In the Matter of Christa Pike

In Theological and Abrahamic traditions, only God has the ultimate right to take a life because He is the Creator and Sovereign Giver of all life, while humans lack the authority to act as independent judges over others.

 

  

On September 30th, 2026, Christa Gail Pike, underwent two doses of lethal injection drugs to fulfill her 1995 first-degree death sentence in the State of Tennessee.  She survived both attempts to end her life. 

 

As of this date, October 3rd, 2026, Ms. Pike is in a Tennessee hospital unconscious.

 

Once again for the record, the Evangelical Catholic Church is unconditionally opposed to the application of the death penalty in the United States.  And as a bishop in service with this community of faith, I fully support and embrace our position on this matter.

 

I sincerely hope that with the advent of the Mid-Term election before us, the matter of Christa Pike will remind us that faith teaches that the death penalty is inadmissible because every human life is sacred, no matter the harm one has caused or suffered, and because we have more effective ways to protect society than to take another life.  We must not permit ourselves to drown in the sewer of barbarism.

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The memory of Colleen Slemmer and her family also deserves better by all of us.

The need for moral and ethical accountability need not require another death.

 

On behalf of the Evangelical Catholic Church, I remain

 

 

 

Respectfully Yours in Christ,