
From Publishers Weekly
The Shroud of Turin is perhaps the most controversial and awe-inspiring religious relic of our time. In 1988, a team of scientists announced that the Shroud was in fact a medieval forgery and not the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth. Now, on the basis of new evidence, Wilson (The Turin Shroud and Jesus: The Evidence) re-opens the case. In part one of the book, Wilson uses the tools of image resonance and photography to contend that visual observation reveals the image of an apparently crucified body and its burial. In part two, Wilson argues that, while the Shroud visually satisfies the criteria that might be expected of the burial of a first-century Jew crucified as Jesus was, forensic evidence presented by the Shroud reveals its use as the burial cloth of a crucified man. In part three, Wilson traces an object that sounds and looks almost uncannily like the Shroud itself back to Jesus' time. Finally, Wilson concludes by pointing to tests that have proven that the Shroud's coating contains human blood and human DNA. In the engaging fashion of a detective spinning a mystery yarn, Wilson provides readers with plenty of data that proves, for Wilson, the Shroud's authenticity.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
See all Editorial Reviews