Title

My Friend's Execution

Author(s)

William Vance Trollinger, University of DaytonFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-11-1998

Publication Source

Christian Century

Abstract

Just after midnight on Wednesday September 24, 1997, I watched as the state of Missouri put Samuel McDonald to death by lethal injection. I had never wanted to witness an execution, and I was devastated by what I saw. How did I come to be at the Potosi Correctional Institute on that night?

It had to do with friendship, and with the unforeseen and frightening implications of taking even the smallest step forward in faith.

Since my late teens I have opposed the death penalty. I have had many reasons: Poor and minority defendants are executed in grossly disproportionate numbers. Innocent people are sometimes sentenced to death. There is no evidence that the death penalty reduces the rate of violent crime. The rest of the Western world has managed to function without executing criminals.

But the heart of my opposition grew out of my religious commitments. As a Christian, it seems to me that the death penalty violates the essence of Christ's teachings to choose mercy over revenge, to love our enemies, and to forswear all violence.

Inclusive pages

1058-1061

ISBN/ISSN

0009-5281

Document Version

Postprint

Comments

The article available here is the author's accepted manuscript; for the version of record, visit an academic library.

Permission documentation is on file.

Copyright

Copyright © 1998, Christian Century

Publisher

Christian Century

Volume

115

Peer Reviewed

yes

eCommons Citation

Trollinger, William Vance, "My Friend's Execution" (1998). History Faculty Publications. 7.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/hst_fac_pub/7