Product Description

The Oviedo Cloth has been in its current home in the cathedral town of Oviedo, in northern Spain, since the 11th century. This in an original analysis of the Oviedo Cloth as an object of interest in its own right. Mark Guscin examines the claims for the authenticity of the Cloth, both scientific and historical. The closing chapter examines current historiography in religious studies, and offers a critique of the methodologies applied by those who attempt to separate the Jesus of faith from the Jesus of history. Guscin bases his argument on historical evidence, concluding that tests performed on both the Cloth and the Shroud demonstrate that science does not contradict faith, but rather, confirms it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #687908 in Books
• Published on: 1998-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Customer Reviews

Fascinating - but bites off more than it can chew
This book's title suggests a book dedicated to the subject of the Oviedo cloth - and for large portings of the book this is exactly what you get. But from the outset the author seems determined to attack head on any comments / theories that have been derived from the Shroud of Turin that go against his beliefs and rubbish them. Thus his text bites off more than it can chew. He tries dismissing the work of Kersten, and the trio that wrote "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" with non-existant arguments and very dismissive language.

Large parts of the book are dedicated to the discussion of the Shroud of Turin rather than the Oviedo cloth. This may be seen by many as a bonus, rather than a flaw, but then its title should have reflected this.

Parts of the text are so heavily involved with the Bible and Christianity, and a defence of it, that i feel the book would be beter titled "Why i am a Christian"! The author attacks authors for drawing conclusions from evidence that fits a certain hypothesis they are trying to push, yet he does the exact same thing when stating that the plural fluids on the cloth are a sure sign of death.

The part that detracted from the decent scholarship of this book was the section in which the author details what would have been needed for a forger to forge the Shroud of Turin. The sarcastic tone of the 5 page description is woeful. The points have already been made and the author's commentary does not add value to his arguments.

Overall, however, this book contains an excellent description and summary of the colelctive evidence of the Shroud and the Oveido cloth. The last chapter tries to do too much and instead loses the focus, and objectivity of the earlier chapters. Nonetheless its a worthy read and something that anyone interested in the Shroud of Turin must read.

Scholarly & readable history of headcloth of Chris
The Oviedo cloth is reputed to be the headcloth of Christ, described in he Gospels as being in a separate place from the better known Shroud. Mark Guscin gives a full and scholarly report on the history of this cloth which is both readable and highly entertaining. This book neeeds a much wider audience and would make a wonderful television programme, provided the producers made use of Guscin's scholarship and perhaps the Monty Python team could enact Guscin's scenario of the forger's tale! I heartily recommend what I consider to be the best value for money I have spent this year! Chris Payne