death penalty

[centurionguard]

Then again, maybe not. God not only agrees with it, he mandated it.

Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. (Gen 9:6)

This was God’s command to Noah and in referencing this particular passage I am not giving my personal interpretation, it is the basis for the Church’s position on capital punishment as taught in the Catechism of Trent.

It may be reasonable to reject the death penalty on the basis that it cannot be fairly or properly applied, but those are prudential reasons and have nothing to do with the moral question. I disagree with the opinion that the death penalty should not be used because of prudential problems but I don’t care to argue the point; I am interested in understanding what the Church teaches. In that regard it seems clear - notwithstanding 2267 - that the Church still recognizes Gen 9:5-6 as the controlling teaching on this point.

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It may be reasonable to reject the death penalty on the basis that it cannot be fairly or properly applied,

Like many Catholics who are against the Death Penalty despite the Catholic Churches own opinions on the Death Penalty which itself is NOT bound presently by Dogmatic Teaching. Catholic are however free to make their own opinions which incurring sinful disobedience to the Faith in the Catholic Church. Whoever said: human justice was perfect in the eyes of God unless somebody happens to be a person who favors an eye for an eye or tooth for a tooth. In which case what a lovely bunch of barbaric humans we can all possibly become.

 

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In which case what a lovely bunch of barbaric humans we can all possibly become.

Yes, we have long ago established that I am a barbarian. What has not been established is that my understanding of what the Church teaches on this topic is mistaken.

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[centurionguard]

Yes, we have long ago established that I am a barbarian. What has not been established is that my understanding of what the Church teaches on this topic is mistaken.

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I disagree with the opinion that the death penalty should not be used because of prudential problems but I don’t care to argue the point; I am interested in understanding what the Church teaches. In that regard it seems clear - notwithstanding 2267 - that the Church still recognizes Gen 9:5-6 as the controlling teaching on this point.

If God should so choose to teach us a lesson in humility we would all become barbarians if left to our own vices without God’s grace and mercy.

Have you ever given it consideration WHY the Catholic Church has never made the Death Penalty a Dogmatic issue despite what views the Church has already said; notwithstanding 2267 on this subject? I strongly doubt the Catholic Church will ever make the Death Penalty a Dogmatic binding teaching. Why? because the Church does not own the wisdom and power to the Keys of Life and Death. Only Jesus Christ our Savior has this power.

Peace
Chris

 

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Have you ever given it consideration WHY the Catholic Church has never made the Death Penalty a Dogmatic issue despite what views the Church has already said; notwithstanding 2267 on this subject?

The Church’s position on capital punishment has not been formally declared infallible for the same reason that most of her teachings have not been so declared … that isn’t the way the Church does things.

I strongly doubt the Catholic Church will ever make the Death Penalty a Dogmatic binding teaching.

That may be so but she will never repudiate the death penalty either, as Archbishop Chaput notes:*

The death penalty is not intrinsically evil. Both Scripture and long Christian tradition acknowledge the legitimacy of capital punishment under certain circumstances.** The Church cannot repudiate that without repudiating her own identity.***

Why? because the Church does not own the wisdom and power to the Keys of Life and Death. Only Jesus Christ our Savior has this power.

This is not what the Church teaches either, rather, she has always taught that the state may lawfully execute the criminal found guilty of serious crime.

*And thus that which is lawful to God is lawful for His ministers when they act by His mandate. *(Catechism of Thomas Aquinas)

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