Chelsea: Good morning, I'm Chelsea Foster with your breaking news story for this Sunday. Recent events have brought renewed attention to the life and death issue of capital punishment in the world. First, the execution of Sadaam Hussein gave rise to questions such as: Did the newly formed government of Iraq rush to hang Sadaam? Would his death further the violent, often deadly conflicts between Sunni and Shiite factions in the country? And perhaps the most critical question – was the death penalty warranted? The second issue was the release of the report from the New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission. Our New Jersey bureau reporter, Caitlin Levey has the report. Caitlin–

Caitlin: Thank you, Chelsea. Released on January 2nd, the New Jersey Death Penalty Commission's report calls for the abolition of the death penalty in the state of New Jersey. The recommendation comes about a year after the state joined Illinois and Maryland in imposing a moratorium on executions. New Jersey currently has nine men on death row. New Jersey's last execution took place in 1963 with the electrocution of Ralph Hudson in Trenton State Prison for the murder of his wife. If the Commission's report is adopted by the legislature, New Jersey will become the first state to do so since the United States Supreme Court halted all executions in 1972. After the Supreme Court action, 38 states rewrote their laws reinstating the death penalty. New Jersey restored the death penalty in 1982.

Chelsea: Thank you, Caitlin. As we confront the issues brought about by Hussein's execution and the recently released report of the Death Penalty Commission we find ourselves wondering if the church has any thoughts on these issues. And so we have literally taken the news to church this morning to see how theology intersects with this topic. Rev. Bethke, thank you for agreeing to look at faith and life with us this morning …

Thank you Chelsea, and thanks to our breaking news team of Morgan Glossbrenner, Martie Viets and Chet Apy for gathering news stories of interest for us to consider this morning; and of course to our news reporters this morning. We looked at many stories last Monday night and realized there was a theme running through many of them – that being the choices that lead to life and death in our society. We considered the stories of heroes in New York City, one of whom literally jumped in the path of a moving subway car to save the life of a stranger. We also looked at two stories from different parts of the world that showed the unintended consequences of Sadaam Hussein's execution. In Texas and Pakistan two young children died while trying to reenact his execution. It was all of this plus the release of our state's Death Penalty Study Commission report that led us to look at the issue of capital punishment through the lens of faith. This issue is also very personal for me as one who has experienced the murder of a family member.

As we look at these capital punishment this morning, and in subsequent weeks other news events, my hope is that we can raise issues and questions in our time together … to have us think about our world's news through the eyes of faith … and maybe, just maybe bring us to a place where faith and action are more closely connected. It seems to me one of the places to begin that conversation is where John Wesley would have begun – and that is of course scriptures. When I think of the idea that we might presume to deliberately take the life of another, whether through a criminal act or by state sanctioned punishment, several scriptures immediately come to mind. Perhaps most obvious comes from the law of Moses and the 6th commandment that states – you shall not murder. In the Decalogue the commandments are listed without commentary or exceptions. Life is rarely simple and without exceptions, so we look further in the scriptures to form and inform the issue. A Psalm comes to mind – Psalm 139. The Psalm talks about God who is with us no matter where we go; and is a reminder that we have all been created by God who knitted us together in the womb and knew us as we were being formed. The Psalm also is a reminder that life and death are from God and while the Psalmist expresses hatred towards one's enemies – it is God who decides life and death. I also think of the book of Job. After chapters of pleading to God for an answer, Job finally gets one … sort of. Job wanted an explanation for his predicament. What he finally gets is questioning from God – who are you to presume to know such things? … he is basically asked if he thinks he is God. I believe God would ask us a similar question this morning as we look at capital punishment.

The last scripture that I would lift up this morning is again the 8th chapter of John. The most ancient manuscripts of the gospels do not have this story. Later manuscripts have it in placed at a different point in John's gospel and some have this story placed in Luke's gospel. It is obviously an addition to the gospels, but one I am thankful to have included for many reasons. Last week we alluded to that text in terms of the woman and vivid images of those executed. This morning we see it in light of our news story and so look the actions of the religious scribes and Pharisees. What should we do with this woman, they ask Jesus. There is no question about her guilt, they've caught her, as the text says, in the very act. We can gather from the text that the woman knows she is guilty as charged. The law is clear according to their reading – death by stoning. But Jesus asks them to see the issue in a very different light – he essentially asks them if they are willing to play the role of executioner … is it that clear, he asks, when you look at the issue in light of your own lives …a re you willing to take this irrevocable step? It is that question that for me is so arresting in the issue of capital punishment. Are we willing to play the role of executioner – whether directly or indirectly. For me, the answer is no … and yes, I have had to work through some very difficult and painful times around this. I have had several moments of having to figure out what justice might look like in light of September 11th. Looking at a house where Bin Laden had recorded a news conference gloating over the success of 9/11 was one such time … standing in a room where he had set some of the plans was another … to be that close to such evil is when you really have to figure out what you believe and how you will act.

Beyond the scriptures we look to our denomination. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Methodist Federation for Social Action … one of their issues has been the opposition of capital punishment. In 1956 our General Conference declared: "We stand for the application of the redemptive principle to the treatment of offenders against the law, the reform of penal and correctional methods, and to criminal court procedures. We deplore the use of capital punishment." (Social Principles, 164G) The United Methodist Church has passed resolutions opposed to the death penalty since 1976.

Finally, I ask … where are you … how do the literally life and death questions asked in this issue affect you? How does your faith inform you? Does the question asked in John's gospel haunt you – are you willing to play the role of executioner? What action will you take from this morning? One suggestion from our news team group this week is a proactive one. We were struck by the children who died re-enacting Hussein's execution and felt it was somewhat a product of the gratuitous violence in our world – cheapening the way we treat life and death. So, we offer the challenge of spending time and extra ten minutes each day with your children or a young person in "peace time," any activity which affirms the goodness of life. We will also publish a list of websites with information about death penalty issues, including a "Declaration of Life," a document that asks that the death penalty not be sought if you become a murder victim.

May the questions and struggle continue as we seek to connect our Sunday life with our Monday life. May we journey on towards the example of Jesus so that our faith talk is joined with our faith life.