Hardback | |
March 16, 2007 | |
9780813124254 | |
English | |
232 | |
photos, illus, map | |
9.00 Inches (US) | |
6.00 Inches (US) | |
1.05 Pounds (US) | |
$35.00 USD | |
v2.1 Reference | |
Electronic book text | |
March 16, 2007 | |
9780813137315 | |
9780813124254 | |
English | |
232 | |
photos, illus, map | |
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6.00 Inches (US) | |
$35.00 USD, £18.50 GBP | |
v2.1 Reference | |
Electronic book text | |
March 16, 2007 | |
9780813172125 | |
9780813124254 | |
English | |
232 | |
photos, illus, map | |
9.00 Inches (US) | |
6.00 Inches (US) | |
$35.00 USD | |
v2.1 Reference | |
Relics of the Christ
By Joe Nickell
Religious relics, defined as "either portions of or objects connected with the body of a saint or other holy person," are among the most revered items in the world. Christian relics such as the Holy Grail, the True Cross, and the Lance of Longinus are also the source of limitless controversy. Such items have incited people to bloodshed and, some say, have been a source of miracles. Relics inspire fear and hope among the faithful and yet are a perennial target for skeptics, both secular and Christian. To research the authenticity of numerous Christian relics, Joe Nickell takes a scientific approach to a field of study all too often tainted by premature conclusions. In this volume, Nickell investigates such renowned relics as the Shroud of Turin, the multiple heads of John the Baptist, and the supposedly incorruptible corpses of saints, first examining the available evidence and documented history of each item. From accounts of true believers to the testimony of the relics' alleged fabricators, Nickell then presents all sides of each story, allowing the evidence to speak for itself. For each relic, Nickell evaluates both the corroborating and contradictory bodies of evidence and explores whether the relic and attributed miracles can be reconstructed. In addition to his own experiments, Nickell presents findings from the world's top scientists and historians regarding these controversial objects of reverence and ire, explaining the circumstances under which each case was examined. Radiocarbon dating and tests to determine the validity of substances such as blood or patina indicate a variety of possible origins. Nickell even reveals some of the techniques used to create archaeological forgeries and explains how investigators have exposed them. Each relic is a mystery to be solved; guided by the maxim, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof," Nickell seeks only the truth.
About the Author
Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), is the author of more than twenty investigative books, including Secrets of the Sideshows and Real-Life X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal.
Reviews
"Joe Nickell is the embodiment of the Mythbusters, Sherlock Holmes, and Richard Feynman: one part lab tinkerer, one part field sleuth, and one part theoretical genius. And the relics of the Christ that he investigates in this delightful narrative render themselves bare to the magnifying glass of his inimitable mind. Having Joe Nickell show up at your miracle is like having Mike Wallace arrive at your company"—Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine, columnist for Scientific Amer
"A provocative book."—Milton C. Moreland, editor of Between Text and Artifact
"Free of sarcasm and without any sort of denigration of religion in general or Christianity in particular, this book provides an indispensable guide to the subject of relics, especially in its detailed refutation of hot-off-the-presses, spurious claims on behalf of the Turin Shroud and associated hoaxes."—Robert M. Price, Professor of Theology and Scriptural Studies, Johnnie Colemon T
""Thorough, fair and entertaining.""—Journal of American Cultures
University Press of Kentucky | |
|
|
Hardback | |
March 16, 2007 | |
9780813124254 | |
English | |
232 | |
photos, illus, map | |
9.00 Inches (US) | |
6.00 Inches (US) | |
1.05 Pounds (US) | |
$35.00 USD | |
v2.1 Reference | |
Electronic book text | |
March 16, 2007 | |
9780813137315 | |
9780813124254 | |
English | |
232 | |
photos, illus, map | |
9.00 Inches (US) | |
6.00 Inches (US) | |
$35.00 USD, £18.50 GBP | |
v2.1 Reference | |
Electronic book text | |
March 16, 2007 | |
9780813172125 | |
9780813124254 | |
English | |
232 | |
photos, illus, map | |
9.00 Inches (US) | |
6.00 Inches (US) | |
$35.00 USD | |
v2.1 Reference | |
Other Titles by Joe Nickell
Ambrose Bierce is Missing
Joe Nickell
Oct 2021
- University Press of Kentucky
$35.00 USD
- Paperback / softback
$35.00 USD
- Electronic book text
The Kentucky Mint Julep
Joe Nickell
Sep 2021
- University Press of Kentucky
$14.95 USD
- Hardback
$14.95 USD
- Electronic book text
$14.95 USD
- Electronic book text
Detecting Forgery
Joe Nickell
May 2021
- University Press of Kentucky
$30.00 USD
- Paperback / softback
$30.00 USD
- Electronic book text
Other Titles in RELIGION / Christianity / History
A Genealogy of Dissent
David Stricklin
Oct 2021
- University Press of Kentucky
$60.00 USD
- Hardback
$60.00 USD
- Electronic book text
Religion In Antebellum Kentucky
John B. Boles
May 2021
- University Press of Kentucky
$18.00 USD
- Paperback / softback
$18.00 USD
- Electronic book text
Episcopalians and Race
Gardiner H. Shattuck, Jr.
Mar 2021
- University Press of Kentucky
$35.00 USD
- Paperback / softback
$35.00 USD
- Electronic book text