Natural Moral Law

• "The care of the common good is entrusted to a persons of rank having public authority" Summa theologica
• capital punishment is legitimate but not the responsibility of individuals as that can lead to out of hand revenge
• Capital punishment can only be carried out by someone appointed by the state
• "God authorised the Israelites to kill their enemies" Bible
• Aquinas would argue it is okay to kill if the person is a danger to society
• Aquinas would argue execution can act as deterrence
• Roman catholic church supports capital punishment: "The teaching of the church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty"
• Church of England supports the death penalty: "Total exclusion of capital punishment would weaken the church's view of war and the legitimate killing of the wicked"
• "whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed" - Genesis 9:6