(RNS) — “Lock them up and throw away the key.”
It’s a familiar refrain in today’s political climate — a line that promises safety, yet demands little engagement. But this reactionary impulse is at odds with both Scripture and what actually promotes safety in practical terms.
For Christians, incarceration is not only a policy issue, but a deeply spiritual matter. Many of us have witnessed worship in prison chapels, where voices rise with the same conviction and hope found in any Sunday congregation. The people our society locks away are not invisible to God. They too bear his image and hold the God-given capacity for repentance, relationships and renewal.
In the Gospel of Matthew’s much quoted 25th chapter, Jesus requires his followers to care for “the least of these.” To the weak and the outcast, he offered healing, friendship and ultimately salvation. Jesus did not despise prisoners as disposable, and he specifically commended those who visited the imprisoned. This is quite pointedly the opposite of the “throw away the key” perspective.
A recent national study by the Prison Fellowship showed that 62% of practicing Christians believe the Bible instructs us to care for others, including those behind bars. Forty-one percent said members of their congregation have friends or loved ones who are incarcerated, and 29% of believers say criminal justice and incarceration are issues that impact their community.
This issue is clearly not locked away. Justice requires accountability, but it cannot stop there. It must also honor the dignity of victims, amplify their voices and provide the support they need to fully participate in the justice process.
Likewise, a justice system rooted in human dignity recognizes that accountability should not be cruel. If a sentence is too lenient or too severe, it fails to reflect justice that restores and does little to promote long-term safety. Proportional consequences — neither dismissive nor dehumanizing — help ensure that justice can lead to genuine closure and the opportunity for transformation.
Across the country, we see evidence that constructive approaches to incarceration are possible. Healthy prison cultures rooted in human dignity and personal accountability can bring opportunities for restoration through helpful programming and the nurturing of faith. We see this every day in correction facilities where faith-based initiatives and holistic care help men and women confront the real harms they have caused and choose a new path forward.
Caring for those impacted by incarceration helps break cycles of crime. “I was at my most vulnerable, darkest, worst, hardest part of my life, looking for somewhere to turn,” Nancy, an incarcerated mother in Oregon, told Prison Fellowship Angel Tree staff after local church volunteers delivered Christmas presents to her children on her behalf while she was in prison. “I was able to have that new start inside the walls,” she said.
Since her release, Nancy has rebuilt family relationships and founded an organization to help other former prisoners find employment.
Stories like Nancy’s are not rare. When men and women return to their families and reenter society whole and restored, they are more likely to spend their days as good neighbors, creating safer communities for all. Biblical justice seeks to make things right by rebuilding what’s been shattered — in individuals, communities and entire systems.
Some Americans may be surprised to learn that worship reverberates within prison walls and that groups of incarcerated individuals devote themselves to studying Scripture free from the distractions of everyday life. When churches engage with people in prison, they themselves are strengthened. Our incarcerated brothers and sisters often understand the God of second chances in a way those outside prison do not. A vibrant church exists behind bars, and its faith can spark renewal on the outside.
As Christians consider how to respond to the nation’s ongoing conversations about crime and public safety, the call of the biblical prophet Micah applies: Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly. That means supporting prison ministry programs, advocating for policies that strengthen families and reduce recidivism, fostering empathy for those impacted by crime and promoting approaches to justice that rebuild rather than abandon.
Justice that restores holistically is not some distant dream. It is the gospel in action. As the church lives out this calling and works with others more broadly, we will see lives made whole and communities made safer. Restoration is close to God’s heart, as we read in the New Testament’s Book of Revelation: “I am making everything new!” That’s the justice our world needs.
May we, as the church, answer the call to lead the way.
(Heather Rice-Minus serves as president and CEO of Prison Fellowship. Walter Kim is president of the National Association of Evangelicals. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)
