Christian legal scholarship
I saw this on SSRN. I'm not sure whether this makes sense but it is nice to see legal scholars increasingly looking at religious topics.
"Crucifixion & Execution: The Trial of Jesus Christ as a Death Penalty Sentencing Process"
Contact: MARK WILLIAM OSLER
Baylor University - Law School
Email: m_w_osler@baylor.edu
Auth-Page: http://ssrn.com/author=583863
Full Text: http://ssrn.com/abstract=882811
ABSTRACT: Last year, I came to a remarkable conclusion: That the debate over the death penalty in the United States is largely among Christians, but has ignored the capital sentencing which is at the center of that faith. The result of this epiphany is Crucifixion & Execution: The Trial of Jesus Christ as a Death Penalty Sentencing Process.
In Crucifixion & Execution, I argue that the story of Christ parallels modern capital practice in many respects: Christ was turned in by a paid informant (Judas), arrested in a strategic manner, given an arraignment and stood mute, was tried, convicted and sentenced, appealed to two separate sovereigns, and finally was denied a pardon.
These similarities lead to two primary conclusions. First, the death of Jesus Christ, an innocent, indicts a modern death penalty system that continues to threaten the execution of innocent men and women. Second, the trial of Christ suggests structural reforms of capital sentencing, if we are to retain capital punishment.
"Crucifixion & Execution: The Trial of Jesus Christ as a Death Penalty Sentencing Process"
Contact: MARK WILLIAM OSLER
Baylor University - Law School
Email: m_w_osler@baylor.edu
Auth-Page: http://ssrn.com/author=583863
Full Text: http://ssrn.com/abstract=882811
ABSTRACT: Last year, I came to a remarkable conclusion: That the debate over the death penalty in the United States is largely among Christians, but has ignored the capital sentencing which is at the center of that faith. The result of this epiphany is Crucifixion & Execution: The Trial of Jesus Christ as a Death Penalty Sentencing Process.
In Crucifixion & Execution, I argue that the story of Christ parallels modern capital practice in many respects: Christ was turned in by a paid informant (Judas), arrested in a strategic manner, given an arraignment and stood mute, was tried, convicted and sentenced, appealed to two separate sovereigns, and finally was denied a pardon.
These similarities lead to two primary conclusions. First, the death of Jesus Christ, an innocent, indicts a modern death penalty system that continues to threaten the execution of innocent men and women. Second, the trial of Christ suggests structural reforms of capital sentencing, if we are to retain capital punishment.
Posted by Andy Morriss on
Saturday October 14, 2006 at 10:57am