Diocese of Boise opposes Idaho’s new death penalty by firing squad bill
News Brief by FāVS News Staff
On Thursday the Diocese of Boise posted a statement of concern opposing the passage of Idaho’s firing squad bill (House Bill 37) earlier that week.
The statement comes from Bishop Peter F. Christensen. In it, he reminds his flock Christians are called to stand against the culture of death, including in the form of the death penalty no matter how it is carried out.
“Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy,'” Christensen said quoting Matthew 5:7. “In light of the gospel of mercy and hope, our response to the death penalty is not based on what the condemned have done, but who we are in Christ.”
He went on to clarify the Catholic Church’s teachings on governmental authority in light of human dignity.
“It is the right and duty of every government to maintain law and order,” he said. “While doing so, the sanctity of life and the dignity of every human being must also be safeguarded.”
A U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) document “Life Matters: A Catholic Response to the Death Penalty” was also mentioned. He used it to show standing against the death penalty is the natural outflowing of their pro-life posture in the world.
Christensen concluded his statement reiterating the Catholic Church’s stance to any means of execution and capital punishment.
“A person’s dignity is not lost even after committing grave crimes,” he said. “Whether we live in Idaho or anywhere else in the world … we are people who strive to promote redemption and peace.”
