The United Church of Christ believes that every person is created in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity and worth. Our faith teaches that justice must be rooted in accountability, mercy, healing, and the possibility of redemption. For these reasons, the United Church of Christ has long opposed capital punishment and calls for its abolition at both the federal and state levels.

Congress has the opportunity to end the federal government's use of capital punishment through the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act (H.R.8940 / S.4608), a bicameral piece of legislation that would prohibit the use of the death penalty under federal law and require the resentencing of individuals currently on federal death row. The legislation has been introduced in both chambers of Congress by lawmakers committed to ending this cruel, irreversible, and deeply immoral punishment. 

The death penalty is rife with racial disparities, wrongful convictions, inadequate legal representation, and arbitrary application. Innocent people have been exonerated after spending years on death row, revealing the ever-present risk of executing someone for a crime they did not commit. Moreover, studies consistently show that race and economic status continue to influence who receives a death sentence. As Christians, we believe that government should not wield the power to take a life when the possibility of error, bias, and injustice remains. 

The Scriptures remind us that every person is capable of repentance and transformation. While those who commit serious crimes must be held accountable, execution forecloses the possibility of redemption and healing. We are called to build a justice system that protects society while honoring the sacred worth of every human life. 

Contact your member of Congress and ask them to support the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act today!