When trying to understand the mechanism of resurrection there are a handful of challenges to explain how the physical body disappeared and the resultant image formation on the linen cloth. This paper by Robert A. Rucker (Robert A. Rucker MS, titled “Potential Problems with a Cloth Collapse Hypothesis for Image Formation on the Shroud of Turin”) attempts to describe many of the issues related to the disappearance of the body and some thoughts as to the mechanism. The two hypotheses are:
1.) Cloth Collapse
2.) Vertical Radiation
Introduction of the paper
The introduction to the paper first explains “scientific examination of the image on the Shroud indicates that it is a negative image that contains 3D information, that the discoloration that forms the image is only on the top one or two layers of fibers in a thread and is only on the extreme outer surface of each fiber, and that the discoloration is not due to pigment, a liquid, contact with a hot object, or a photographic process” (Rucker, 1).
Thus, the image of the Shroud is difficult to decipher due to layers of fibers, however, why is this. Rucker explains that the discoloration is caused from “single electron bonds in the carbon atoms in the cellulose molecules of the flax fibers being changed into double electron bonds”. However, what does this mean for the image? It means that based on the “changes in the electron bonding of the carbon atoms had to be made in a pattern to produce the image of a crucified man”(Rucker, 1).
Therefore based on this statement Rucker explains that due to these “characteristics indicate that the Shroud could not be the product of an artist or forger in any era, so that the image must have been created in some way by the body that was wrapped in the Shroud”(Rucker, 1).
What does this mean?
Based on this introduction, Rucker delves further into other possible collapses of the cloth. There was a proposed hypothesis that the image was caused by the shroud cloth falling through the body as it disappeared; it became mechanically transparent. Another hypothesis is that the body disappeared through some sort of radiation.
With Rucker’s analysis, he illustrates several flaws in the cloth collapse theory of image formation:
1) The speed of the falling cloth due to gravity is too slow compared to the speed of the body being removed through radiation. Plus, the cloth under the body would not fall upward, which means that the falling cloth hypothesis cannot easily explain the dorsal image on the cloth between the body and the cloth.
2) The speed of the falling cloth due to the vacuum generated by the disappearing body is too slow compared to the disappearance of the body due to radiation.
This means that the speed of the radiation-based disappearance of the body was so fast compared to other forces acting on the cloth that it was as if the cloth was standing still, stationary. The cloth collapse with the cloth becoming mechanically transparent is probably not a viable theory on how the image was created.
What is Rucker’s conclusion?
Rucker’s conclusion to the paper includes final thoughts on the cloth collapse hypothesis and the vertical radiation hypothesis. In the cloth collapse hypothesis, he states that it uses “an assumption of mechanical transparency” (Rucker, 9). Whereas, the “vertical radiation hypothesis, is how either hypothesis explains the fact that the Shroud contains high-resolution images of the front and back of the body but does not contain images of the side of the body or the top of the head”. However, both hypotheses’ can further explain the image of the Shroud, but neither is without its problems. Rucker explains these problems by stating: Rucker page nine
“The cloth collapse hypothesis has problems in explaining the back image on the Shroud, whereas the vertical radiation hypothesis does not. But of greatest significance is that on the Shroud, there are no images of the side of the body or the top of the head. The vertical radiation hypothesis explains this very easily, but the cloth collapse hypothesis appears to predict that the cloth should not only collapse vertically but also collapse from the sides of the body and the top of the head so that these images should be present on the Shroud”.
His conclusion is that the cloth collapse theory explains less of the evidence available and has some flaws to explain certain aspects of the image formation. On the other hand, the vertical radiation hypothesis seems to explain more of the evidence of the image formation mechanism and is therefore a more viable approach.
Final Thoughts
Robert A. Rucker has written a few other papers and I will be reviewing them as well. The next one, (The Disappearance of Jesus Body Part 2) tests various hypotheses against our current scientific understanding of the world around us and come up with some interesting conclusions. Stay tuned.
Find out more
Rucker, A. Robert, MS. Reviewed by Saeger, Jim, PhD. “Potential Problems with a Cloth Collapse Hypothesis for Image Formation on the Shroud of Turin”. 2018.
Rucker, A. Robert, MS. “The Disappearance of Jesus Body Part 2: Physical Considerations”. 2016.
Or go to our bookstore to find out more about the books.
One question I have is that my understanding that ultraviolet light (although it would probably travel at the speed of light), such ultraviolet light does not travel in a straight-line vertical path (such as from the tip of the nose to that exclusive corresponding point on the Shroud). My understanding is that ultraviolet light can only be induced to travel in a straight-line path by use of a “collimator device.” Thus, without a collimator device, ultraviolet light from the tip of the nose would spread in all directions (like turning on a light bulb that lights up an entire dark room). Thus, ultraviolet light from the tip of the nose would seem to impact all parts of the Shroud that offered a clear path between the nose. If the body suddenly vanished from within the Shroud, that would create a strong, powerful vacuum that could almost instantly suction the ventral and dorsal sides of the Shroud cloth to slap together. If the body’s disappearance resulted in residual proton and alpha particle radiation, my understanding is that such radiation could have resulted in double-bonding of electrons of the impacted linen molecules identified from the Shroud image fiber molecules that formed the image.
Hi Mark,
Yes, you are correct. So the hypothesis is that the beams had to travel in a vertical direction, possibly up and down. They were vertically collimated. They’re a few things that could do this:
To your questions about ultraviolet light:
1) If the radiation was made up of charged particles (protons and neutrons), then they would have traveled vertically in some kind of electric field.
2) I guess a laser could do the same, if the particles weren’t charged and it was just photons that were released and they wouldn’t be charged. A laser-like release could have then delivered a collimated radiation. This was not considered in the article.
3) Because there are neutrons in the atoms of the body and if these were released, these would go in random dimensions and bounce off walls and be absorbed by the walls.
To your question on the vacuum
1) yes. That may be why in the bible when Peter and the women looked inside the tomb they saw the cloths lying there (e.g., Luke 24:12 – “He saw the linen cloths by themselves”)
To your question on the electron bonding
1) Yes. This is the theory from Robert Rucker
Overall his papers make a lot sense and rule out a handful of body disappearance mechanisms.
Thank you for your reply. Very informative as well.