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1. 9/17/2016 Shroud of Turin Expert Visits San Antonio
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2. 9/17/2016 Shroud of Turin Expert Visits San Antonio
http://therivardreport.com/shroud­of­turin­expert­visits­san­antonio/ 2/7
EDMOND ORTIZ on 3 May, 2015 at21:09
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Shroud of Turin Expert Visits San
Antonio

3. 9/17/2016 Shroud of Turin Expert Visits San Antonio
http://therivardreport.com/shroud­of­turin­expert­visits­san­antonio/ 3/7
John Jackson of theShroud of Turin Research
Project.
The Shroud of Turinis anancient strip of linenthat bears the image of a cruci ed man, whichmillions of the faithful believe to
be Jesus of Nazareth. It is, arguably, the most studied artifact inhumanhistory.
While millions of people have stood inlong lines tobrie y gaina glimpse of the Shroud at rare expositions over the last 200
years, a select number of experts have had direct access tothe relic for scienti c examination. Its true age remains a matter
of debate and mystery evennow.
JohnJacksonis one of those individuals. He talked about his life’s work ina one-day conference about the Shroud of Turinon
Saturday at Henry B. Gonzalez ConventionCenter.
Armed witha doctorate inphysics and experienced inworking withthe U.S. Air
Force, Jacksonled the Shroud of TurinResearchProject, a team of different
specialists that conducted tests and analyzed the Shroud over a ve-day period
in1978. Founder of the TurinShroud Center of Colorado, Jacksonwas invited to
come toSanAntonio, his rst visit tothe city, todiscuss his continuing research.
Organizers withthe Shroud of Turinexpo, currently onextended showing at 416
Dolorosa St., sent the invite toJacksonwithhopes that locals –believers,
skeptics and everyone inbetween–could learnmore about the decades-long
researcheffort.
“It’s beena personal endeavor tobring the expohere and tobring Dr. Jackson
here,” said Jose JuanGarrigo, CEO of Immersive Planet, the for-pro t company
behind the Shroud of Turinexpothat’s currently inthe second of a 70-U.S. city
tour.
“Not just the Shroud itself, but many of the objects that come withit, we are very lucky tosee them,” Garrigoadded.
The actual 14-foot-long rectangular strip of linenis housed at the Cathedral of St. Johnthe Baptist inTurin, Italy, its home
since 1578. The Shroud was put onrare display for public viewing inApril. The touring exhibit does have a tiny piece of the
shroud, whichwas sealed by Pope Benedict XIV inthe 18thcentury.
“If this is the burial clothof Jesus, thenit would be his resurrectioncloth, too,” Jacksonsaid. He explained that ina secular
culture where the constant fear of one’s mortality is part of humannature, the shroud for believers is a more thana relic. It’s a
transformative object as it touched a living being who, inthe central event of Christianity, “reached eternal existence beyond
the grave.”

