It's big news in the internet today. Pope Francis declares death penalty unacceptable in all cases. The Pope made specific changes to the catechism reflecting this. From the New York Times:
Francis said executions are unacceptable in all cases because they are “an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” the Vatican announced on Thursday.
The church also says it will work “with determination” for the abolition of capital punishment worldwide.
If you're not terribly familiar with the church's position on capital punishment this may seem to be out of left field, especially if you are an American protestant, where the death penalty is probably most common in all the Western world. What might help in understanding this current declaration is how the church got here. Clearly, many years ago, the church was in favor of the death penalty, presiding over many executions. But today we have the Vatican announcing that their goal is to abolish the death penalty worldwide. It seems to be a total reversal.
What are the historical changes and landmark decisions that took the church from that position to where she is now?
