Evidence for the Reality of the Turin Shroud

Dr. Alan Whanger

April 7, 2016

Dr. Alan Whanger, and his wife and co-researcher Mary, first became aware of the Shroud of Turin in 1977 from seeing the face image on a book in a bookstore. Photography had been a lifelong major hobby of his, and the image intrigued him, so they bought and read the book. This led them to follow the frequent information coming out over the next couple of years about the 1978 public display of the Shroud and the scientific studies undertaken at that time.

Dr. Whanger’s casual interest became very focused in 1979 when a colleague who had been at St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula brought a photo of their much venerated 6th century icon, Christ Pantocrator, that a monk said had been painted directly from the Shroud face. Dr. Whanger and his wife concluded that if they could confirm that information, it would be strong evidence for the Shroud’s ancient origins. Seeking to be as scientific as possible, he developed an image analysis technique called Polarized Image Overlay Technique (PIOT) that enables one to observe and document in minute detail the points of congruence (PC) between two images. This technique will be shown in the presentation.

Dr. Whanger will give a brief history of the Shroud’s whereabouts, including its arrival in Turin about 420 years ago, followed by showing the many remarkable large features of the Shroud’s images. The Whangers worked with about 30 very high-grade second generation photographs made from photographs taken by Giuseppe Enrie in 1931, which show remarkable details not readily seen in later photographs because of deterioration of the images and yellowing of the fabric.

The following will be shown:

• How they can date the origin of the Shroud images to AD 30 by a Jewish lepton coin dated AD 29 imaged over the right eye, and a statue self-dated to AD 31, totally contradicting the 1988 carbon dating result of between 1290 and 1360.

• The remarkable congruencies between the bloodstains on the Shroud and those on the traditional Sudarium (face cloth) that has been in Oviedo, Spain since the 9th century.

• The work of Dr. Max Frei, a Swiss investigator who took sticky tape samples from the Shroud in 1973 and 1978 for microscopic study, especially for identification of the pollen grains. In 1988 the Whangers helped acquire Dr. Frei’s entire extensive collection which is now in their custody in Durham/Raleigh. Photographs of and from this unique collection will be shown.

• The value of careful detailed examination of high-quality photographs and other materials by showing images on the Shroud of hundreds of flowers (many identified by the late Israeli Professor Avinoam Danin, world authority on the botany of the Near and Middle East) and of all of the implements and materials used in the Crucifixion, including two Crowns of Thorns.

• The combined work of several researchers, including the Whangers, showing that the Shroud images resulted from complex vertically collimated radiation coming from both within the body and from the body surface at the moment of Resurrection.

This unique Shroud is one of the most studied and copied objects in existence. On display will be multiple posters illustrating various findings, as well as 3-D images and many photographs. A free 4”x6” 3-D photograph of the Shroud face will be available for each person attending.

The viewer is invited to reflect on this marvelous image that uniquely combines the secular and the Divine.

Dr. Alan Whanger, a native of Detroit, Michigan, earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees at Duke University. His post-graduate training includes residencies in general surgery (Cleveland), and psychiatry (Duke), and additional work in tropical medicine and hygiene (London), and in geriatrics (Duke). He is the author of numerous professional articles and book chapters. He is Professor Emeritus at Duke University Medical Center, beginning 1993. Along with his wife Mary, the Whangers have been internationally recognized Shroud researchers since 1979, and have presented on the topic at SFF twice before in 1994 and 2000. They developed the Polarized Image Overlay Technique for doing exacting image comparisons. They are co-founders of the Council for Study of the Shroud of Turin (CSST), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to do research on the Shroud of Turin and related relics of the Passion, to publish the findings, and to help establish a center for display, research, and education. He is Chairman of the CSST Board of Directors. She is Secretary of the Board and was Editor of the nearly 40 issues of the newsletter CSST NEWS. For more information please see their website at www.shroudcouncil.org.

Angel Door Prize – FREE

Dr. Alan Whanger will donate a copy of his book published in 1998, The Shroud of Turin: An Adventure of Discovery, written by Mary and Alan Whanger. This collectible book is now out of print.

The story of the Whangers’ nearly twenty years of painstaking research on the Shroud of Turin, perhaps the most intensely studied single object in history, is a compelling adventure of unimagined discoveries. They present remarkable findings in a conversational style with sixty-five illustrations. It was truly an adventure of discovery!

Raffle Prize – $5

Enter to win a One-hour Psychic Empowerment Reading donated by the Early Meditation Leader, Donnie Ball. This prize is valued at $111.

Early Meditation – FREE

Donnie Ball will guide us through the New Moon Mediumship Meditation as we invite deceased loved ones and other loving spirits, spirit guides, and universal energies to bring us inspirational messages and signs. Embracing the beneficial energies of the morning’s new moon, and supported by universal love, the group will enjoy a variety of personalized messages and connections. This meditation is intended as an empowerment meditation, and attendees will be offered several clarity tools to consider. The meditation is also tailored with grace and ease for the novice and includes divinely spirited details to please those with advanced experiences.

Donnie recently moved back to her hometown, Morehead City, NC. Her biggest thrill in this life is raising her incredible little boy. Besides playing with her little man, she loves offering inspiration and empowerment to her clients, students, and peers. She offers psychic mediumship readings and development training by telephone, Skype, or FaceTime. Several times a year, she holds sessions at her office at the Rhine Research Center which is the oldest parapsychology lab in our nation and is located in Durham, NC. Donnie’s work is her spiritual mission and is filled with optimism, joy, love, and light. For more information, please visit her website: www.DivinelySpirited.com

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Refreshments – FREE

We serve light finger foods and water at intermission. To sponsor our refreshments in exchange for publicity for your practice or business, contact Info@Spiritual-Frontiers.com.

Artesian Spring Water from Tom Hildebrand Each month Tom Hildebrand (who is also our official hugger) brings us delicious artesian spring water from his home near Siler City, close to the geographical center of North Carolina. This is wonderful water and you’ll find details on how to purchase this water at HappyHillSpringWater.com.

Refreshments prepared by Stacey Brown, the Black Feather Intuitive. Stacey has been highly intuitive her entire life. She says “As a trained opera singer, I’ve used my voice to reach and teach others for many years, and now I’m excited to use it in a different capacity: to help heal! My life purpose is to help others find – and live – their highest and best lives. I’m honored to help you find your truth!” She brings her passion for healing and spirituality to preparing delicious refreshments for the SFF audience each month.

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