'It's breathtaking to witness'
Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com
IDAHO FALLS – A replica of “one of the most intriguing and significant relics of Christian history” will be on display at the Romance Theater next month.
A life-size replica of the Shroud of Turin is coming to the Rexburg venue on Dec. 18. The event will include a 90-minute video presentation from Barrie Schwortz, the official documenting photographer for the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP). He’ll provide an in-depth overview of its history, extensive research and the growing public interest in it.
The Shroud of Turin is a centuries old linen cloth that bears the image of a crucified man and is sometimes referred to as the most studied artifact in human history. Many believe it to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ, though skeptics are critical of its authenticity.
Schwortz, who was invited to join the research team as a photographer in 1978, was a doubter in the beginning. After 45 years of examining it up close, the 77-year-old Jew from Colorado tells EastIdahoNews.com he’s now convinced it’s the actual cloth Christ was buried in.
“It took 17 years after we finished our examination of the Shroud and published all of our work before my questions were answered and I had to accept that it was most likely authentic,” Schwortz says.
Citing specific reasons why he feels that way would take too much time, he says, noting that “modern science does not provide an explanation for an image with the properties documented on that cloth.”
Still, Schwortz says there hasn’t been enough testing to eliminate the possibility of a natural explanation for the image.
Though the STURP ended in 1981, Raymond Rogers was in the process of testing his theory that the image was the result of a chemical reaction before he passed away in 2005.
Politics within the Catholic Church prevented another formal testing period on the Shroud from moving forward, but multiple academic papers about the Shroud have been written in recent years.
Schwortz says Kelly Kearse took Rogers’ experiment to the next level by looking at how contact with a corpse would affect the cloth.
“Not with a human body, but with mice cadavers. He was able to show that there was additional accuracy in the rendition of an image … because of skin contact,” says Schwortz. “That paper is the lead update (on the Shroud website) that went up yesterday (Monday).”
While it’s possible the public may have a definite answer on the authenticity of the Shroud one day, Schwortz says it’s also possible the purpose of it is to ensure people keep asking questions.
“Maybe the whole idea of the Shroud is to make us ponder the question … and delve into our own beliefs,” he says.
If it were ever proven to be the genuine article, Schwortz says it would be earth-shattering news for Christians across the globe.
“If one is deep into their Christian faith, this is about as good as it could get,” says Schwortz. “I’ve met many people who’ve told me their faith was restored or enhanced by their knowledge of the Shroud, so it does have a positive impact on people.”
Bringing a replica of the Shroud and Schwortz’ presentation to Rexburg has been a work in progress for about a year.
Ben Watson, the conductor of the Rexburg Children’s Choir, connected with Schwortz and acquired a replica of the Shroud several months ago. Watson became interested in the artifact after listening to an interview with Schwortz about the Shroud. He “devoured” every podcast he could find about it before contacting Schwortz.
Watson intentionally scheduled the experience to coincide with the Christmas season and plans to make it an annual event.
“In exploring the Shroud during this time of year, we can connect with the profound message of Christmas,” Watson says in a news release. “Whether or not you believe it’s the authentic burial cloth of Jesus, it is breathtaking to witness this cloth up close. Having Barrie present his message to us, along with having a life-size replica of the Shroud on site for attendees to see, makes this event a noteworthy occasion.”
The event is free for anyone who wants to attend, but donations are encouraged.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the presentation will start at 7 p.m.
SUBMIT A CORRECTION
