In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27
I was strangely attentive to the news on September 21. Somehow, the media outlets captured my attention with the story of Troy Davis’ appeal and execution. I have long been an abolitionist regarding the death penalty, and this man’s story took hold of my heart and mind. I couldn't believe that the legal institutions continued to pronounce his guilt as he maintained his innocence right up to his final moments.
While I certainly empathize with all of those who have lost family and friends at the hands of violent criminals, I do not advocate state employment of capital punishment. But as always, I do not assume that I am right in my stance on the issue, and in typical Anglican fashion, I test my disposition by looking at scripture, tradition, and reason.
The teachings of Jesus to his disciples regarding how to treat others are unambiguous. The scripture passages above are only two of the examples of the many statements Jesus made on how we are to act as community. We are called to treat others as we would want to be treated. We are invited to respect the dignity of all human persons. We are to respect the sanctity of all human life.
As Episcopalians we have a history of church teachings on the subject of capital punishment/the death penalty. Since 1958 The Episcopal Church has opposed capital punishment on the theological basis the life of each individual is that we all have infinite worth in God’s sight, and that only the Almighty has the divine providence to take any life. This opposition to the taking of any life by any human person has been reaffirmed by several conventions since that time.
Even recently Bishop John Bryson Chane of Washington DC (and former assisting clergy at the Cathedral of St. Paul) articulated that the Maryland legislature should abolish the application of the death penalty in that state because it was “unjust and ineffective” and opposed its application because Jesus himself “forbade violence as a means to solve problems caused by evil.” He also pointed out that it is a sad reality that capital punishment unfairly targets the economically challenged, and that the death penalty has never been shown to deter commission of violent crime.
Our desire for vengeance is a human. But like most of our appetites, vengeance only leads to someone else feeling justified in wishing vengeance upon those who took the life of their loved one. In the midst of the emotions and appeals last month, I was stunned and inspired by Troy Davis’ final wishes and prayer: “I ask my family and friends that you all continue to pray, that you all continue to forgive. Continue to fight this fight. For those about to take my life, may God have mercy on all of your souls. God bless you all.”
Mr. Davis’ words are reminiscent of another individual’s last moments in life, which were not filled with a cry for vengeance but rather an end to the mechanism of institutionalized killing.
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34
I pray that we, too, will be forgiven.