4. 9/17/2016 Shroud of Turin Expert Visits San Antonio
http://therivardreport.com/shroud­of­turin­expert­visits­san­antonio/ 4/7
Areplica of JesusChrist’stomb atImmersivePlanet’sShroud of Turin touring exposition in San Antonio in 2014. Courtesy
photo.
Atimelinedisplay atImmersivePlanet’sShroud of Turin touring exposition in San Antonio in 2014. Courtesy photo.
Jacksonsaid his role, evenas a self-professed Catholic, is not topersuade people tobelieve whether the Shroud is authentic.
“I am innoway here tocompel youtothink the way that I do,” Jacksontold the crowd, whichnumbered more than60 people.
“I call it, as many do, the Manof the Shroud because I respect your right tobelieve whatever youwishtobelieve.”
Jacksonsaid that scienti c practices existed eveninBiblical days and after the cruci xionand resurrectionof Jesus. He
explained the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ disciples nding Jesus’ tomb empty, only a burial clothleft behind.
“I will submit that is science because Johnsays he saw the empty clothwithhis owneyes,” Jacksonsaid, describing the act as
empirical proof. “ThenJohnsaid he believed” that Jesus was resurrected.
“We’re connecting science and faith,” Jacksonsaid.
Jacksonoutlined the history of his researchintothe Shroud, focusing onthe examinations he helped perform in1978, tests
that really wound up gradually yielding results intothe early 1980s.
According toJackson, scientists, scholars and religious authorities try toaccount for several things seeninthe Shroud, namely
the image of what many believe tobe the cruci ed Christ. The body image canbe more easily seeninsome enhanced photos
and other representations of the shroud thaninothers. SecondoPia, anItalianlawyer and amateur photographer, is known
for taking the rst photographs of the Shroud of Turin.
Jacksonsaid inthe better images –made possible by advancing technology – one candetect where a crownof thorns was
placed, and marks left behind from the wound inhis side, and wounds inhis wrist and foot.
Jacksonsaid the notionof a forger has beenaround for centuries, but there are questions that at the least make it dif cult to
fully accept whether any individual has had the time or capability of producing sucha forgery. He said ndings inthe 1978
researchhe helped tolead, as well as a 3D relief of previous photos, help toestablishthe idea that forgery would be dif cult.
Jacksonand his team had alsolooked at the scorchmarks produced by a re
that damaged a Frenchchapel where the shroud was stored in1532, as well
as what some believe tobe blood stains from Jesus’ wounds. Jackson’s team
members said they found evidence that the “stains” had leaked throughthe
cloth, indicating they once were liquid and that they were onthe clothbefore
a “body image” could develop. This, Jacksonsaid, could support the
authenticity of the cloth.
Another nding from the 1978 analysis, Jacksonsaid, was that the body
image of Christ is “chemically that of degraded cellulose, whichyou’d get

5. 9/17/2016 Shroud of Turin Expert Visits San Antonio
http://therivardreport.com/shroud­of­turin­expert­visits­san­antonio/ 5/7
ImmersivePlanet’sShroud of Turin touring exposition in San Antonio in 2014. Courtesy photo.
Adisplay describing JesusChrist’shand and wrist
woundsatImmersivePlanet’sShroud of Turin touring
exposition in San Antonio in 2014. Courtesy photo.
from scorched linen.”
Jacksonalsodiscussed the controversial carbondating of the shroud that a
collectionof three separate teams performed inthe late 1980s. Their
conclusionwas that the linendates back tomedieval times, a period between
1260 and 1390, a nding witha statistical certainty of 95 percent. Jackson
added there were quasi-political “maneuverings” betweenthe collectionof
carbondating researchteams back thenthat could have in uenced the
published result.
But last year, anItalianresearchteam published a study, saying anearthquake inJerusalem in33 AD may have created the
“body image” and could have skewed the carbondating results. Jacksonsaid carbondating involves destroying the involved
sample, sothere is nosubsequent way for other scientists todetermine whether the sample was viable enoughtoproduce
comprehensive, cleanresults. Churchleaders gave scientists a small piece of the Shroud for the carbontesting.
“Science always needs a critical review,” said Jackson, whose ownwork has had critiques. But other researchers’ ndings
have alsobeencritiqued. “There’s always room for error.”
Many inthe mainstream science community accept the Shroud as ancient, but believe it is less than1,000 years old.
What’s next for Jackson? He and his wife, Rebecca, whom he met while researching the Shroud more than30 years ago, plan
topersonally view the Shroud of Turin, among other relics and sites inItaly, this June. Members of the public are invited to
take part inthe visit. Recent papers from Jacksoncanbe found at www.ShroudofTurin.com.
“I’m not saying youshouldn’t respect any result. I do,” he said ,evenabout the carbondating from 1988, adding that no
scienti c researchis above reproach.
*Featured/topimage: A replica of the Shroud of Turinat Immersive Planet’sShroud of Turintouring expositioninSanAntonio
in2014. Courtesy photo.
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6. 9/17/2016 Shroud of Turin Expert Visits San Antonio
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EDMOND ORTIZ
Edmond Ortiz, a lifelong San Antonian, is a freelance reporter/editor who has worked with the San Antonio Express-News
and Prime Time Newspapers. He can be reached at eortiz@journalist.com.
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7. 9/17/2016 Shroud of Turin Expert Visits San Antonio
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