Tennessee Death Row Inmates Invite Governor to Pray with Them

Yesterday the men on Tennessee’s death row, four of whom have scheduled execution dates in the near future, invited Governor Bill Haslam, the man who signs the death warrants, to join them for prayer

Tennessee has more executions scheduled in a year than the state has killed in the past 50 years. Last week, as Christians around the world remembered Good Friday, the day Jesus was executed, legislators in the Bible Belt state passed a bill to reinstate the electric chair (which would make it the only state to require death by electrocution).

The only thing that could be more troubling would be if Tennessee decided to start crucifying people. I even heard one politician defend his position by saying, “It is God’s job to judge them, but our job to get them to Him. “

Meanwhile, this week Governor Haslam was set to speak to a gathering of influential Christian leaders in Nashville at precisely the time of the first scheduled execution in five years, that of Nikolaus Johnson. Thankfully, the execution was stayed. The governor still spoke to the group, and he was asked publicly how he reconciles the death penalty with his faith, especially given the fact that less than 5% of Americans think Jesus would support execution. It was refreshing to hear that he didn’t have a good answer. It made you think he might not sign the warrants, that he might come to the conclusion other governors have — that no human being should have that much power over life and death.

I’m no Mother Teresa, but I hope this governor does the same thing her governor friend did.Shortly after his talk, I bumped into the governor. Stumbling for words, I recalled a story where Mother Teresa talked with a governor facing a similar string of executions as Haslam. With her characteristic cocktail of boldness and humility, Mother Teresa commissioned the governor with these simple words: “Do what Jesus would have you do.” That governor halted executions. So, before I knew it, those were the words rolling off my lips.

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