The position of the Catholic Church on capital punishment has varied throughout history, with the Church becoming significantly more critical of the practice since the early to mid-20th century.[1][2][3] In 2018, the Catechism of the Catholic Church was revised to read that "in the light of the Gospel" the death penalty is "inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person" and that the Catholic Church "works with determination for its abolition worldwide."[3][4][5]
The Church generally moved away from any explicit condoning or approval of capital punishment and adopted a disapproving stance on the issue by the mid-20th century.[1][2] Modern Church figures such as Pope John Paul II,[6] Pope Francis,[7] and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops[8] have actively discouraged the imposition of the death penalty and advocated for its abolition. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church became staunchly opposed to the death penalty in the vast majority of applications. During his papacy, John Paul II appealed for a consensus to end the death penalty on the ground that it was "both cruel and unnecessary".[9][10]
- ^ a b Bruenig, Elizabeth. "The Catholic Church Opposes the Death Penalty. Why Don't White Catholics?". New Republic. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ a b Desmond, Joan Frawley. "'Botched' Execution in Oklahoma Marks Church's Shifting View of Death Penalty". National Catholic Register. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ a b Harlan, Chico (2 August 2018). "Pope Francis changes Catholic Church teaching to say death penalty is 'inadmissible'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ Brockhaus, Hannah (2 August 2018). "Vatican changes Catechism teaching on death penalty, calls it 'inadmissible'". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Revisionwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Papal encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, 25 March 1995 Archived 12 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Ieraci, Laura. "Pope Francis calls death penalty 'unacceptable,' urges abolition". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty" (PDF). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- ^ Suris, Paul J. "Church Teaching and the Death Penalty". Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
- ^ "Catholicism & Capital Punishment". Catholic Education Resource Center.
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