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| Balancing justice--life or death |
At the World Congress Against the Death Penalty in 2010, the Vatican went on record against the death penalty as did a leading Baptist theologian, David Gushee, both questioning it as a public policy because it fails standards of justice.
This was somewhat different than the findings of 2009 about various religious groups in the United States and how they view capital punishment.
While people sit on death row day after day, there are differences of opinion in the United States about their ultimate fate, which involves religion, with religious groups varying widely on the death penalty. Many religious groups advocate the abolition of the death penalty. On the other hand, strong evangelistic church communities are in favor of it. It has been an ongoing argument, with a survey done in 2009 that reflects opinions that many people continue to have, according to religious experts, now examining the topic.
That's especially true in the United States because of the wide differences not only among people of different political views but different regions of the country as well, with the South having the greatest number of executions and the most consistent advocacy of capital punishment.
The Pew forum researched the different positions religious groups have about capital punishment across the United States. Their findings reveal that religions have different points of view on the subject of taking a life as a means of formal retribution. In the midst of war in many places, the issue of capital punishment is one that is being discussed, especially
concerning acts of terror. In the United States, the issue of capital punishment has long been debated in churches and in the halls of government.
With the increase in crime, and the strong discussions about drugs and killings, that experts maintain accompanies recessions, this debate is likely to be part of the discussion for some time.
The trend around the world is towards abolishing the death penalty, but in America most people are in favor of it. Since religious groups are thought of as exercising some moral authority on questions like these, it is important to know what they believe on the matter of the death penalty.
Those religions thought of as having Asian influence, such as Buddhists and Hindus,
have various beliefs on the matter of life and death as discussed in articles about the issue of the death penalty.
Although there is no specific position for Buddhists about capital punishment, their tenets
advocate nonviolence and appreciate of all life. It is rare that capital punishment is given for any crime. Hindus have no writings on the matter, and therefore adherents of Hinduism have different beliefs about it.
The Catholic Church in the United States has repeatedly called for discontinuance of capital punishment in all situations. Although the Catechism says that the death penalty is possible under certain conditions, the formal church has taken a stand against it.
Protestants are of differing views, depending upon denomination. The Episcopal
Church has taken a stand against the death penalty since 1958.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church has no official position about it, whereas its sister church, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has stated “that capital punishment is in accord with the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions." Mormons leave the matter to the States or civil law.
The National Association of Evangelicals supports capital punishment. The Presbyterians have been against capital punishment for nearly 50 years whereas the Southern Baptists believe in the death penalty so long as it is enforced equitably.
The Unitarian-Universalists and the Methodists are opposed to capital punishment, the former for decades and the Methodists since 2000. The umbrella group for Christians, the National Council of Churches, is on record as against the death penalty.
Among the Christian groups, the two most opposed to the death penalty include the American Friends Service Committee and the National Council of Churches.
With the violence in the Middle East on both sides, Jew and Muslim, perhaps it is important to know what these groups believe.
In the United States there is no official Muslim position, but in Islamic countries capital punishment is undertaken if there is intentional harm or threat to the state or intentional murder or physical harm of another person. This includes the spread of terror. All of the major Jewish groups advocate either the abolition of the death penalty or a moratorium on its use.
concerning acts of terror. In the United States, the issue of capital punishment has long been debated in churches and in the halls of government.
With the increase in crime, and the strong discussions about drugs and killings, that experts maintain accompanies recessions, this debate is likely to be part of the discussion for some time.
The trend around the world is towards abolishing the death penalty, but in America most people are in favor of it. Since religious groups are thought of as exercising some moral authority on questions like these, it is important to know what they believe on the matter of the death penalty.
Those religions thought of as having Asian influence, such as Buddhists and Hindus,
have various beliefs on the matter of life and death as discussed in articles about the issue of the death penalty.
Although there is no specific position for Buddhists about capital punishment, their tenets
advocate nonviolence and appreciate of all life. It is rare that capital punishment is given for any crime. Hindus have no writings on the matter, and therefore adherents of Hinduism have different beliefs about it.
The Catholic Church in the United States has repeatedly called for discontinuance of capital punishment in all situations. Although the Catechism says that the death penalty is possible under certain conditions, the formal church has taken a stand against it.
Protestants are of differing views, depending upon denomination. The Episcopal
Church has taken a stand against the death penalty since 1958.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church has no official position about it, whereas its sister church, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has stated “that capital punishment is in accord with the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions." Mormons leave the matter to the States or civil law.
The National Association of Evangelicals supports capital punishment. The Presbyterians have been against capital punishment for nearly 50 years whereas the Southern Baptists believe in the death penalty so long as it is enforced equitably.
The Unitarian-Universalists and the Methodists are opposed to capital punishment, the former for decades and the Methodists since 2000. The umbrella group for Christians, the National Council of Churches, is on record as against the death penalty.
Among the Christian groups, the two most opposed to the death penalty include the American Friends Service Committee and the National Council of Churches.
With the violence in the Middle East on both sides, Jew and Muslim, perhaps it is important to know what these groups believe.
In the United States there is no official Muslim position, but in Islamic countries capital punishment is undertaken if there is intentional harm or threat to the state or intentional murder or physical harm of another person. This includes the spread of terror. All of the major Jewish groups advocate either the abolition of the death penalty or a moratorium on its use.
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