09-25-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 25, 2024
It is important to state upfront that I am opposed to the death penalty. As a follower of Jesus, I cannot find any way of arguing in favor of it. With that in mind, I was so troubled to read the headline: “Missouri Supreme Court Declines To Halt Tuesday’s Execution Of Death Row Inmate Who Prosecutors Say Might Be Innocent.” Even the family of the victim wants to halt the execution. This for me raises a lot of questions about our justice system and what is “reasonable doubt” when making the determination of whether a person is innocent or guilty. When asking lawyers and one judge to define “reasonable doubt,” what I received was a sort of rhetorical dance. Now please understand, I don’t have a better phrase to use in such a determination, but in regard to Marcellus Williams, who is to be executed at 6pm tonight (I am currently writing this on Tuesday), I can’t imagine what it must feel like to have the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney, Wesley Bell, publicly say that he believes Marcellus is innocent and to offer a lengthy list of concerns from the original trial, yet to have those with authority turn down your application for a stay of execution. I once had a member of a previous church say to me, “Our system will probably execute some innocent people, but that’s just the way our system works. We need to be ok with that.” I’m not ok with that, even in theory. What if that is someone you love? What if that is you? And where does a follower of Jesus stand in moments like this?

God of Love and Justice, we seek to follow in the ways of Jesus, who offered a very different vision of love and justice. Continue to nudge us in a way that isn’t just pursuing retribution, but truth and healing and reconciliation. Amen.