Speakers – Copy

Russ Breault is a lifelong researcher and lecturer on the Shroud of Turin, believed by millions to be the authentic burial cloth that wrapped Jesus in the tomb. He has participated in numerous international conferences including the first United States Scientific Symposium held in October of 1981 when all the scientists involved with the Shroud of Turin Research Project, Inc. (STURP) presented their papers over two days. Their work was later published in 24 peer reviewed journal articles. He is on the board of directors for the Shroud of Turin Education and Research Association, Inc. (STERA) founded by Barrie Schwortz, documenting photographer for the Shroud Project.

Russ was an advisor to the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC for the development of a world class temporary exhibit in 2022 visited by 85,000 people over six months. He was an advisor to CNN’s Finding Jesus episode on the Shroud and was interviewed for Good Morning America and World News Tonight regarding new dating methodologies. He has been featured in several documentaries seen on History Channel, Discovery, CBS, and EWTN.

Along with hundreds of churches of all denominations, Russ has brought “Shroud Encounter,” a big screen event using over 200 animated images to numerous colleges and universities including Duke, Johns Hopkins, Penn State, West Point, GA Tech, Cal State, and many others.

Russ is the founder of the Shroud of Turin Education Project, Inc. (STEP) with a simple mission statement: “To advance the knowledge of the Shroud to a new generation.” His primary website is: www.ShroudEncounter.com  He also hosts a Facebook page, Instagram page, and a YouTube channel all under the “Shroud Encounter” moniker.

How do we know the Shroud isn’t just another bogus relic?

There were periods in history when people peddled relics like good luck charms capable of warding off the plague or other diseases. Some were no doubt legitimate, but how could one know or tell the difference? Protestants avoid things viewed as speculative and not based on their primary authority, the bible. Unlike Catholics, the role of church tradition takes a back seat as a reliable source.

Questions regarding the legitimacy of bones or clothing items associated with a particular saint are common. It is a natural outgrowth of our skeptical age. Other than tradition, how can we ever know for certain? However, if the Shroud could be proven without a doubt to be authentic, it would be far more than just a relic, it would be equivalent to the archaeological find of the century and front-page news around the world.

Testability is the distinctive characteristic of the Shroud that sets it apart from any other relic. It is not a vacant cloth, but one with the image of a crucified man bearing a pattern of bloodstains that matches his wounds as described in all four gospel accounts. We can test the blood and analyze the image. Thousands of hours have been spent on both.