In the wake of the fatal light rail stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, 23, who was a refugee from Ukraine, by Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, a renewed debate has emerged in the state legislature over whether to lift the moratorium on executions. The case has drawn criticism by some who say the justice system has failed to protect citizens from violent offenders, while others point to a lack of mental health and social resources to address underlying causes of crime like poverty, behavioral health diagnoses, and social marginalization.
Supporters of the death penalty argue the death penalty is necessary for justice and deterrence, while opponents insist it undermines the sanctity of life. For Christians in the state, the question is not just political—it is deeply theological.
The broader Church has long been divided on the issue. Some Christians cite Genesis 9:6, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed,” to defend capital punishment as a form of divine justice. Others look to passages such as Genesis 1:27, affirming that every human being bears the image of God, or Job 12:10, which emphasizes God’s sovereignty over life and death, as evidence against it.
The Public Religion Research Institute’s (PBRI) recent survey of the topic of the death penalty among Christians showed differences across race and denomination. Support for the death penalty is highest among white evangelical Protestants (75%), followed by white mainline Protestants (69%), white Catholics (65%) and Latter-day Saints (64%). Smaller majorities of Hispanic Catholics (61%), Hispanic Protestants (58%), Jewish Americans (57%) and religiously unaffiliated Americans (56%) also favor the legality of the death penalty. In contrast to those groups, Black Protestants (53%) and members of other non-Christian religions (52%) are the least likely to support the death penalty.
This tension reflects centuries of evolving interpretation within Christian traditions. The Anglican Church, for example, has held mixed views. The 1662 Articles of Religion allowed for the state to impose the death penalty in cases of “heinous and grievous offences.” Yet, as Fr. David A. Sweeney, Rector of St. George's Anglican Church in Raleigh, NC, explained in a recent interview, the modern consensus within many denominations remains up for debate as Christians weigh the heavy topics of retribution and redemption.
“We Anglicans, in keeping with ancient Church tradition, believe in the sanctity of life, since we are all created in the image of God,” Sweeney said. “My personal view coincides with the preponderance of current thinking from the greater Church that opposition to the death penalty is the proper theological stance to take. The New Covenant in Christ emphasizes mercy, forgiveness and love—even for our enemies.”
He pointed to John 8:7, where Jesus dissuaded a crowd from stoning a woman caught in adultery: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.” For him, these words echo the heart of the Gospel’s challenge: not to enact vengeance, but to seek transformation and redemption.
How the Church Can Engage Public Debate
While Scripture provides theological grounding, the Church also has a civic role in shaping North Carolina’s public discourse. Fr. Sweeney suggested that Christians speak out through peaceful, visible advocacy.
“Petitioning and lobbying legislators, writing letters to the editor, posting on social media, or even marching peacefully to the State House are all ways the Church can raise its voice,” he said.
Such efforts, he argued, highlight not only theological opposition to capital punishment but also practical concerns, like wrongful convictions and ongoing questions about whether executions deter violent crime.
Navigating Division Within the Church
As noted earlier, the issue of the death penalty sparks disagreement among believers. For some, justice requires the ultimate penalty for heinous crimes. For others, execution contradicts Christ’s call to mercy. How can churches maintain unity amid such divides?
“Important sociopolitical issues can be addressed in Bible studies or small groups where respectful sharing of views takes place with careful moderating,” Sweeney said. “Agreeing to disagree can be most helpful when parishioners have opposing views. Ultimately, unity must be found in Jesus Christ and in prayer, not in political consensus.”
Fr. Sweeney emphasized that Church leaders should regularly remind congregations that salvation, and not political conformity, is the central mission of the Church.
A Call to Mercy
As North Carolina lawmakers weigh whether to restart executions, Christians across the state are being called to wrestle with Scripture, tradition and conscience. For Fr. Sweeney, the ultimate lesson is humility.
“Divine justice requires sacrifice, but human justice demands a humble, penitent and contrite heart, not a spirit of vengeance,” Sweeney said. “None of this is easy, especially for those who have lost loved ones to violence. But as St. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:19: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.’”
Whether through advocacy, prayer, or ministry to prisoners, the Church’s role, he believes, is to lift up mercy over retribution. In doing so, North Carolina’s Christians may help shape not only the state’s laws but also its witness to a Gospel that calls for love, even in the darkest of circumstances.