Is it right?
Religious discussion of capital punishment typically focuses on ethics, rather than the pragmatic questions of utility and fairness. Christians and Jews use scriptural passages and basic theological statements to develop a context in which to consider the issue. Within the framework of the Judeo-Christian tradition, the death penalty is relevant to themes of judgment, the human condition, and sin & grace.
Judgment is a major theme in religious discussions. Most religious strains condemn vengeance as a goal of public justice. The note that societies use capital punishment mainly to exact vengeance-- to "get even" or "balance the scales".
"We agree that the death penalty is cruel, unjust, and incompatible with the dignity and self respect of man." American Jewish Committee Statement on Capital Punishment, 1972
"Holy Scriptures clearly mandate that we are note to kill, we are not to render evil for evil, and at we are not to seek retribution with vengeance for the evil done to us."-Christian Church(Disciples of Christ) Resolution Concerning Opposition to the Use of the Death Penalty, 1985
"The United Methodist Church cannot accept retribution or social vengeance as a reason for taking human life. It violates our deepest belief in God as the creator and the redeemer of humankind. In this respect, there can be no assertion that human life can be taken humanely by the state."-General Conference of the United Methodist Church, 1980
Matthew 5:38-39: "You have heard that it was said, 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you , do not resist who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also."
The Human Condition: Religious discussions also focus on our role in the world, especially our subordinate position to God. In this argument, people are not qualified to apply the death penalty because only God has the authority to create or destroy life.
"The 1958 General Convention of the Episcopal Church opposed capital punishment on a theological basis that the life of an individual is of infinite worth in the sight of Almighty God; and the taking of such a human life falls within the providence of Almighty God and not within the right of man." -The Episcopal Church, Statement of the 1979 General Conference
"We believe that the government's use of death as an instrument of justice places the state in the role of God, who alone is sovereign; and . . . the use of the death penalty in a representative democracy places citizens in the role of executioner; Christians cannot isolate themselves from corporate responsibility, including responsibility for every execution, as well as for every victim." -Presbyterian Church USA, 197th General Conference
Sin and Grace: Religious discussions of the death penalty usually raise the point that we all live in a condition of sin, including when we try to pas judgment on each other. In this argument, each one of us is redeemed only through God's grace.
"The critical question for the Christian is how we can best foster respect for life, preserve the dignity of the human person and manifest the redemptive message of Christ. We do not believe that more deaths are the response to the question." -U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Committee on Social Development and World Peace 1978
