Catholic dictionary entry on death penalty

The current proposed legislation seeking to reimpose the death penalty is yet again being debated on in Congress which, I understand, is evenly divided on the issue. Weighing in on the controversy, the Catholic Church now airs forcefully its opposition to the proposal which has roused my curiosity about what the Bible says on the matter. And so, I forthwith looked up the Holy Bible (Catholic version) and found appended thereto this very revealing entry in the Catholic Dictionary:

“Punishment, Capital. Inflicting the penalty of death for grave crimes. That the state has a right to inflict this severe penalty has always been the teaching of Christian theologians. The death penalty seems to be sanctioned in Gen. 9:6. ‘Whosoever shall shed man’s blood, his blood shall be shed.’ In the Law proclaimed on Mount Sinai the death penalty was prescribed for some offenses. (Ex. 22:18 ff). Saint Paul speaks of the Roman policy of capital punishment without disapproval. (Rom. 13:4). x x x.”

Interesting food for thought!

May it now be safely asserted that since time immemorial, the death penalty has always enjoyed a biblical underpinning?

BARTOLOME C. FERNANDEZ JR., retired senior commissioner, Commission on Audit