It’s not too late to join us in our study of the Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin—a relic many Christians believe to be the cloth in which Jesus was wrapped after being taken down from the cross—has long fascinated both believers and disbelievers alike.

It has been embroiled in controversy ever since late 1970s when, for the first time, it was subject to scientific scrutiny. Images discovered on the reverse of the shroud are bound to intensify the debate.

While our study has already begun, it’s not too late to join us for the remaining sessions.

Each study will take place after Evening Prayer at 6.15 PM on Wednesday evenings. The series will continue on March 19th, March 26th, and April 2nd, and conclude on Wednesday, April 9th.

As usual, we will be providing beverages, hearty winter soup, and the best bread in Baltimore. If you think you’ll be hungrier than that, just bring a sandwich.

Here is the syllabus for this year’s study program:

The Shroud of Turn

A Lenten Study in Five Parts

Part One: Relics

What are relics? Why were they so important, especially during the Middle Ages? What function did they perform in those days¿ Of what value are the today? Why is the Shroud of Turin so fascinating and such a source of controversy?

Part Two: The Shroud

What is the Shroud? What does it portray? Why do some Christians believe that the man who appears to have been wrapped in it to be Jesus of Nazareth? Are there any similar relics to the Shroud?

Part Three: The History of the Shroud

What is the first recorded appearance of the Shroud? Who was the man who owned it and first exhibited it? How did he come by it? And what was the reaction of the Church and the civil authorities to its appearance? How did it come to be housed in Turin?

Part Four: What Does Forensic Science Tell Us?

When did forensic examinations of the Shroud begin? What were the earliest conclusions? What event sparked the modern fascination with the Shroud? What have the investigations since then discovered?

Part Five: The Sudarium of Oviedo and the Shroud

Do these two relics bear witness to one another? Do the Shroud and the Sudarium conform with what is know of First Century Jewish burial practices? Do the blood stains on the Shroud and Sudarium match? Does other forensic evidence show any similarities between the tow artifacts? What are we to conclude about the two artifacts?