Should Christians Support the Death Penalty? Shane Claiborne

Is the death penalty biblical? Should Christians support capital punishment—or does following Jesus lead us toward a different understanding of justice, mercy, and redemption? Shane Claiborne joins me to discuss what the Bible says about the death penalty and why we both changed our minds. We explore Old Testament laws, Jesus’ teaching on “an eye for an eye,” the early church’s response to violence, and whether Romans 13 justifies capital punishment. But this conversation goes beyond biblical interpretation. Shane shares stories from years of visiting people on death row, including encounters with people who were later exonerated, families of murder victims, and a former executioner. We wrestle with difficult questions: Can you be pro-life and support the death penalty? What about justice for victims? And what does it mean to believe that no one is beyond redemption? Shane is an author, activist, and co-founder of Red Letter Christians. His books include Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It’s Killing Us and Rethinking Life. For my further thoughts on Romans 13 and the death penalty, join the Theology in the Raw community and watch or listen to Extra Inning…