May the civil authority put a criminal to death?

The magistrate may put the guilty to death Catholic, until 2018OrthodoxLutheranReformedAnglican

What it holds: The civil authority may justly put a guilty person to death for a grave crime. A Christian may hold that office. The church does not carry the sentence out, and it may ask the judge for mercy.

Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.Genesis 9:6 (King James Version)

Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.Numbers 35:31 (King James Version)

for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.Romans 13:4 (King James Version)

if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to dieActs 25:11 (King James Version)

These exceptions are of two kinds, being justified either by a general law, or by a special commission granted for a time to some individual. And in this latter case, he to whom authority is delegated, and who is but the sword in the hand of him who uses it, is not himself responsible for the death he deals. And, accordingly, they who have waged war in obedience to the divine command, or in conformity with His laws, have represented in their persons the public justice or the wisdom of government, and in this capacity have put to death wicked men; such persons have by no means violated the commandment, You shall not kill.Augustine, City of God, book 1, chapter 21 (413-426)

Now the care of the common good is entrusted to persons of rank having public authority: wherefore they alone, and not private individuals, can lawfully put evildoers to death.Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae II-II, question 64, article 3 (c. 1271)

Therefore God and government are not included in this commandment, nor is the power to kill, which they have, taken away. For God has delegated His authority to punish evil-doers to the government instead of parents, who aforetime (as we read in Moses) were required to bring their own children to judgment and sentence them to death. Therefore, what is here forbidden is forbidden to the individual in his relation to any one else, and not to the government.Martin Luther, Large Catechism, Fifth Commandment, paragraph 181 (1529)

this prohibition does not apply to the civil magistrate, to whom is intrusted power of life and death, by the legal and judicious exercise of which he punishes the guilty and protects the innocent. The use of the civil sword, when wielded by the hand of justice, far from involving the crime of murder, is an act of paramount obedience to this commandment which prohibits murder.Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part III, Fifth Commandment (1566; English of Jeremiah Donovan, 1829)

The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death, for heinous and grievous offences.Thirty-Nine Articles, Article XXXVII (1571)

The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defenseWestminster Larger Catechism, question 136 (1648)

the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully evaluated and decided upon, and ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent.John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae 56 (25 March 1995)

The traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude, presupposing full ascertainment of the identity and responsibility of the offender, recourse to the death penalty, when this is the only practicable way to defend the lives of human beings effectively against the aggressor.Catechism of the Catholic Church 2267, as archived 25 July 2017, before the August 2018 revision

The death penalty as a special punishment was recognised in the Old Testament. There are no indications to the need to abolish it in the New Testament or in the Tradition or in the historical legacy of the Orthodox Church either.Russian Orthodox Church, Basis of the Social Concept, section IX.3 (2000)

Keeping in mind that mercy toward a fallen man is always more preferable than revenge, the Church welcomes these steps by state authorities. At the same time, she believes that the decision to abolish or not to apply death penalty should be made by society freely, considering the rate of crime and the state of law-enforcement and judiciary, and even more so, the need to protect the life of its well-intentioned members.Russian Orthodox Church, Basis of the Social Concept, section IX.3 (2000)

Formally defined: Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, on homicide (1271); Luther, Large Catechism, Fifth Commandment (1529); Catechism of the Council of Trent, on the Fifth Commandment (1566); Thirty-Nine Articles (1571); Westminster Larger Catechism (1648); John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (1995); Catechism of the Catholic Church, before the revision (1997); Russian Orthodox Church, Basis of the Social Concept (2000)

Earliest statement: Cyril of Alexandria, c. 444

Christians do not bear the sword

What it holds: The worldly magistrate may use the sword, including death. A Christian may not pronounce, demand, or carry out a death sentence, and may not serve as a magistrate or soldier who sheds blood. This does not say the penalty is unjust for the civil authority.

For when they know that we cannot endure even to see a man put to death, though justly; who of them can accuse us of murder or cannibalism?Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians, chapter 35 (c. 177)

But we, deeming that to see a man put to death is much the same as killing him, have abjured such spectacles. How, then, when we do not even look on, lest we should contract guilt and pollution, can we put people to death?Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians, chapter 35 (c. 177)

Shall it be held lawful to make an occupation of the sword, when the Lord proclaims that he who uses the sword shall perish by the sword? And shall the son of peace take part in the battle when it does not become him even to sue at law? And shall he apply the chain, and the prison, and the torture, and the punishment, who is not the avenger even of his own wrongs?Tertullian, On the Crown, chapter 11 (c. 211)

The sword is ordained of God outside the perfection of Christ. It punishes and puts to death the wicked, and guards and protects the good. In the Law the sword was ordained for the punishment of the wicked and for their death, and the same (sword) is (now) ordained to be used by the worldly magistrates. In the perfection of Christ, however, only the ban is used for a warning and for the excommunication of the one who has sinned, without putting the flesh to death.Schleitheim Confession, Article VI (24 February 1527)

Finally it will be observed that it is not appropriate for a Christian to serve as a magistrate because of these points: The government magistracy is according to the flesh, but the Christian's is according to the Spirit.Schleitheim Confession, Article VI (24 February 1527)

Formally defined: Schleitheim Confession (1527)

Earliest on this lane: Athenagoras, c. 177

The death penalty is inadmissible Catholic, from 2018

What it holds: The death penalty itself is inadmissible. The church works for its abolition. This is a judgment on the penalty, not only a rule that Christians decline the office.

For when God forbids us to kill, He not only prohibits us from open violence, which is not even allowed by the public laws, but He warns us against the commission of those things which are esteemed lawful among men. Thus it will be neither lawful for a just man to engage in warfare, since his warfare is justice itself, nor to accuse any one of a capital charge, because it makes no difference whether you put a man to death by word, or rather by the sword, since it is the act of putting to death itself which is prohibited. Therefore, with regard to this precept of God, there ought to be no exception at all; but that it is always unlawful to put to death a man, whom God willed to be a sacred animal.Lactantius, Divine Institutes, book 6, chapter 20 (c. 313)

Led by the Spirit, and beginning in the church, we witness to all people that violence is not the will of God. We witness against all forms of violence, including war among nations, hostility among races and classes, abuse of children and women, violence between men and women, abortion, and capital punishment.Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, Article 22 (1995)

Recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good. Today, however, there is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state. Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption. Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”, and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.Catechism of the Catholic Church 2267, revised text. Pope Francis approved it on 11 May 2018; the rescript is dated 1 August 2018

The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption.Pope Leo XIV, post of 10 October 2026, as quoted by Vatican News

Formally defined: Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective (1995); Catechism of the Catholic Church, revised text (2018); Pope Leo XIV, 10 October 2026

Earliest on this lane: Lactantius, c. 313