| Church must find its voice on capital punishment By Mark L. Gruber The recent series of sniper shootings has left in its wake a trail of fear, anger, anxiety and outrage. The senseless taking of innocent lives ran like ice water through the hearts and veins of a vulnerable public. The sniper killings have stirred in many the most ancient of responses: the cry for justice in the guise of revenge. For days on end following the sniper suspects arrest, our newspapers and air-waves were polluted with venomous cries for these men to pay the ultimate price for their crimes to sacrifice their lives as payment for the lives they took. As discussions progressed, most of those involved seemed united in their determination that the case be tried in the location where one or both offenders were most likely to face execution. Anger is a natural response to such a heinous situation, and public cries of outrage are normal human responses to serial murder. In such circumstances, it is the desire for retribution that strikes first and hardest within us. But we, as the people called Christian, have been called into relationship with the one whose very life, death and resurrection purchased for us something greater than the base impulses of our vengeful hearts. More specifically, as United Methodists we have united in a tradition that is all about our Gods truly amazing grace, a grace that weve been assured is greater than all our sins; a grace that can pardon and cleanse within. How, then, can we stand by as our government presumes to determine that some among us have ceased to be worthy of inner rebirth that the Lord Jesus offers so freely to those both most and least deserving? Our denomination has determined that we cannot stand by in silence. The 2000 Book of Discipline states, We oppose capital punishment and urge its elimination from all criminal codes. This position is explained by the fact that capital punishment violates Christian teaching and must be condemned and/or opposed by Christians and churches wherever and whenever it occurs. Where is that voice of condemnation? We must familiarize the members of our denomination with the positions held within the Book of Discipline. We must initiate faithful discussion around the more challenging issues those positions address. When crime strikes, it is natural and right to embrace the victims and those who love them. It is far more difficult but equally necessary that we, as the body of Christ in action, offer prayer and hope to those among us who seem anything but innocent. Never is our Lords call to do unto him by doing for the very least more challenging than when heard in the context of indiscriminate murder, merciless assault, or demoralizing rape. The teachings of our church call us to remember that Jesus died for the assailant as well as the victim; that the resurrected Christ loves, weeps over, and offers the hope of salvation to all who live and breatheeven those wed prefer to condemn and discard. I long to see this mighty denomination and, specifically, the Baltimore-Washington Conference find its voice in the debate surrounding capital punishment. Its efforts on behalf of the children of Africa are necessary and admirable. Its determination to love the hell out of Baltimore and other urban areas is inspiring. But until our church uses the message of our redemptive Savior to confront and abolish the evil of state-sanctioned retributive murder, shalom will remain an elusive dream and our boldness will be anything but holy. With Gods help and Christs example, may we live and work together to counter vengeance and retaliation with reconciliation and healing. Mark L. Gruber is a member of Mount Vernon Place UMC in Baltimore. | 
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