Is the Shroud of Turin actually the burial cloth of Jesus?
The mysterious Shroud of Turin has attracted and confounded scientists, historians, and religious leaders alike. Scripture says that Jesus was wrapped in a linen cloth and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Three days later, the Bible says he was resurrected and the burial cloth was discarded in the tomb. Archaeologists and historians located the earliest records of the Shroud in the 16th century CE. Traditions surrounding the cloth talk of churches and secret groups dedicated to preserving and protecting the holy relic throughout centuries. And while the image on the cloth is strikingly similar to images of Christ, it is the Shroud’s material which has stemmed more controversy. The Shroud was first rigorously examined in the 1970s by a group of American scientists, and at that time they found no signs of forgery–it was declared a mystery. In 1988, samples of the Shroud were subjected to radiocarbon testing and were dated to the Middle Ages. Some scholars support these finding
