A reader tipped me off to this. Apparently there is one of those “Idiot” books that discusses the Shroud of Turin. It’s called, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Life of Christ. Here is how the publisher, Alpha Books, describes the book:
Christian adults who want to re-learn what they were taught as children, or adults who simply are intrigued by the life and teachings of the man many believe to have been the Messiah, will find the information they are looking for in this book. It looks at who Jesus was, at the world in which he grew up, at what he taught, and at the miracles he performed. The book also examines the controversy surrounding the Shroud of Turin. (emphasis mine)
I’d never known this. Perhaps I don’t find books called “The Idiot’s Guide” to anything appealing. Should I go out and buy this to see what it says about the shroud? It was published only eleven years ago, so it is fairly recent. The year 2000, however, is inconveniently after the carbon dating that showed that the shroud was medieval and before the proof that the carbon dating was invalid.
As it turns out, Amazon has a feature that let’s you look at the index pages. I couldn’t find any mention of the shroud. Amazon also let’s you search the book text and here is everything I could find (this from page 143 in a chapter entitled, “Wombs and Tombs”):
The Shroud of Turin, which some claim bears the tracings of a risen Christ, appears to be authentic but leaves ample room for doubt and ongoing skepticism.
Examines the controversy? That’s it?
A copy of page 143 is below the fold.
