ACTION ALERT: Urge Support of the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act

Legislation H.R.8940/S.4608 can eliminate the federal death penalty.

World Day Against the Death Penalty is observed annually on Oct. 10. Rooted in God’s intention for a just society and in faithful response to the call of Jesus to mercy and reconciliation, the ELCA teaches that the death penalty undermines the sacredness of life and human dignity by perpetuating cycles of violence and injustice. Urge your lawmakers to support the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act (H.R.8940/S.4608) to end the federal use of capital punishment. 

The ELCA social statement The Death Penalty calls Christians to pursue restorative justice that seeks healing, accountability, reconciliation, and the possibility of transformation for both victims and offenders. Rather than relying on retribution ELCA social teaching emphasizes:

• Seeking restorative justice, following the example of Jesus in Matthew 5:38-39 and John 8:3-11, and through our ministries with people affected by violent crime.

• Acknowledging the historic and ongoing injustices that render the death penalty incapable of being justly administered.

• Recognizing that the death penalty has failed to deter violence or make society safer, and by continuing its use, we send a message of brutality and perpetual violence.

While the ELCA teaches that the state’s responsibility under God is to protect citizens and maintain justice, this does not mean governments have an unchecked right to take life. Bipartisan opposition to the death penalty has grown, and public support for the death penalty is at its lowest in over 50 years. Now is the time to end the use of the federal death penalty in the United States.

Urge your lawmakers to uphold the values of mercy, accountability and human dignity by supporting the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act. Customize the Action Alert with your own words.

[Posted: 10/08/2026]

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