Vengeance is Not Ours
The Bible continues to be used to boost support for the state killing people. In this issue of A Public Witness, we look at the state of the death penalty in the U.S. today, and the role of Christians in keeping it alive.
Executing Justice
Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor reflects on news that DNA evidence tested FOUR years after the execution of a Black man in Arkansas suggests the state killed an innocent man. Kaylor also highlights the Baptist prophet who tried to stop the execution.
Texas Ends Ban on Clergy, Spiritual Advisers in Death Chamber
Texas prisons have resumed allowing clergy as well as spiritual advisers in the death chamber, reversing a two-year ban created after the U.S. Supreme Court halted the execution of an inmate who had argued his religious freedom was being violated.
Faith Groups Celebrate Virginia’s Death Penalty Ban
Faith groups are celebrating Virginia’s decision to ban the death penalty, a move considered to be a victory for religious opposition to capital punishment. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed the ban — the first of any Southern state and the 23rd overall — into law on
I Prayed Virginia Would End the Death Penalty. It Finally Did — & Gave Other States Hope.
Senator Tim Kaine: The repeal of the death penalty by its leading practitioner gives hope that work for justice is not in vain. Virginia’s progress shows that it is possible for all. Read full piece
Alabama Cancels Execution After Court Requires Pastor
An Alabama inmate on Thursday won a reprieve from a scheduled lethal injection after the U.S. Supreme Court said the state must allow his personal pastor in the death chamber.
The Death Penalty is Dying a Slow Death; It’s Time We Pull the Plug
Stephen Reeves: The death penalty is dying in America. I cheer its death. Read full piece
Clergy Advocate to Repeal Death Penalty in Virginia
A group of African American pastors, including three Baptists, urged Virginia lawmakers Jan. 7 to abolish the state’s death penalty, equating it to lynching and a declaration that Black lives do not matter. Read full piece
Federal Executions Pit The Trump Administration Against The Catholic Church
For the ninth time in six months, the Trump administration is preparing to put a federal prisoner to death. Read full piece
The Death Grip of Rulers
President Donald Trump will leave the White House next month after overseeing a deadly year of federal executions. We should pause and reflect on this moment. After all, our government conducts this killing spree in our names and with our resources.