>Capital punishment is not explicitly obsoleted and actually supported in one of Paul's epistles -- alas, I forget which one.

Of course, we do now live in the age of forgiveness. The Old Testament Hebrews had the death penalty as a punishment for a lot of different infractions. Back then, if a child rebelled against his parents and they could not change him, he was supposed to be taken out and stoned to death. Adultery was punishable by death, for both guilty parties. Achan and his whole family were stoned because he took three items he was not supposed to take during the conquest of Jericho. And of course, a murderer was also worthy of death.

When I think "capital punishment" in this era, I am specifically thinking of those who criminally take a life having their life taken by the state.

Gri"clarifying my POV"shny