Below are some resources for a study guide for prison ministry and awareness from the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona.
- “Forgiveness: A Lenten Study“ by Marjorie J. Thompson. Forgiving others and humbly asking for forgiveness are central disciplines for all Christian believers. This book addresses such questions as: “Is forgiveness a Christian duty under all circumstances? Or are there situations when Christians do not need to forgive? Is forgiving the best route to healing for the injured? How do we get past emotional barriers to real forgiveness? A study guide is included at the back of the book that is appropriate for either individual reflection or group discussion.
- “Letters From the Farm: A Simple Path for a Deeper Spiritual Life” by the Rev. Becca Stevens. These letters from the farm describe a faith that strives for justice and peace through loving our neighbors. It began with the simple hope that love can help in the community. That hope led to a social enterprise called Thistle Farms and that led to learning that we reap a hundredfold the seeds that are sown in a loving community. A study guide is included at the back of the book that is appropriate for either individual or group discussion.
- “Death Penalty and Discipleship: A Faith Formation Guide” by David Matzko McCarthy. This study guide is written from a Roman Catholic perspective and focuses on the meaning of God’s self-giving in Jesus Christ and the implications of God’s redemptive work in our lives. The overarching theme is God loves the world and gives himself to the world, and we are called to share God’s justice and mercy with others.
- “Capital Punishment: A Faith-Based Study“ by Hunter P. Mabry and “Leader’s Guide to Capital Punishment: A Faith-Based Study“ by Judith F. Bennett. This study program and the leader’s guide are written by members of the United Methodist Church of Virginia. Though the materials incorporate Methodist positions and statistics from the state of Virginia, the message is universal, thoughtful, and provoking. A study program based on and using these books is available as a 5-week course. Download the zipped Death Penalty Study course.