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Death Penalty
A Florida Bishop Speaks Against Capital Punishment Bishop Gracida
A Good Friday Appeal to End the Death Penalty 1999 statement of the Administrative Board of the U.S. Catholic Conference
A Pastoral Letter Regarding the Morality of Capital Punishment (Bishop Thomas V. Daily of Brooklyn, New York)
A Witness To Life: The Catholic Church and the Death Penalty Address by Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, to the National Press Club, Washington, D.C., May 2000
Abolition of the Death Penalty Intervention by H. E. Archbishop Renato R. Martino, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations before the Third Committee of the 54th Session of the General Assembly
Affirming Justice and Mercy Ohio Catholic Bishops statement, 1996
An execution in Texas A paper by Bishop Jacques Gaillot
Bishops' Statements on the Death Penalty - By State
Capital Punishment in Wisconsin: A Statement by the Bishops of Wisconsin (1995)
Catholicism & Capital Punishment (Avery Cardinal Dulles)
Catechism of the Catholic Church Passages dealing with the death penalty
Choose Life: Reflections on the Death Penalty (Kentucky Bishops, 1996)
Church Teaches that All Life is Valuable (Archbishop Harry J. Flynn)
Creating New Hearts: Moving from Retributive to Restorative Justice 1995 pastoral letter from the bishops of New Zealand
Dear Justice Scalia: An Open Letter on Catholic Social Teaching About the Death Penalty from a Catholic Law Professor to a Catholic Supreme Court Justice (Bill Quigley)
Death Penalty (Bishop Kenneth A. Angell of Burlington, VT)
Freed from death row, ex-prisoners tell how faith sustained them
Georgia Bishops And The Death Penalty 1980 statement by the Catholic bishops of Georgia and the Episcopal bishop of Atlanta
Hard Evidence: Hearing the facts about the death penalty (Julie Polter)
Iowa Catholic Bishops' Statement on Death Penalty, 1998
Oregon Catholic Bishops' statement, 1984
Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice U.S. Catholic Bishops' statement, 1980
Restorative Justice and the Common Good: Creating a Culture of Forgiveness and Reconciliation (Tom Cavanagh, MS)
Retribution and Restoration: The Two Paths (Elizabeth Linehan)
Statement of Bishop Joseph Green of Reno 1973
Statement on Capital Punishment U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1980
Statements On Capital Punishment By the Florida Catholic Conference
Stories of Violence and Responses to It 1995 statement by Bishop Brunett of Helena, Montana
The Death Penalty Supported (Archbishop Francis J. Furey of San Antonio (1973)
The Death Penalty: Why the Church Speaks a Countercultural Message (Kenneth R. Overberg, S.J.)
The Gospel of Life and capital Punishment: A Reflection Piece and Study Guide 1999 statement from the California Catholic Conference
The Gospel of Life vs. The Death Penalty
(Bishop Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap.)
The Montana Catholic Conference on Capital Punishment, 1981
The True Road to True Justice (Archbishop Charles J. Chaput)
To Kill or Not to Kill: The Catholic Church and the Problem of the Death Penalty (E. Christian Brugger)
Walking through the Fire (Helen Prejean, csj)
What the Vatican Has Said Passages from papal and curial documents
Resolution on Capital Punishment By the Oklahoma Conference of Churches (1990)
Resolution Opposing the Death Penalty Adopted unanimously by the General Assembly of the Texas Conference of Churches, February 1998
Death Penalty's Future Issued by Rhode Island Religious Leaders in 1976
Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty Created to galvanize and empower the religious community in the United States to work against capital punishment. Coordinated by the American Friends Service Committee's criminal justice program, the Project provides people of faith with the tools and resources they need to become effective advocates for abolition
Capital Punishment By Kenneth Cauthen. A Protestant but very non-fundamentalist presentation
The Death Penalty 1991 statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Perspective on Capital Punishment From the Reformed Church in America
Is Capital Punishment Sanctioned by Divine Authority? 1846 essay by Church of Christ minister Alexander Campbell
A Reply to Alexander Campbell By Tolbert Fanning in "Christian Review" (1847)
Capital Punishment By Kerby Anderson, chief executive officer of Probe Ministries International
The Bible's Teaching on Capital Punishment By David L. Brown Th.M. "The prerogative of capital punishment is established in Genesis 9:6, developed in the Mosaic law and reaffirmed in the New Testament. Capital punishment IS Biblical. It is for today."
