CASTING OUR STONES ASIDE
A resolution to abolish the death penalty
RESOLUTION REGARDING THE
ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
Resolution sponsors: Rev Randal Palm and
Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, Stone Mountain, GA
Adopted by the Southeastern Synod ELCA Synod Assembly, June 2, 2012
Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, Stone Mountain, GA
Adopted by the Southeastern Synod ELCA Synod Assembly, June 2, 2012
The Resolution below directed the formation of a task force to develop informational material regarding the death penalty for distribution to synod congregations, clergy, and lay leaders. This website has been designed to provide a wide variety of information related to the issue of the death penalty that it is hoped will educate, inspire, and support congregations as well as clergy and lay leaders to work for a moratorium and eventual abolition of the death penalty in the 4-state territory of the Southeastern Synod. Rather than sending large volumes of printed material to our member congregations and leaders, it was decided that the best means of sharing information would be via a website.
This website provides factual information with regard to the death penalty as well as a scriptural/ theological and societal basis for seeking its abolition. The website also provides material assistance to those who wish to take action to work for the abolition of the death penalty in one or more of our 4-state synod territory. The website is a work in progress, and your comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please direct comments and suggestions to the Rev. Randy Palm (r111158@aol.com).
WHEREAS,
the death penalty is a legal form of punishment in certain states within the UnitedStates, including the states of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee, and
WHEREAS,
the United States is the only western democracy that continues to use the death penalty, and
WHEREAS,
while the 1991 ELCA Social Statement on the death Penalty states that “God entrusts the state with power to take human life where failure to do so constitutes a clear danger to society,” the state must ensure that the administration of the death penalty is always done in a just manner, and
WHEREAS,
the Death Penalty Information Center reports that “it has been proven in 350 capital convictions over the past 20 years that the convicted person had not committed the crime. Of those cases, 25 people were executed before their innocence was discovered.” The National Registry of Exonerations reports that since 1989, there have been 101 death-row inmates exonerated, and
WHEREAS,
in a 1998 report to the ABA, 96% of states where there have been reviews of race and the death penalty indicated a pattern of either race-of-victim or race-of-defendant discrimination, or both. A 2006 study found that in the state of Georgia those convicted of killing a white victim are 4.56 times more likely to be sentenced to death than those convicted of killing a black victim. Therefore, be it
RESOLVED,
that the Synod Council request that the legislative bodies in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee place an immediate moratorium on the administration of the death penalty until such time that it can be fully prohibited by law in these states, and be it further
RESOLVED,
that the Synod Council appoint a task force to develop informational material regarding the death penalty for distribution to synod congregations, as well as clergy and lay leaders, and be it further
RESOLVED,
that each member congregation, as well as lay and clergy within the synod be encouraged to inform members of the synod regarding the facts surrounding the administration of the death penalty, and be it further
RESOLVED,
that individual congregations and members of each congregation within this synod be asked to prayerfully consider contacting their legislative representatives to make their opposition to the death penalty known, and be it further
RESOLVED,
that member congregations be encouraged to seek dialog and cooperative endeavors with other individuals and organizations within their local faith community to present a unified voice of opposition to the death penalty to their respective state legislators.
This website provides factual information with regard to the death penalty as well as a scriptural/ theological and societal basis for seeking its abolition. The website also provides material assistance to those who wish to take action to work for the abolition of the death penalty in one or more of our 4-state synod territory. The website is a work in progress, and your comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please direct comments and suggestions to the Rev. Randy Palm (r111158@aol.com).
WHEREAS,
the death penalty is a legal form of punishment in certain states within the UnitedStates, including the states of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee, and
WHEREAS,
the United States is the only western democracy that continues to use the death penalty, and
WHEREAS,
while the 1991 ELCA Social Statement on the death Penalty states that “God entrusts the state with power to take human life where failure to do so constitutes a clear danger to society,” the state must ensure that the administration of the death penalty is always done in a just manner, and
WHEREAS,
the Death Penalty Information Center reports that “it has been proven in 350 capital convictions over the past 20 years that the convicted person had not committed the crime. Of those cases, 25 people were executed before their innocence was discovered.” The National Registry of Exonerations reports that since 1989, there have been 101 death-row inmates exonerated, and
WHEREAS,
in a 1998 report to the ABA, 96% of states where there have been reviews of race and the death penalty indicated a pattern of either race-of-victim or race-of-defendant discrimination, or both. A 2006 study found that in the state of Georgia those convicted of killing a white victim are 4.56 times more likely to be sentenced to death than those convicted of killing a black victim. Therefore, be it
RESOLVED,
that the Synod Council request that the legislative bodies in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee place an immediate moratorium on the administration of the death penalty until such time that it can be fully prohibited by law in these states, and be it further
RESOLVED,
that the Synod Council appoint a task force to develop informational material regarding the death penalty for distribution to synod congregations, as well as clergy and lay leaders, and be it further
RESOLVED,
that each member congregation, as well as lay and clergy within the synod be encouraged to inform members of the synod regarding the facts surrounding the administration of the death penalty, and be it further
RESOLVED,
that individual congregations and members of each congregation within this synod be asked to prayerfully consider contacting their legislative representatives to make their opposition to the death penalty known, and be it further
RESOLVED,
that member congregations be encouraged to seek dialog and cooperative endeavors with other individuals and organizations within their local faith community to present a unified voice of opposition to the death penalty to their respective state legislators.
This site is under construction. Please check back regularly for additional content.