The biblical truth about America's death penalty / Dale S. Recinella.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Recinella, Dale S., 1951-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Capital punishment--Biblical teaching.

Capital punishment.

Capital punishment--United States.

United States.

Physical Description:

xxviii, 433 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Boston : Northeastern University Press, [2004]

Summary:

A hard look at Hebrew and Christian scriptures as they relate to today's death penalty practices.

Contents:

1 Trends in the American Death Penalty 3

2 Torah and Talmud 17

3 A Point of Beginning: Beyond Platitudes 28

Part 1 What does Biblical Truth Tell us About Who is Deserving of Death and the Authority to Kill?

4 The Mosaic Law: From Moses to Jesus; from Cain to Lamech 37

5 Life for Life and the Rule of Blood: Mandate or Law of Limitation? 47

6 Who Deserves Death? Torah, the American Colonies, and Modern America 58

7 A Christian Conundrum under Mosaic Law: Atonement by Sacrifice versus Reconciliation by Grace 71

8 Authority to Kill: The Sanhedrin 82

9 Authority to Kill: Extra-biblical Courts and Romans 13 92

10 Authority to Kill: Biblical Deterrence 103

11 Summary of Part One 111

Part 2 What does Biblical Truth Tell us about the Required Procedures and the Plight of the Families of the Victims?

12 An Innocent Person You Shall Not Slay: Witnesses Permitted 119

13 An Innocent Person You Shall Not Slay: Evidence Permitted 141

14 An Innocent Person You Shall Not Slay: Innocence versus Closure 160

15 Let It Be Done to Them as They Sought to Do to Him: False Testimony and Prosecutorial Misconduct 185

16 Levels of Culpability and Diminished Capacity: Age, Mental Illness, and Mental Retardation 210

17 God Is Blind to Wealth: No Privilege for Rich over Poor 228

18 God Is Blind to Color: All Victims Are of Equal Value; All Offenders Are to Be Treated Equally 247

19 Impartiality in the Decision Makers: The Politics of Death 274

20 For Whom Is It a Detriment? The American Death Penalty and Families of the Victims 306

21 Summary of Part Two 324

22 A Faith Alternative: Abolition or Moratorium of the American Death Penalty by People of Biblical Faith 331

Appendix A Short form of an Abolition Resolution for People of Biblical Faith 345

Appendix B Short Form of a Moratorium Resolution for People of Biblical Faith 348

Appendix C 2000 Southern Baptist Convention Resolution on Capital Punishment Passed in Orlando, Florida in June, 2000 351.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [393]-410) and indexes.

ISBN:

1555536336

1555536328

OCLC:

55149559