To Die For The death penalty is nothing more than revenge. Article in Sojourners by Carol Fennelly
Capital Punishment: The Death Penalty Hebrew and Christian Scriptures relating to the Death Penalty. Capital Punishment in North America. Reasons for and against Capital Punishment. Internet Resources
American Baptist Resolution on Capital Punishment Adopted in 1958 and 1966, reaffirmed in 1980 and 1982
Criminal Justice Program Position of the American Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
Resolution on the Death Penalty By the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 2003
Reaffirm Opposition to Capital Punishment 1979 resolution of the Episcopal Church
Death Penalty Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 1991
Report on Capital Punishment Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 1976
Capital Punishment Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Death Penalty United Church of Christ. See p. 64: "The Death Penalty"
The Death Penalty United Methodist Church
Capital Punishment Resolution adopted by the CCAR at the 90th Annual Convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1979
Islam and the Death Penalty Article in William and Mary Bill of Rights Journal by William Schabas, 2000
Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty U.N. Doc. A/44/49 (1989), entered into force July 11, 1991
Ethics Updates: Punishment and the Death Penalty Provides: 1. internet links relating to punishment and the death penalty; 2. survey of philosophical work on punishment and the death penalty; 3. summaries of recent articles on punishment and the death penalty; 4. discussion topics and term paper topics on punishment and the death penalty
Supreme Court Decisions Click on "Capital Punishment" for full texts of decisions, including concurring and dissenting views
European/American Conventions on the Death Penalty Find out which countries have signed, ratified, or taken no action. Other information
A Declaration of Life A legal document for you to download and sign which make it clear that you oppose judicial revenge killing, and if murdered, do not want your murderer to be killed
Leaven of Forgiveness Murder victims' families stand against the death penalty. Article in Sojourners by Mary Sue Penn
The End of Innocence (Philip Brasfield in The Other Side, 2000)
Soaked in Grace (Doug Davidson in The Other Side, 2000)
Practical Actions Against Capital Punishment (Mark William OlsonThe Other Side, 1997)
Capital Punishment Statistics From the Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice
Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Angel on Death Row Frontline presentation; includes interviews, articles, and opposing views
Arbitrary, Racist, and Unfair: Lawyers push for end to executions Article in Sojourners magazine by John Cole Vodicka
The Death Penalty From the Clark County, Indiana Prosecuting Attorney
Capital Punishment in Missouri This website on Missouri inmates and death penalty history is maintained by The Missourinet, a division of Learfield Communications in Jefferson City, Missouri
Death Penalty related links
Amnesty International This is their page against the death penalty
Catholics Against Capital Punishment. CACP was founded in January 1992 to promote greater awareness of Catholic Church teachings that characterize capital punishment as inappropriate and unacceptable in today's world. It does this in three ways: By communicating such teachings to federal and state lawmakers, especially those who are Catholic, urging them to oppose proposed legislation imposing or extending the use of the death penalty and to work for repeal of such laws currently on the books; By encouraging members of the Catholic hierarchy and clergy in the U. S. to speak out more forcefully against capital punishment; By mobilizing the support of the Catholic laity to achieve the above two goals
Death Penalty Articles from the magazine Salt of the Earth
Helen Prejean, CSJ Author of "Dead Man Walking"
Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation
Nat. Assn. of State Catholic Conference Directors' website
The above link contains major statements on the death penalty issued in recent years by state conferences of bishops. If your state has a Catholic Conference with a website, it may contain additional statements . Look for it on this site`s list of NASCCD member state conferences and their websites.
NO to the Death Penalty Resources from the Community of Sant’Egidio
Papers and Related Death Penalty Writings Deterrence and the death penalty: the views of experts, by M. Radelet & Ron Akers; The case against the death penalty, by Hugh Bedau, ACLU; The successes of human rights orgs in abolishing the death penalty, by Mike Radelet; Port-Fuhrman Botched executions, by Mike Radelet; What about Henry? Confronting the problems of abolition, by J. Thomas & S. Boehlefeld; Dirty details--WWII executions, by Bob Lilly; Executing US soldiers in WWII/England, by Bob Lilly; Executing US soldiers--Followup, by Bob Lilly; ACLU brief #7 -- death penalty information
Stat house: Capital Punishment Statistics
The Death Penalty Information Center
Space does not permit CACP to list the websites of all the national, international, state and religious-oriented organizations working to end the death penalty. Many other Catholic-oriented ones may be found by clicking on CACP`s "Resources" box at left. But a more comprehensive listing of all anti-death penalty groups may be found on the website of the Death Penalty Information Center. Go to the above link, then click on "Resources."
The Death Penalty Is Dead Wrong
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops'
The above link contains major national statements on the death penalty issued by the United States Catholic bishops as well as major papal statements.
USCCB's list of individual U.S. dioceses / archdioceses
Has your bishop issued a major statement on the death penalty issue recently? If so, it may be available on the website of your individual diocese or archdiocese. Click the above link for a listing of U.S. diocesan websites.
Ecumenical Statements
A Buddhist Perspective on the Death Penalty: Of Compassion and Capital Punishment Article in The American Journal of Jurisprudence by Damien P. Horigan, 1996
Texas Ecumencial Statement, 1998 Delaware
Ecumenical Statement, 1992 Georgia
Ecumenical Statement, 1990 Oklahoma
Ecumenical Statement, 1990 Rhode Island Ecumenical Statement, 1976
Letter to Christians in Florida 1984 document by the leaders of 16 denominations in Florida
Unitarian Universalists for Alternatives to the Death Penalty