In the shadow of the state-sponsored execution of Jesus on Good Friday, The Fountains United Methodist and New Journey Lutheran (ELCA) are sponsoring the discussion series “Questioning Capital Punishment with Sr. Helen Prejean.” A five-session DVD study from Living the Questions, “Questioning Capital Punishment” tackles the complicated issue of the Death Penalty. Featuring Sr. Helen Prejean, one of the world’s leading authorities and outspoken critics of state-sponsored execution, each session will be from 6:30 to 8pm at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church.
- April 20th — Session 1: Crossing the Breach
- April 27th — Session 2: What in God’s Name?
- May 11th — Session 3: A Change of Heart
- May 18th — Session 4: Radical Forgiveness
- May 25th — Session 5: Next Steps
Christians are divided on the issue of Capital Punishment. United Methodists, ELCA Lutherans, and Roman Catholics are officially opposed to the Death Penalty – but not all their members agree. The Bible is no help. It both mandates and prohibits capital punishment. Various faith traditions teach different perspectives – and the argument over the sacredness of life is immediately compromised when the death penalty is introduced.
Sister Helen Prejean, author of “Dead Man Walking”
In recent years, the application of the Death Penalty has been called into question for a growing number of ethical and moral reasons. From the botched executions in both Arizona and Oklahoma to the growing list of wrongfully convicted people exonerated due to the introduction of DNA evidence, to its unequal application among minorities, to its impact on the poor and those who can’t afford adequate legal representation, to its continued contribution to the cycle of violence, the Death Penalty needs serious questioning.
Join Rev. Adele Stiles Resmer of New Journey Lutheran and Rev. David Felten of The Fountains United Methodist for this discussion series featuring input from Sister Helen Prejean. A Roman Catholic Sister and leading advocate for the abolition of the death penalty in America, Sr. Helen has ministered to numerous inmates on death row and has authored two books based on those experiences, Dead Man Walking and The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions.
Sessions will be in the sanctuary at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church, 15300 N Fountain Hills Blvd. Tuition for all five sessions is $20, with all proceeds going to the Death Penalty Discourse Center in New Orleans. For more information, call 480.837.7627