Last updated on: 5/2/2013 | Author: ProCon.org

Raymond A. Schroth, SJ Biography

Title:
Jesuit Priest and Professor of the Humanities at St. Peter's College
Position:
Con to the question "Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed?"
Reasoning:

“The traditional justification for both the death penalty and just war is the right of self-defense. That is the only justification. Not that the killer is someone who, as a killer, ‘deserves to die.’ He remains a human being with a right to die only when God calls him.”

“On One Thing Obama is Wrong,” nj.com, Feb. 29, 2008
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
    Experts
Individuals with MDs, JDs, PhDs, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to death penalty issues. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to death penalty issues.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Jesuit Priest, 1967-present
  • Professor of the Humanities at St. Peter’s College, 1997-present
  • Assistant Dean, Fordham College, Rose Hill, 2003
  • Professor, Loyola University at New Orleans, 1986-1996
  • Named, Journalism Educator of the Year, Southeast Journalism Conference, 1995
  • Will and Ariel Durant Chair in the Humanities, St. Peter’s College, 1985-1986
  • Former Academic Dean, Rockhurst College
  • Former Academic Dean, College of the Holy Cross
  • Former Director, Matteo Ricci Society
  • Ordained Jesuit Priest, 1967
  • Joined, Society of Jesus, 1957
  • Former Antiaircraft Artillery Officer, United States Army
  • Published articles in the Columbia Journalism Review, Commonweal, America, National Catholic Reporter, Los Angeles Times, New York Newsday, Kansas City Star, Newark Star Ledger, The Boston Globe, and NJVoices.com
Education:
  • PhD, American Thought and Culture, George Washington University, 1967
  • SJ (Society of Jesus), Fordham University and Woodstock College
  • Attended, Fordham University
Other:
  • Although ProCon.org normally adds all earned advanced degrees after the individual’s name, Rev. Schroth specifically asked to exclude it from his title and we obliged.
Quoted in:
  1. Should Executions Be Made Public?
  2. Should the Death Penalty Be Used for Retribution?