WASHINGTON - October 20 - Amnesty International USA is convening its Ninth Annual National Weekend of Faith in Action on the Death Penalty (NWFA) Oct. 20 to 22, during which thousands of members of faith-based groups and human rights activists throughout the nation will examine their perceptions of the death penalty. More than 500 faith communities, interfaith groups and individuals in 46 states and the District of Columbia have registered as participants and plan to hold events that will create a safe space for both those who support and oppose the death penalty to discuss their views.

Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA, urged, "It is a particularly important time for members of religious and spiritual communities to lead the public in responsibly reflecting on the values of our society. Clearly many Americans believe that it is time to reject the outdated and discriminatory capital punishment system.

"The NWFA provides an opportunity for people of faith to continue in the tradition of social change and to raise issues about a system in which the government makes life and death decisions, knowing that the system is fallible. This includes sending to death row at least 123 people who were later found to have been wrongly convicted," continued Cox.

Over the weekend of Oct. 20-22, hundreds of congregations representing the country's faith traditions, interfaith groups, Amnesty International student and community groups and individuals in nearly every state will devote time during their worship services and spiritual practices to reflect on the death penalty. Here are some examples of events taking place:

-- San Francisco: Buddhism and the Death Penalty Discussion and Sharing - The Buddhist Peace Fellowship has recently published a position paper on the death penalty and various members will speak about this issue.

-- Cottage Grove, Minn.: Candlelight Prayer Service for Peace - An outdoor service, "Your Journey of Peace Labyrinth," will be held on the grounds of Zion Lutheran Church. The service will allow time for personal reflection or walking of the labyrinth following the prayers. Lumanaria will encircle the labyrinth using lighting of individual candles to symbolize how individuals can spread "light" and peace to one another.

-- Oklahoma City: Homilies, films, sermons and discussions on the death penalty will take place in a dozen local faith communities.

-- Framingham, Mass.: Discussion on the death penalty with Amnesty International and Ecclesia members as they share how their moral and religious views influence their stance on the death penalty during the Sunday Protestant service at Framingham State College. There will also be a special candlelight service remembering those whose lives have been affected by the death penalty, followed by an interfaith discussion and viewing of the movie Dead Man Walking.

-- Reno, Nev.: Lecture by Marietta Jaeger-Lane at Temple Sinai's Shabbat Services - Marietta Jaeger's daughter Susie was abducted and later murdered at the age of seven during a family camping trip in Montana. Marietta has been an ardent opponent of the death penalty for more than 25 years since Susie's death.

-- Houston: Sunday service at the Unitarian Fellowship of Houston, during which Ray Hill, former Texas inmate and host of The Prison Show on KPFT Pacifica Radio, will be the featured speaker. Hill has worked with the families to secure the release of each inmate as the inmates became eligible for parole. Setting an example of what restorative justice means, the service will incorporate a Burning Bowl Ceremony.

-- Bloomington/Normal, Ill.: The Bloomington/Normal Interfaith Committee for Abolition of the Death Penalty will be showing the film The Exonerated at a local community theatre.

-- Berkeley, Calif.: Opera Concert - Death penalty attorney and mezzo-soprano Dorothy Streutker has enlisted the participation of opera-singing friends for a concert in the sanctuary of First Congregational Church of Berkeley.

Major faith traditions around the world -- including Catholicism, virtually all Protestant denominations, Reform and Conservative Judaism and Buddhism -- have adopted explicit positions against the death penalty. Even faith traditions that do not specifically oppose the practice, such as Orthodox Judaism and Islam, have expressed concerns about the death penalty including the random and biased way it is applied and administered in this country.

"Faith communities are uniquely positioned to promote reconciliation and restorative justice as alternatives to violence in all its variations," said Kristin Houle, Program Associate for AIUSA's Program to Abolish the Death Penalty and coordinator of the National Weekend of Faith in Action. "The NWFA is a springboard for people of faith to explore ways to put an end to the cycle of violence in our society."

For more information about the National Weekend of Faith in Action, please visit: http://www.amnestyusa.org/faithinaction/.

For a list of events and activities taking place in communities throughout the United States, please visit: http://www.amnestyusa.org/faithinaction/EventList.php.

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