However, for some Christians who traditionally have been supportive of the death penalty, difficult questions have persisted long after the issue left the front pages. For instance, the April 6 issue of Christianity Today , the flagship of mainstream evangelicalism, editorialized against capital punishment for the first time in its history. Not all evangelicals agree on how to apply Jesus' teaching of non-resistance to public policy. But it seems clear that the gospel demands that in ministry, Christians work more for reconciliation than for retribution. Finding justice in the midst of evil can be difficult.
Revenge is a much easier emotion to manage.
Justice cannot be served by more violence. It is increasingly evident that the whole world is watching what we do on this question. Our moral capacity to speak to human rights issues internationally is compromised when we cannot quench our own blood thirst right here at home. Sojourners, July-August 1998, Vol.