Faith in Action on the Death Penalty
Faith communities speaking out against the death penalty
(For a good list of faith communities and their positions on the death penalty, see pages 6-26 of the amicus brief of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other religious organizations for the Supreme Court case of Roper v. Simmons which resulted in the banning of juvenile offender executions in 2005.)
American Baptist Churches in the USA
"...the General Board of the American Baptist Churches recommends the abolition of capital punishment in those states which still practice it and urges churches and members of our American Baptist constituency to support groups and agencies working for the abolition of capital punishment in those governmental jurisdictions of the U.S. where it is still authorized by law."
American Jewish Committee
"...[the death penalty] is cruel, unjust, and incompatible with the dignity and self-respect of man..."
Catholic Bishops of the United States
"We oppose the use of the death penalty not just for what it does to those guilty of horrible crimes, but for how it affects society."
Church of the Brethren
"There is an element of God in each of us, and so we must hold all human life as sacred."
Community of Christ
At the April 2000 World Conference an approximate two-thirds majority voted to "stand in opposition to the use of the death penalty; and...that as a peace church we seek ways to achieve healing and restorative justice."
Conservative Judaism
Rabbi Harold S. Kushner has written, "capital punishment is not about deterrence. That is a fig leaf we attach to our desire to punish. Capital punishment, like all acts of revenge, is about control, about the need to reclaim control from someone who has taken it from us."
Episcopal Church, Peace and Justice Ministries
"In our baptismal covenant, we respect the dignity of every human being, and commit ourselves to strive for justice and peace among all people. The Church will continue to decry the revenge of state-sanctioned homicides. We abhor the racism and economic injustices evident in our criminal justice system."
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
"The ongoing controversy surrounding the death penalty shows the weaknesses of its justifications. We would be a better society by joining the many countries that have already abolished capital punishment."
Islam
In Capital Punishment in the United States: A Muslim Perspective, Muslim scholar Dr. Azizah Y. al-Hibri provides one perspective: "...it is an established fact that the burden of capital punishment in the United States falls disproportionately on minorities... This bias is not only racial, but economic as well."
Mennonite Central Committee US
"The taking of human life is far too serious an act to contemplate when there is any possibility of error."
Mennonite Church USA
"In view of our Christian responsibility to value all human life we are compelled to set forth our opposition to all capital punishment."
Mormons for Equality and Social Justice
"...we are mindful of the suffering and grief caused by violent crime. We are also mindful of the suffering and grief capital punishment inflicts. We therefore believe capital punishment compounds, rather than alleviates, the suffering caused by the crime."
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
"This is not a partisan issue. It is one that cuts through every division in American society. It is literally a matter of life and death. And the Biblical mandate states, 'therefore, choose life.'"
Presbyterian Church (USA)
"The use of the death penalty tends to brutalize the society that condones it..."
Reformed Church of America
"As an agency of society, the state should not become an avenger for individuals; it should not presume the authority to satisfy divine justice by vengeful methods."
Union of Reform Judaism
"We believe that there is no crime for which the taking of human life by society is justified, and that it is the obligation of society to evolve other methods in dealing with crime. We appeal to our congregants and to our co-religionists and to all who cherish God's mercy and love to join in efforts to eliminate this practice [of capital punishment] which lies as a stain upon civilization and our religious conscience."
Unitarian Universalists Association
"As a community of faith promoting justice, equity, and compassion in human relations, we call for an end to the death penalty."
United Church of Christ
"We call for a moratorium on the death penalty."
United Methodist Church
"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."
What does your community say?
Your group can pass a resolution opposing the death penalty Equal Justice USA's Moratorium Now! campaign offers resources and campaigning materials to help your faith community join hundreds of other organizations and city councils in calling for a national moratorium on all US executions.
http://www.ejusa.org
