National Association of Evangelicals: Christians Can Disagree on the Death Penalty

I am glad to see that the National Association of Evangelicals is moving in this direction.  Here is a taste of the press release:

Evangelical Christians differ in their beliefs about capital punishment, often citing strong biblical and theological reasons either for the just character of the death penalty in extreme cases or for the sacredness of all life, including the lives of those who perpetrate serious crimes and yet have the potential for repentance and reformation. We affirm the conscientious commitment of both streams of Christian ethical thought.
Read the entire statement here.
Evangelicals are still nowhere close to Catholic social thought on this issue, but I think this is a step in the right direction.  is moving in this direction.  

Click here for some good commentary from Jonathan Merritt, a senior columnist for Religion News Service.