Capital Punishment

8064:3/82

AMERICAN BAPTIST

RESOLUTION ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Until the Gilmore case in 1977, there had been no execution in the United

States in 10 years. The ritual taking of life had ceased while debate

continued in the courts regarding the constitutionality of capital punishment.

Now that the death laws in some states have been upheld and some executions

have taken place, thousands

of persons nationwide face possible execution by

hanging, firing squad, asphyxiation, injection, or electrocution. Such

punishment has been abolished in Canada and most of Europe, where it is seen

as morally unacceptable and a form of cruel and unusual punishment

inconsistent with religious and ethical traditions.

As Christians living and participating in our society, we reaffirm and are

acutely aware of:

a. the sacredness of life and the obligation to "overcome evil with

good" as taught in the Scriptures;

b. the hope and possibility of all to come under the redeeming and

transforming action of God;

c. the fallibility of human agencies and legal justice;

d. the immorality and injustice of capital punishment for persons

later proven innocent;

e. some inexcusable inequities before the law, enabling many persons

of higher status and resources to avoid the death penalty while

some persons without these resources are unable to avoid the

penalty. The majority of those on death row are poor, powerless,

and educationally deprived. Almost 50% come from minority groups.

This reflects the broad inequalities within our society, and the

inequity with which the ultimate penalty is applied. In review of

studies regarding race and death sentencing from 1972 to 1988, the

Federal Accounting Office found a “pattern of evidence indicating

racial disparities in the charging sentencing, and imposition of

the death penalty.”

f. the lack of clear support through the available evidence that

capital punishment has a deterrent effect;

g. the conviction that the emphasis in penology should be upon the

process of creative, redemptive rehabilitation, rather than on

primitive retribution.

Therefore, the General Board of the American Baptist Churches recommends the

abolition of capital punishment in those states which still practice it and

urges churches and members of our American Baptist constituency to support

groups and agencies working for the abolition of capital punishment in those

governmental jurisdictions of the U.S. where it is still authorized by law.

We as American Baptists, condemn the reinstatement of capital punishment and

oppose its use under any new or old state or federal law, and call for an

immediate end to planned executions throughout this country.

We urge American Baptists in every state to act as advocates against the

passage of new death penalty laws, and to act individually and in concern with

others to prevent executions from being carried out.

We appeal to the governors of each state where an execution is pending to act

with statesmanship and courage by commuting to life imprisonment without

parole all capital cases within their jurisdiction.

We urge American Baptists to expand their advocacy against capital punishment

from the state level to the federal since the U.S. Congress has increased

significantly the number of federal capital crimes in recent years.

Adopted by the American Baptist Convention - 1958 and 1966

Affirmed as American Baptist Churches Resolutions - September 1980

Combined and Reaffirmed by the Executive Committee of the General Board -

March 1982

(General Board Reference # - 8064:3/82)

Modified by the Executive Committee of the General Board - September 2000

POLICY BASE

American Baptist Policy Statement on Human Rights - December 1976

As American Baptists we declare the following rights to be basic human

rights, and we will support programs and measures to assure these

rights:

9. The right to human dignity, to be respected and treated as a

person, and to be protected against discrimination without regard

to age, sex, race, class, marital status, income, national origin,

legal status, culture or condition in society;

13. The right to be free from arbitrary arrest and detention and

torture; the right to a just and open trial with the opportunity

to confront accusers and the right to humane treatment if

incarcerated;