Dear Governor Newsom,
As the three bishops in California of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we want to applaud your courageous decision to commute the sentences of prisoners awaiting the death penalty. Our church is clear in its rejection of the death penalty as a just punishment for any crime. Our 1991 ELCA social teaching on the death penalty calls Christians "to respond to violent crime in the restorative way taught by Jesus and shown by his actions" and challenges us to pursue justice that seeks healing, accountability, reconciliation, and restoration rather than retribution.
The death penalty dehumanizes the rest of society and denies the sanctity of life. By taking this action, you have elevated our state both ethically and spiritually. We can now join the majority of partners in the global community that reject capital punishment.
We recognize that there are strong opinions about capital punishment that are diametrically opposed in California. There will be those who accuse you of being too lenient or ignoring the suffering of surviving families. Please know that you and your staff will be in our prayers as you navigate these next days and weeks.
The central image of the Christian faith is an innocent man dying at the hands of the state. In that scene, we see the cruelty of a society that is willing to kill someone unjustly, and the heart of Jesus who proclaims from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Your willingness to remove the threat of death from convicted felons restores the potential for redemption and restoration. It sides with Jesus, who seeks reconciliation instead of revenge.
May God bless your final weeks as our Governor.
Bp. Dave Nagler – Pacifica Synod
Bp. Brenda Bos – Southwest California Synod
Bp. Jeff R. Johnson – Sierra Pacific Synod
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