I Know People Are Excited About This, But...

A new study done on the Shroud of Turin has found that the purported burial cloth of Jesus is 2,000 years old rather than several hundred years old. While some Christians are excited about this, they are in danger of overlooking better, but older and less sensational evidence.

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[TestifyApologetics]

My Catholic brothers will likely comment, claiming I'm a biased Protestant who disparages relics.

However, I’m aware of numerous prominent Protestant apologists, such as Gary Habermas, who advocate for the shroud's authenticity. Additionally, in the video linked at the end screen, I argue for the genuineness of a Lourdes miracle. In fact, I accept many Catholic miracles, some of which include relics and intercession to saints. So, that argument doesn't hold water.

Finally, Catholics contend that their church established the authority of the four Gospels through councils. While they are bound to these councils, the church doesn't mandate the acceptance of the shroud as an authentic relic. The shroud's significance lies in its potential truth, but as a Catholic, you have a greater obligation to defend the Gospels than the shroud. Therefore, you should at least agree with me regarding the shroud's apologetic value.

My main point is I wish some of the shroudies were as passionate about defending the four Gospels as they were the shroud.

[admiralvibe]

If it is a fake, Christ is risen and Lord. If it’s legit, Christ is risen and Lord, and he left us a relic. Praise be to God!

[scaryspook]

I heard this from a comment on another video:

If the Shroud is fake, Jesus is real.
If the Shroud is real, Jesus is real, and left a relic behind.

[J__T]

It's one of those potential facts where a true believer, if it is real, goes "oh neat." And if false, the true believer goes "oh well."

[_b_]

"while the shroud is fascinating, it could easily become a distraction"
Couldn't agree more!

[KRG-th]

The shroud is a low stakes – high reward situation. If it is proven to be a forgery, then that doesn't damage Christian apologetics in any way. But if it is proven to be authentic, then it's virtually game over for the skeptic. Because let's face it, while making the case for the resurrection by demonstrating the reliability of the gospels is incredibly powerful, it's difficult for the average person to understand things like undesigned coincidences for example. On the other hand, understanding the shroud and its implications is much easier to digest for the average person. This is why the shroud and the minimal facts argument tend to be more popular than the maximal facts argument even though the latter is arguably stronger.

[beefcakesensei]

The Shroud should never be a negative in regards to faith, but it should and could be an incredible positive.

[jdotoz]

As a Catholic who believes the Shroud is likely authentic, it's not even in the same country code as the Gospels when it comes to affecting my faith.
The Shroud isn't about the theology of relics, it's a scientific and historical question.

[thmandalorian]

Let's be real. Even if it were real and to be proven a real artifact, it still wouldn't be enough for most atheists. Remember, there were people who saw Jesus perform his miracles in person and still didn't believe. Jesus could be walking in front of them, and they still won't follow him. It isn't the evidence or proof. It's the state of their hearts and minds.

[benedictjajo]

If this was about Dinosaurs or Ancient Apes, atheists would be 100% sure of the findings.

[TheTemplar]

You’re absolutely right to make this video, as to prevent disaster in an individual’s spiritual life should the Shroud prove a forgery in the future, or the right skeptic comes along and gives minimal reasons they don’t believe in the Shroud’s authenticity and causes doubt in the individual. I believe the best way to sum this up is “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”, or rather this basket. Put them in Christ the Lord. God bless you ❤✝️

[sirroelsblog]

Whether the Shroud is an accurate burial cloth of Christ or not, still, Jesus rose from the dead. His body was not in the tomb. He is alive. He reigns forever and ever.

[NoahHattingh]

to be honest, as a Christian I don't really care what Jesus looked like. I'm only interested in following Him no matter what.

[MarcJ]

I fully believe the shroud is real, and i fully believe that we don't need it.
However, if the shroud is the foot in the door to faith for someone, i cannot say that is a bad thing.

[UmbrellaGent]

It's strange to see how after the news of this new study got traction, people began acting as if the Shroud had just been discovered yesterday. It's even stranger to see people circulating the """AI reconstruction""" of the image from the shroud, as if that was the absolutely the real face of Christ.
Anyway, it's good to hear a more balanced take in the apologetic circles.

[TheLastRealWatchGuy]

It’s real. We literally cannot recreate it today with the tech we have.

[mkson]

i like how this guy is honest with what he believes and what he don't believe.

[bloopboop]

I think it is wise to have a healthy dose of skepticism, but it should be noted that a lot of what makes the Shroud interesting is that if it is a hoax, then it is a hoax made by someone who had future knowledge and understanding of how we analyze hoaxes to make it seem as realistic as possible. Basically, someone had to know dozens of disciplines that would be analyzing it to make it all line-up and work, specifically the fact that they knew the nails should go through the wrists and not the hands, which is what Bible translations at that time claimed.

When reading the two major sides of the debate, there isn't really a middle ground: It's authentic or it's made by an insanely ingenious hoax master who knew hundreds of years in advance as to how to trick modern technology and know what types of methods people would be using for analyzing the shroud at a microscopic level.

[KillerAceUSAF]

As a Catholic, here is why I absolutely believe it is important for the shroud to be studied and to be authenticated. We can use the DNA from Jesus' blood to verify Eucharistic miracles. If the tests on Eucharistic miracles come back as a match for the blood on the shroud, it verifies both miracles.

[Chikaras]

Scientists: "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"
Also scientists: "Parallel universes and time travel exist. Just trust me, bro."