Christianity and criminal law / edited by Mark Hill QC, Norman Doe, RH Helmholz and John Witte, Jr.

"Produced by the Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Emory University"

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface / Lord Judge of Draycote -- Introduction / Mark Hill -- Criminal Law in the Old Testament : Homicide, the Problem of Mens Rea, and God / Brent A. Strawn -- Conflicting Criminal Jurisdictions in Early Christianity / Markus Bockmuehl -- Crime and the Canon Law / R. H. Helmholz -- Retaliation : Christian Reasons for Punishment : An overview / Mathias Schmoeckel -- Christianity and the Liberal Enlightenment Reforms of Criminal Law / Heikki Pihlajamäki -- The Nature of Sin and Crime : Spiritual and Civil Jurisdictions Compared / -- Norman Doe -- Christianity, Mens Rea and the Boundaries of Criminal Liability / David McIlroy -- Christianity, Human Dignity and Due Process / Peter Collier -- Christianity and Crimes Against the State / Nathan S. Chapman -- Christianity and Offences Against the Person / David Etherington -- Law Like Love Like Language : The Christian Uses of Property Crime / -- John F Stinneford -- Crimes against God and the Church / Jeroen Temperman -- Sex Crimes and Christianity / John Witte, Jr -- Attempts, Complicity, Virtue and the Limits of the Law / Richard W. Garnett -- Defences : Justification, Excuse and Provocation / Chloë Kennedy -- Punishment, Forgiveness, and Mercy / Jeffrie Murphy -- Christian Virtue and Pardons / Albert W. Alschuler -- Parole, Risk Assessment of Offenders and Christianity / Sir John Saunders -- Judicial Punishment in Transitional Justice : A Restorative / Daniel Philpott -- The Weight of Judgment / Nathan S. Chapman

"This collection, by leading legal scholars, judges and practitioners, together with theologians and church historians, presents historical, theological, philosophical, and legal perspectives on Christianity and Criminal Law. Following an Introduction by Lord Judge, formerly Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the book is divided into four thematic sections. Part I addresses the Historical Contributions of Christianity to Criminal Law drawing on biblical sources, early church fathers and canonists, as far as the Enlightenment. Part II, titled Christianity and the Principles of Criminal Law, compares crime and sin, examines concepts of mens rea and intention, and considers the virtue of due process within criminal justice. Part III looks at Christianity and Criminal Offences, considering the Christian origins and continuing relevance for several basic crimes that every legal system prohibits. Finally, in Part IV, the authors consider Christianity and the Enforcement of Criminal Law, looking at defences, punishment, and forgiveness"--