Moscow, November 6, 2024
Photo: patriarchia.ru
The Orthodox Church neither condemns nor welcomes the death penalty, says the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia addressed the issue during a meeting with participants of the Time of Heroes program on Sunday, November 3. The aim of the program is to train leaders from among the participants of the war in Ukraine for subsequent work in state and municipal authorities.
The Patriarch approaches the complex issue of capital punishment first through a theological lens, noting its historical presence and pointing out that “Jesus Christ did not condemn capital punishment, although He Himself undeservedly endured capital punishment.” The Church’s position, he says, is rooted in Biblical teaching, specifically citing the words of St. Paul: Put away the evil person from among you” (1 Cor. 5:13).
The Patriarch interprets this not as a direct command to execute, but as justification for removing extremely dangerous individuals from society when isolation proves impossible.
While acknowledging the gravity of capital punishment as “an extreme measure,” the Patriarch maintains that the Church has taken a measured stance throughout history. He notes that even after Christ’s unjust execution, “the Holy Apostles didn’t say: ‘After such injustice, when our Lord Jesus Christ was subjected to capital punishment, we must all proclaim that it’s terrible and sinful to subject another person to punishment through the termination of life.’”
This historical perspective informs the Church’s current position, which neither condemns nor endorses capital punishment when legally administered, the Patriarch says.
While welcoming the current moratorium on capital punishment, the Patriarch advocates for careful observation of its effects on society, particularly crime rates. He suggests that society can reject capital punishment if it’s deemed “excessive punishment that doesn’t correspond in many cases to the crime, and if the implementation of capital punishment itself negatively affects public morality.”
He also shared a powerful personal experience of meeting a life prisoner, behind double bars, “like in a cage,” whose confession was unlike any he had heard in his life. This experience reinforced his belief that “from a purely moral perspective, any criminal should at least be given a chance to repent.” However, he tempers this compassionate view with pragmatism, acknowledging that sometimes “those who have nowhere to go are very good actors.”
Ultimately, the Patriarch concludes that while it would be “ideal if people weren’t deprived of life,” these decisions should rest with legal authorities rather than the Church.
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