Nearly 400 Church leaders and theologians have released a statement calling for the end of the death penalty, timed to coincide with Holy Week.

Among the signatories are Sojourners founder Rev Jim Wallis, Shane Claiborne, evangelical ethicist David Gushee, President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Rev Gabriel Salguero, and author and activist Lynne Hybels. Other signatories include two former presidents of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, several presidents of Catholic universities and campaigner Sister Helen Prejean.

The statement comes as evidence mounts that the tide of opinion among Church leaders is turning away from capital punishment. Last Friday the National Latino Evangelical Coalition became the first national association of evangelical congregations to issue a call for repealing the death penalty. The coalition is urging its 3,000-member congregations to support efforts to end capital punishment in states across the country. In a March 17 statement, the Catholic bishops of Nebraska urged support for "legislative efforts to repeal the death penalty and reform our criminal justice system."