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Religious Conservatives And The Death Penalty, Thomas C. Berg
Religious Conservatives And The Death Penalty, Thomas C. Berg
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
With the increased fervor surrounding the death penalty, many religious sects have re-examined their position on this issue. New statistics concerning possible discrimination in the application of the death penalty prompted several religious groups to call for a moratorium on the death penalty. In this Essay, Professor Thomas C. Berg examines how religious conservatives, especially Roman Catholics and evangelical Protestants, have dealt with the recent concerns over the death penalty. Part I of the Essay documents how Roman Catholics and evangelical Protestants traditionally approach the death penalty. In this section, Professor Berg concludes that critics of the death penalty can …
Punishment At All Costs: On Religion, Convicting The Innocent, And Supporting The Death Penalty, Robert L. Young
Punishment At All Costs: On Religion, Convicting The Innocent, And Supporting The Death Penalty, Robert L. Young
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
This Paper explores the impact of the belief structure among white fundamentalist denominations on the support for the death penalty. Professor Robert L. Young observes that the tenets of fundamentalism, as well as the great extent that fundamentalists conform to the positions of their clergy, support this link between fundamentalism and a punitive orientation toward wrongdoers. Professor Young explains that members in white fundamentalist churches, to a greater extent than others, are inclined toward a negative view of human nature, which in turn leads to the belief that letting the guilty go free is a more serious mistake than convicting …