Reveal Executions Are Rising in the US. This Reverend Witnesses Them.
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Nov 12, 2025 Jeff Hood, an Old Catholic priest and death row spiritual advisor, shares his profound experiences with capital punishment and racial justice. He recounts his journey from conservative roots to radical activism influenced by community and tragic events. Jeff illustrates the emotional toll of sitting in execution chambers and the complex humanity of inmates. He discusses the challenges of being a white Southern reverend advocating for justice and how capital punishment reflects America’s troubling trajectory toward violence.
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Execution Rates Are Rising Again
- Executions in the U.S. are rising after years of decline, with states and the federal government increasing use of capital punishment.
- Jeff Hood positions his death-row ministry within this renewed wave of executions and state encouragement of capital punishment.
Mentor's Secret Reshaped His Faith
- A mentor's deathbed revelation that he was a closeted gay minister shattered Hood's conservative theology and set him on a new path.
- That moment pushed Hood toward Emory and deeper theological and social questioning.
Faith And Activism Intersect
- Hood's activism fused experiences in Black queer communities with traditional ministry, driving him toward radical social justice work.
- That fusion led him to Black Lives Matter, queer liberation, and later death-row ministry.
