8. Should the death penalty be applied to
murderers? Terrorists? Rapists?
9. Does the death penalty prevent crime? Should
executions be made more public?
10. Should individuals be eligible for the death
penalty at the age of 15 (Arizona State Law)?
11. Overview of Week
• Day 1
1. Video Forum Due
2. Why this matters?
3. Watch Videos
4. Team Preparation
• Day 2 (Wednesday)
1. Memory Verse (1 Peter 3:8-11)
2. Debate Day 1
• Day 3
1. Overview of 1st Quarter Project (options)
2. Dabate Day 2
• Day 4
1. Mr. O’Brien Perspective
16. Is the death penalty good?
Arizona History
• Hanging (1910>)
• Lethal Gas (1934>)
• No Deaths/Suspension
(1962-1991)
• “Cruel and unusual
punishment” – 8th
Amendment
• Lethal Injection
(1992>present)
• Exemptions: Mental
disorder, under 18
17. Is the death penalty the
best?
Arizona History
• Hanging (1910>)
• Lethal Gas (1934>)
• No Deaths/Suspension
(1962-1991)
• “Cruel and unusual
punishment” – 8th
Amendment
• Lethal Injection
(1992>present)
• Exemptions: Mental
disorder, under 18
LIFE IN PRISON
REHIBILITATION/OPTION OF RELEASE
21. Contemporary Moral Issues
Death Penalty
History in America
1. 1608 - The first recorded execution - Jamestown
colony of Virginia.
2. 1612 - Virginia enacted the Divine, Moral and
Martial Laws – option of death penalty for even
minor offenses (stealing grapes, killing chickens)
22. Contemporary Moral Issues
Death Penalty
History in America
3. 1834 – Pennsylvania, 1st state to carry out
executions in correctional facilities.
4. 1846 – Michigan, 1st state to abolish the death
penalty for all crimes except treason.
5. 1930’s - more executions than in any other
decade in American history (avg 167/yr)
23. Contemporary Moral Issues
Death Penalty
History in America
6. 1972 - Supreme Court suspends death penalty.
7. 1977 – Reenacted, execution of Gary Gilmore by
firing squad in Utah.
8. 1986 – Supreme Court banned execution of
insane persons, required a thorough process to
determine mental competency.
24. Contemporary Moral Issues
Death Penalty
History in America
9. 1992 - Death penalty cannot be used if crime is
committed when under 18.
a. George Stinney, 14 yrs old, 1944
10. 1994 - Violent Crime Control and Law
Enforcement Act, expanded death penalty to 60
crimes, 3 of which do not involve murder
(espionage, treason, and drug trafficking in large
amounts).
25. Facts
1. 1465 – Executions since 1976
2. 160 – released from death row since 1973
3. 2843 – death row inmates as of 2013
4. Arizona
1.125 executions
2.Causes – 1st Degree (accompanied by aggravating factors)
5. 1998 Study – Black Americans are 3.9 times more likely to receive
the death penalty.
31. Is the death penalty the best option?
Economically
Stopping
Crime
Giving Closure
to the Family
of Victims
Honoring the
Bible
Honoring the
Constitution
32. Bible
•Murder takes place when someone kills another human without divine permission.
•There are three instances in Scripture when God gives permission/orders humans to kill other humans
•Conclusion: These three instances are not murder.
Syllogism
•1. Self-Defense
•Exodus 22:2
If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed
•ARS 13-405
•2. Just-War
•Ecclesiastes 3:8 declares, “There is…a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for
peace.”
•1 Samuel 15:18 says, “Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on
them until you have wiped them out.”
•Genesis 14:14-16 – Abraham kills to rescue Lot
•3. Death Penalty
•Genesis 9:6 - “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of
God has God made mankind” (Exodus 21:12, 2 Samuel 11:1-5, 14-17, Exodus 21:16, Romans 6:23,
Exodus 22:19, Romans 5:8, Leviticus 20:10, John 8:1-11, Leviticus 20:13, Deuteronomy 13:5,Romans
13:1-7, Deuteronomy 22:24).
•Romans 13: 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for
rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring
punishment on the wrongdoer.
The Bible assumes that killing is wrong excluding:
33. Roles for
Various
Spheres
Personal
Family
Church
Government
Romans 12 – “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave
room for God’s wrath” (19)
Romans 13 – “rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They
are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on
the wrongdoer.”
35. Most Significant Textual
Variants
There are only two disputed variant
passages in the New Testament that are
more than two verses in length (Mark 16:9-
20; John 7:53-8:11).
THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY
36. Best
Argument for
Capital
Punishment
The Bible supports capital punishment as just in every era of history.
Genesis 9 – Pre-
Mosaic
Mosaic – Multiple
Examples
Judges (7) – Achan Monarchy
Greco-Roman –
Romans 13
To avoid relativism, humans must rely on external source (Bible).
“Eye for an Eye” in Bible = Appropriate/Just Consequences
“Eye for an Eye” in Hammurabi = Exact Consequences
Kill my daughter … I’ll get to kill your daughter
Government officials are “God’s servants”; they are “agents of wrath” that
are called “to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13).
37. Capital Punishment – By the Category
Yes Inconclusive No
Bible – Death penalty is the
prescribed consequence for
murder (Gen 9). Thus, DP is not
intrinsically evil and the best
consequence for murder.
Constitution – “Cruel and unusual
punishment”
Stopping Crime
Giving Closure to Families
Coming to Christ
Protecting Innocent
(historically – no
Very Recently – better)
Economics – America
Racial Equality (span of American
history)
The government should work towards a more objective and accurate expression
of the death penalty (wait or elevate requirements)
