Introduction/Catholicism and the Death Penalty

In the Introduction, Editors Erik C. Owens and Eric P. Elshtain gave a brief synopsis of the death penalty debate as well as their reasons for editing the book in the first place. At the time this book was put together, the moratorium on capital punishment enacted by Illinois Governor George Ryan was in the news. The act sparked heated political discourse between supporters and non-supporters of the measure. It soon became clear that religion was an influential for people on both sides of the issue. This common thread shared by many people with a diverse set of views demonstrates how truly complex and multifaceted the debate over the death penalty truly is.
To momentarily simplify the discourse, one would break up participants into Rententionists and Abolitionists. Rententionists believe that there are some instances in which capital punishment is permissible and appropriate. Abolitionists believe that there are no appropriate circumstances in which the death penalty should be used. Now between both poles, there is a gray area of individuals who agree with one of the positions to a lesser degree or only with certain qualifiers.
The first chapter of the book was entitled: "Catholic Teaching on the Death Penalty: Has It Changed?". Avery Cardinal Dulles details the recent opinions written about the death penalty by Pope John Paul II. In Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II has seemingly made the first deviation from the traditional Catholic Church's support of capital punishment. He said that the use of the death penalty as a protection against society is practically inapplicable today due to the developments in the penal system today. In addition, the Pope has called the practice "both cruel and unnecessary" on a visit to St. Louis. Avery Cardinal Dulles argues that this position is not a reversal of traditional belief, but rather the application of capital punishment is not necessary anymore in a society such as ours. The classical teaching regarding the power of the state to execute still remains the same.
Though I have not completely delved into the retentionist argument yet, the overview laid out in the Introduction already seems to have serious flaws. Retentionists often cite Exodus 21:12-27, the "eye for an eye" passage, as the Biblical basis for capital punishment. However, that law was incomplete until Jesus's incarnation. Jesus was the fulfillment of the law. The verses in Matthew 5:38-39 demonstrate the eschatology of the New Testament:
You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to the the other cheek also.
Retributive justice is no longer applicable but rather humility. Doing the will of God now includes readiness to suffer injustices, as Dr. Ivo mentioned in class in his lecture on the Sermon of the Mount. Suffering injustices may now include not applying the death penalty to someone who deserves it, but rather showing mercy to them.
Regarding Avery Cardinal Dulles argument that the Catholic Church's teaching on the death penalty still remains the same after Pope John Paul II's opinion in Evangelium Vitae, I cannot see how the idea behind a practice can remain correct if its application is currently harmful. I understand that admitting that the church teaching has been reversed potentially calls into question the infallibility of all the teachings of the Catholic Church. Nonetheless, I believe there is nothing inherently valuable about an idea that has lasted over a long period of time. Therefore, the Catholic Church does not gain more credibility by remaining consistent for longer than any other denomination. What makes Catholicism legitimate is the constant desire for the truth even if it means admitting that previous teachings were wrong. Often it is the case that we make Jesus and Christianity in our own image, rather than what is biblical. It is possible, that the Catholic views on the death penalty were rather a product of previous times than the actual truth of God's will and plan.

Introduction

I chose the book:

Religion and the Death Penalty: A Call For Reckoning
Edited by Erik C. Owens, John D. Carlson, and Eric P. Elshtain

I decided to focus my critical book review on the topic of the death penalty after watching the Republican Presidential Debate a few days ago. While watching, I was shocked at the applause of one statement made about Rick Perry. One of the moderators mentioned that under the governorship of Rick Perry, Texas had executed 234 death row inmates. This number is the most executions under any governor in modern history. Unexpectedly, the crowd burst into applause at the statistic. That moment made me realize how lightly people in America take capital punishment these days. It is the gravest of issues and I wanted to take this opportunity to explore its serious implications further.