hmmmm...interesting topic. We recently spent several weeks talking about war. Which,as you might have guessed, war, death penalty, and abortion or intimately involved topics in Christian Ethics. I am of the position that we need to hold the same position on all three to be consistent (death is ok...death is not ok). I would encourage you to look in the religion indexes that are available on EBSCO host in the library and search for 'Christology' and 'death penalty' or 'capital punishment.' I think it would turn up some good stuff. I hope you would send me your article when you are done (or before you turn it in if you would like my opinion). I would love to hear what you think.

I would encourage you to spend at least some time in your article discussing this from the view point of Christian ethics. Remember, any time you make arguments like "it is more economical than the death penalty" you leave yourself open to be defeated by another utilitarian argument. I would encourage you to make statements like "The death penalty must be denied as a viable means of punishment within a faithful Christian witness." This is more reliable than arguments based on the failure of the system in false convictions or the cost of execution. Why? cause then the argument is made that if we can make it cheaper or prove the case beyond a doubt (whatever that might mean) then execution is OK...I suspect you don't want to make that a possible solution.

Besides, an article that says the death penalty is unChristian is much more interesting than one that says it is expensive. :)

Check with Terry Ewing...the lady that came to speak for the Humbert lecture spoke on this topic and the issue of "Disciple's World" from this summer was on the topic. He or Beau should have a copy.

Jeremiah

by the way...if you find anything by Stanley Hauerwas on the subject, it will prove to be interesting reading...I promise

Jay- I totally agree that capital punishment is not about money, it's about life. (As a matter of fact, though, some cases capital punishment costs more because of trials.) And I agree that we need to be consistent. Death is not ok. My article will NOT be about money or religion, but human rights. I'm not sure how much I want to slant it yet because I think the Pegasus needs to lean away from controversy at the moment. I just want to call attention to the issue and document the reaction on campus. Thanks for the references. It's surprisingly hard to find legitamate sources for pro-death penalty arguements. But I guess, maybe I am reading them through rose-colored glasses. (Doubtful.) Much love!

If you specifically are talking about rights...then you need to investigate the right to justice. Does a victim or a victim's family (sense most death penalty cases are murder) have the right to see the accused justly punished? Is it not true that the only justice for a person's death is to take the criminal's life. Justice can/should be meted out according to the crime. Is a life-time spent in a air-conditioned cell with a TV and being well-fed just punishment for heinous murder and torture inflicted on victims? I think you can find some legitimate arguments for. In fact, if it were not for my Christian conviction that life matters, then I could make no legitimate argument against the death penalty. I would argue that is harder to argue against the death penalty than to argue for it. Jesus does not allow me that option. Radical call to loving your enemies does not allow me that option.

just a few thoughts.
Jeremiah