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Amanda Lauer reviews a new documentary on the Shroud of Turin: the film seeks to uncover the truth behind the Shroud.


Fans of the Shroud of Turin will be happy to hear that Who Do You Say I Am?, a new documentary on the Shroud, premieres February 21 and 22 at Inspiration Studios in West Allis, Wisconsin, and will be featured on BreadBoxMedia.com and CMAX.TV starting February 22. An on-demand viewing option is available for pre-order on PatchworkHeart.org.

Written and directed by executive producer Bill Snyder, founder of Patchwork Heart Ministry, and created in collaboration with Fiat Ministry Network, the film chronicles the ongoing scientific and spiritual investigation surrounding the Shroud of Turin, one of the world’s most mysterious and debated artifacts. 

As most Christians know, the linen cloth bears the faint negative image of a man’s body, leading to speculation of its origin and purpose. Who Do You Say I Am? presents scientific facts through the lens of faith—the Catholic faith to be precise—and examines the Shroud from all angles, featuring interviews with leading experts, historians, and theologians from across the globe. The documentary seeks to uncover the truth behind the Shroud, exploring the possibility that it could be a relic from the time of Jesus Christ, and the implications that would have. 

According to Snyder, the film will inspire skeptics and deepen the faith of those who already believe. As a person in the latter category, I’d say he’s met his goal. As a Catholic, I was already inclined to believe that the image on the Shroud is that of Jesus and that the cloth was the burial shroud in which He’d been wrapped following His crucifixion. After watching the documentary, I’d say science shows that there’s strong evidence that is truly the case.  

 

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While the Shroud is regarded as the most-studied artifact in human history, Who Do You Say I Am? takes a fresh look at centuries-old questions about the cloth and the experts interviewed discuss a wide range of topics surrounding it including blood stains, flowers and pollens, anatomical forensics, radiocarbon dating, material analysis and more. 

Bryan Walsh, the executive director of the Shroud of Turin Center, and Richard Bernatchez, co-founder of Faith Based Communications, are two of the investigators who present the latest scientific evidence about the Shroud of Turin in the film. Both men are well-spoken and had significant knowledge on this topic, having spent decades researching it. They were able to break down the information into segments easy enough for most viewers to digest and understand. 

However, as they go in depth discussing the Crucifixion of our Lord, I would suggest this documentary be viewed by mature teens and adults only. Details about the various stains on the fabric—and what particular torture was inflicted by the Roman guards onto the man who’d been wrapped in the shroud—could be upsetting to some viewers. It’s difficult comprehending the depth of cruelty men can inflict on their fellow men.

 

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Walsh talked of his research, published in an academic journal in 2020, that detailed the inaccuracies of the 1988 carbon dating of the Shroud, which viewers should find interesting. While Walsh and Bernatchez answer the question "Who do you say I am?" from their perspective, viewers are challenged to do the same. 

In addition to the experts expounding on the Shroud, the filmmakers interviewed people who went to see the traveling Man of the Shroud exhibit. Their answers to the question "Who do you say I am?" are insightful. 

Snyder said his hope in making the documentary is that people will gain a deeper understanding of the power of Christ's sacrifice and that it moves them to a deeper faith in Jesus and helps them to realize and actualize Christ’s grace working in their lives. I would say that’s true for me. Thoughts surrounding the documentary have come to mind on a regular basis since I’ve watched it. 

Lent would be the ideal season to watch Who Do You Say I Am? Reliving Christ’s Passion during Holy Week could prove to be a more meaningful experience for you if you do. Jesus went through his Passion for each and every one of us. He would have endured that torture and death for you, even if you were the only human being on the planet. The depth of His sacrifice for us will be even more palpable after watching Who Do You Say I Am? It’s worth an hour of your time for that alone.

 

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Copyright 2023 Amanda Lauer
Images: (top) Canva; remaining images courtesy of Bill Snyder, Patchwork Heart Ministries, all rights reserved.