Peacemaking Task Force is very concerned about Iowa State Senate Study Bill (SSB) 1004
to reinstate the death penalty in Iowa. For the past 60 years, the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) has been advocating for an end to the death penalty. We believe that the death
penalty challenges the redemptive power of the cross. God’s grace is sufficient for all
humans regardless of their sin. As Christians, we must “seek the redemption of evildoers
and not their death.”
SSB 1004 has already passed from subcommittee to full committee. Though with much
hard work from those opposed, the death penalty bill did not make it through our legislature
last session, the make up of the legislature is different this year, and there is a very real
danger it could pass this year.
Here is a link to the latest statement (Aug. 2019) from PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness
on the death penalty
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/opw/2019/08/05/statement-on-the-federal-deathpenalty/
(excerpt below)
• The 171st General Assembly, in 1959, asserted, “capital punishment cannot be
condoned by an interpretation of the Bible based upon the revelation of God’s love in
Jesus Christ,” and noted that “the use of the death penalty tends to brutalize the
society that condones it.”
• The 189th General Assembly, in 1977, called upon Presbyterians to work to prevent
the execution of persons now under sentence of death and speak out against
attempts to reinstate the death penalty in state and federal law.
• The 190th General Assembly, in 1978, stated strongly that “Capital punishment is an
expression of vengeance which contradicts the justice of God on the cross.
In 1985, 2010, and 2018, the General Assembly again reaffirmed our opposition and called
for an immediate moratorium on all executions. It has been proven to be racially biased. In
fact, over the past 30 years research has shown that race is a significant factor in death
penalty cases. Additionally, capital punishment does not contribute to lower homicide
rates. We urge Presbyterians to act now and continue to raise strong objections to
capital punishment. (from Office of Public Witness)
This briefing from Iowans Against the Death Penalty will help you work with us against
reinstatement of the death penalty in our state:
https://peia.org/wp-content/uploads/IADP-Newsletter-Vol-1-2.pdf
For those who will not be in the Presbytery Zoom meeting next Saturday, we strongly
recommend this webinar on the death penalty and race with excellent speakers: