Nový postoj k trestu smrti v Katechismu katolické církve
The New Attitude to the Death Penalty in the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Summary/Abstract: This article seeks to reflect critically, with the benefit of hindsight, on the modification of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) on the death penalty. This modification took place in 2018 at the initiative of Pope Francis, who declared that capital punishment is not permissible. The author responds to a subsequent appeal published in First Things magazine, in which several American intellectuals petitioned the College of Cardinals to force the Holy Father to withdraw the new wording of Article 2267 of the CCC. In particular, the contribution seeks to find an answer to their objections that the new teaching is not in accord with Scripture and Tradition and gives the impression to believers that capital punishment is an intrinsically evil act. The author also considers whether the death penalty might not be acceptable under certain non standard conditions even today. He reflects on the attitude of John Paul II and Benedict XVI and asks some questions about possible future developments in this area, the first of which is the question of the potential rejection of life imprisonment as a hidden death penalty.

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