In a message to a world conference against the death penalty, Pope Francis says capital punishment “contradicts God’s plan for individuals and society, and his merciful justice.”
How Jeanne Bishop forgave her sister’s killer and is working for his good.
It took Jeanne Bishop 20 years just to speak his name. That, she believed, would attribute a level of humanity to the man who shot her pregnant sister and brother-in-law to death in their own house — a level of…
Opponents see indicators that death penalty on its way out in U.S.
Melissa Browning was drawn deep into the anti-death penalty movement when the state of Georgia was trying to kill Kelly Gissendaner last year. There were plenty of ups, including multiple delays in her execution date. And there were downs, too,…
Is opposition to death penalty a non-negotiable for Christians? Yes, says one theologian
A Baptist theology professor said in a blog March 7 that authentic Christians must oppose the death penalty, even if it leads to division in the church. Roger Olson, professor of theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, said there…
Kelly Gissendaner, the death penalty, and being pro-life
The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development. This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global…
The execution of a graduate: Struggles for life at Candler School of Theology
I needed a theological education that could save my life. For years, I struggled to survive under the weight of what I was taught at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I just couldn’t believe that God hated so many people.
Killer Christians in Texas: The Next Victim Is Scott Panetti
Has your church ever executed someone? Don’t be appalled by such a question. Think deeper. Perhaps you never hung someone on the cross at the front of your sanctuary, but have you considered the consequences of your inaction? Think about…
Al Mohler, Jesus and the death penalty debate
Would Jesus support the death penalty? Mother Theresa posed the question to the Governor of California in 1990. She was pretty sure he knew the answer. According to a recent Barna poll: Only 5 percent of Americans believe that Jesus…
Rethinking the death penalty
The death penalty is at the forefront of our news cycles once again. First the Tennessee legislature, due to a shortage of the standard execution drug, approved the return of the electric chair. Then, while experimenting with a new drug combination,…