Church opposes abortion, death penalty -- but experts see difference

Published: 2004-06-08

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Abortion and capital punishment are hot political potatoes which divide more than unite U.S. voters, but opposition to both is clear in Catholic teaching. A major difference between the two issues is that accepting the abortion teaching is more important for adherence to one's Catholic faith than following the teaching on capital punishment, said several theologians and experts in Catholic social thought interviewed by Catholic News Service. Another difference, outlined in the "Catechism of the Catholic Church," is that abortion is always wrong, while there may be circumstances -- although "very rare" in modern times -- when state-approved capital punishment is possible. "A Catholic who thinks that there is no moral problem with abortion fails to grasp the thrust of the church's teaching," said Jesuit Father John Langan, professor of Catholic social thought at Georgetown University's Institute of Ethics in Washington. Regarding capital punishment, "a Catholic can say that in certain circumstances prohibiting it doesn't apply," he said.

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