For centuries, the Shroud of Turin was the only negative image in the world

The concept of "photographic negative" was not discovered until the 19th century, when Nicéphore Niepce took the very first photograph. On the silver salt that he had placed in front of the lens receiving the image of his house, a completely unexpected image was printed: blacks were white, light greys were dark greys and vice versa. No one had ever seen anything like it, no one had ever thought of it, and it took thirty years to find a process that would enable a positive image to be recovered from this negative. So before the 19th century, there was no known negative image of any kind in the history of the world, except for one: the image of the Shroud of Turin. How can this be explained? Where could this image have come from? In reality, only the Passion and Resurrection of Christ can explain this image, which is therefore further proof of the truth of the Christian faith.

Detail of the Turin Shroud photographed by Giuseppe Enrie in 1931 / © CC0/wikimedia

Reasons to believe:

The negative image cannot have a human cause, since it could not be conceived and was therefore inconceivable.

Nor does it seem to have a common natural cause, because the same causes produce the same effects, so we would find other similar or comparable images throughout history... But there are absolutely none to be found, anywhere.

Since, therefore, neither human nor natural a priori, the cause of the production of the image of the Shroud is logically supernatural. And the key argument is that this representation, which is completely unique and singular, necessarily implies a cause that is also unique and singular.

What's more, the image is also the only one to remarkably contain a large number of details of Christ's Passion, many of which were unknown or inconceivable in the Middle Ages. Everything therefore points to the authenticity of the Shroud.

In conclusion, the events of Christ's Passion and Resurrection appears to be the only absolutely singular event that provides a rational, coherent and logical explanation for the production of this unique image.

Summary:

This very comprehensive video presentation "The Shroud of Turin: Photograph of the Resurrection - Part 1: Science of a Miracle (2024 Updates)" and Part 2: History of a Miracle examines all the elements of the case (500,000 hours of high-level scientific analysis, historical analysis, carbon 14 testing, witness testimony and reasoning) and reaches the same conclusion, that the shroud is authentic. This absolute singularity of the Shroud, which presupposes a cause that is also absolutely singular, really does allow us to conclude with certainty, beyond any reasonable doubt, that it is the actual burial cloth of Jesus, the Christ.

Before the Shroud, there were already many elements attesting to the Resurrection of Christ:

The testimony of the apostles who never denied it, even to the point of martyrdom.
The testimony of the five hundred other witnesses, and of all the disciples who followed them without hesitation.
The whole period from the birth of the Church to the conversion of the Roman Empire, which can only be explained by faith in the Resurrection of Christ.
And the innumerable apparitions and interventions of Christ, his Mother and the saints, in every period of history, through which Jesus is continually revealed as ever living, and so on.

However, there is only one material proof and there could only be one. Why could there be only one?

Because at the singular moment when the physical, earthly body of Christ was transformed into a glorious body, there was only one material object in the immediate vicinity of Christ: the Shroud that wrapped him. This is why there could be no other material element than this.

In conclusion, this Shroud is indeed an incontestable material sign of the truth of Christ's Passion and Resurrection, providentially given to our skeptic, indifferent, materialistic and irreligious age. Let's not forget make known this gift from God! This linen alone should change the world!

Olivier Bonnassies

Beyond reasons to believe:

The Shroud of Turin is a mirror of the sufferings and Passion of Christ: its study is deeply moving, and many of those who have taken the time to research the truth about this cloth have been deeply moved and changed by it.