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Joseph F. Naumann, bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, joined seven other bishops in writing a letter to the Kansas Legislature concerning their opposition to the death penalty.

The bishops lead the Episcopal Church, Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church and United Methodist Church in Kansas.

“As bishops leading the Episcopal Church, Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church and United Methodist Church in Kansas, we write to share our deep concern about the continuing practice of condemning persons to death Kansas,” the letter said.

Along with Naumann, those signatures included in the letter: Bishops James M. Adams Jr., Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas; Paul S. Coakley, Catholic Diocese of Salina; Ronald M. Gilmore, Catholic Diocese of Dodge City; Michael O. Jackels, Catholic Diocese of Wichita; Scott J. Jones, Kansas Area United Methodist Church; Gerald L. Mansholt, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Deal Wolf, Episcopal Diocese of Kansas.

The letter states that the churches unified in teaching that capital punishment should no longer be used. They also say that there should be other forms of punishment rather than death.

“When governments execute persons, our society is weakened because the value of life is cheapened,” the letter states. “All of us are diminished when our state punishes in this way. In difficult economic times, the additional money spent on capital punishment should be redirected to more beneficial causes."

The bishops also expressed concern that innocent people could be victims of the death penalty.

Kansas Attorney General Steve Six said earlier this year he would lobby to keep the death penalty.