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Faith statement: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Call to End Capital Punishment

By Tennessee Coalition to Abolish State Killing

Presbyterians, guided by Scripture, believe that God has deep concern for those who are held captive or imprisoned. Throughout the Hebrew texts and New Testament, the prophets, and later, Jesus, call attention to those who are languishing in prisons and jails?encouraging followers to visit them, to advocate for them, and to share in their suffering. Presbyterian General Assemblies have demonstrated concern for the imprisoned and those who have been sentenced to death by enacting policy statements over the past forty years beginning in 1959 and continuing in 1977, 1978, and 1985.Capital punishment is an expression of vengeance which contradicts the justice of God on the cross--190th General Assembly Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)In 1959, the 171st General Assembly issued the statement, "believing that capital punishment cannot be condoned by an interpretation of the Bible based upon the revelation of God?s love in Jesus Christ," the Assembly called on Christians to "seek the redemption of evil doers and not their death," and noted that the "use of the death penalty tends to brutalize the society that condones it...continue to full post

Full post as published by tcask:: on the road (to abolition) on August 01, 2009 (boomark / email).