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COMMENTARY
Pope Francis : Death Penalty is Against the Gospel
November 7 , 2017 | The Valley Catholic
By Father Gerald D . Coleman , P . S . S .
Adjunct professor , Graduate Department of Pastoral Ministries , Santa Clara University
A little noticed titanic change took place on Oct . 11 in a major talk to cardinals , bishops , priests , nuns , catechists and ambassadors from around the world . Pope Francis declared that the death penalty is “ contrary to the Gospel ,” and ordered a revision in the Catechism to reflect this change in Catholic teaching .
While the scales of public opinion have shifted in recent times favoring the abolition of the death penalty , numerous people still hold to its necessity , usefulness and morality for punishing serious crimes . On the global scene , 99 countries have abolished the death penalty , outnumbering those who permit it . Including California , 32 states in the U . S . consider capital punishment legal .
Francis is challenging those who affirm capital punishment to see it as an inhuman measure that humiliates personal dignity in whatever form it is carried out . Suppressing a human life that is always sacred , no matter what crimes a person might commit , is always wrong and an affront to an individual ’ s inherent human dignity . Putting a person to death , Francis asserts , amounts to cutting off a criminal ’ s “ possibility of a moral and existential redemption .”
According to a 2016 Pew Research poll , 43 % of U . S . Catholics support the death penalty . Francis ’ teaching addresses a flock divided especially since
Popes and Catholic teaching in the past allowed for a difference of opinion on this issue .
The Pope explained that this teaching is not in contradiction to Catholic tradition as the church has come to a higher understanding of the dignity of human life from conception to natural death . Francis ’ pro-life challenge will create consternation and rejection from those who support the death penalty and those who maintain he is contradicting an ageold teaching of the Catholic Church .
Pope Francis declared that the death penalty is “ contrary to the Gospel ,” and ordered a revision in the Catechism to reflect this change in Catholic teaching .
Supporting capital punishment , secular and religious traditions have drawn from centuries-old reasoning rooted in scripture , Saint Augustine , and Saint Thomas Aquinas . The death penalty was contemplated for murder ( Exodus 21:24 ), blasphemy ( Lev 24:16 ), idolatry ( Ex 22:19 ), working on the Sabbath ( Ex 31:15 ), kidnapping ( Ex 21:16 ), homosexual activity ( Lv 20:13 ) bestiality ( Ex 22:19 ) and adultery ( Lv 20:10 ). Saint Paul is cited as Augustine ’ s authority that a governing authority is the “ servant of God to execute God ’ s wrath on the wrongdoer .” ( Rm 13:1- 4 ) Aquinas argued that the criminal was akin to a poisoned limb and could be cut off to safeguard the community .
While biblical and moral reflection generally affirmed the legitimacy of capital punishment , early Christianity affirmed the Mosaic precept against all killing . Capital punishment was considered irreconcilable with Christian faith . Judaic and Islamic traditions share this belief as “ God only is the lord of life .”
This revised teaching of Pope Francis reiterates recent papal statements by affirming that a deeper understanding of the Gospel sees a contradiction between the death penalty and the Gospel of life . In line with Pope John Paul II ’ s teaching in The Gospel of Life ( 1995 ), Francis is summoning us to view the death penalty “ in the context of a system of penal justice ever more in line with human dignity .”
The promotion of human dignity should lie at the heart of a just civilization . To bring about a culture of life , all persons and societies must proclaim the inalienable worth of every individual .
Such a proclamation demands a concerted effort at the level of family , schools , media , and the churches to attack the root of crime and moral decay , which includes the abolition of the death penalty which devalues human life and cancels the entire dynamic of hope for repentance , conversion and at least some attempt at reparation .
Respecting Life Demands Linking All Life Issues
By Tony Magliano
Internationally syndicated social justice and peace columnist tmag @ zoominternet . net
You are not pro-life if you are not pro-peace .
Killing another human being , even the enemy , even a murderer , flies in the face of the Author of life ; it runs completely against the teachings of the Prince of Peace : “ But to you who hear I say , love your enemies , do good to those who hate you , bless those who curse you , pray for those who mistreat you . … Do to others as you would have them do to you ” ( see : http :// bit . ly / 2gjb35W ). You are not pro-peace , if you are not pro-life . If you promote – for any reason whatsoever – the killing of the most innocent , the most defenseless human beings among us – our unborn little brothers and sisters – then you are waging war in the womb . You are not pro-peace .
And even if you and I are not actively engaged in pushing the abortion agenda , but are indifferent to it and silent about it , we are no different than those who were indifferent and silent when the Nazis took away the Jews and others to the extermination camps .
Holocaust survivor , the late Elie Wiesel , in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech inspiringly said , “ I swore
never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation . We must always take sides . Neutrality helps the oppressor , never the victim . Silence encourages the tormentor , never the tormented . Sometimes we must interfere . When human lives are endangered , when human dignity is in jeopardy , national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant ” ( see : http :// bit . ly / 28NMz4h ).
As Christians , as followers of Jesus – who showed cared for everyone , regardless of status – what does it really mean to respect life ?
So then , what about the endangered lives of so many migrants fleeing death-dealing poverty , drug gangs and war ? Are we genuinely concerned enough about the dangerous threats upon their God-given lives and dignity to see our national borders and sensitivities as irrelevant ? Or are we building higher barriers and longer walls to silence their suffering ?
As Christians , as followers of Jesus – who showed cared for everyone , regardless of status – what does it really mean to respect life ?
It means that all life – including the environment – but especially human life , is a precious gift from the Creator . And therefore , no one , absolutely no one is expendable . Everyone counts in the eyes of God . Remember Jesus ’ wonderful parable of the one lost sheep .
The poor , the hungry , the thirsty , the homeless , the unborn , the war-torn , the migrant , the sick , the dying , the old , the young , the drug addict , the prostitute , the uneducated , the unemployed , the underemployed , the uninsured , the prisoner , and yes , even the enemy are our brothers and sisters in Christ .
Therefore , no one category of persons , no single life issue is irrelevant . They all matter . They are not to be ranked . They are to be linked ! And remember , a chain is as strong as its weakest link .
It makes the best case , the most sense , to pray and work extremely hard to the best of our ability for all the life issues . This consistent concern for all life makes our position the most logical and strongest ; and places us on the highest moral ground .
Saint Pope John Paul sums this all up perfectly : “ Where life is involved , the service of charity must be profoundly consistent . It cannot tolerate bias and discrimination , for human life is sacred and inviolable at every stage and in every situation ; it is an indivisible good . We need then to ‘ show care ’ for all life and for the life of everyone .”