Nation

Massachusetts to reopen houses of worship as the country battles the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday (May 21). They have been allowed to restart services this week as long as they practice social distancing.

New York will allow small religious gatherings starting Thursday as the state gradually loosens pandemic restrictions, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. Religious gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed statewide as long as participants wear masks and practice social distancing.

A church in Mississippi was destroyed by a suspected arson fire, about a month after its pastor filed a lawsuit challenging the city of Holly Springs on gathering restrictions amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Tuesday issued guidelines for churches and other places of worship to reopen for in-person services during the coronavirus pandemic, with an emphasis on keeping spaces clean and maintaining distance between people.

The head of the federal Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division told Gov. Gavin Newsom May 19 that his plan to reopen California discriminates against churches. Eric S. Dreiband said Newsom should allow some in-person worship under the current second phase of his four-part reopening plan.

“Just because congregations may return to their buildings does not mean they should," the Massachusetts Council of Churches said in a written statement.

The Oregon Supreme Court halted a rural judge’s order which had tossed out statewide coronavirus restrictions imposed by Gov. Kate Brown in a case brought by churches arguing the Democrat exceeded her authority.

As restrictions on mass gatherings across the country are relaxed to allow in-person worship services, a couple churches that already reopened have again suspended in-person services after new coronavirus outbreaks in their congregations.

Three pastors spoke to a crowd of about 300 people outside the New Hampshire State House in Concord, standing a few feet away from signs spelling out the prohibition on gatherings of 10 people or more. The event featured prayers, songs, and speeches from organizers of the ReOpenNH movement.

A federal judge in North Carolina on Saturday sided with conservative Christian leaders (including two Baptist churches) and blocked the enforcement of restrictions that Gov. Roy Cooper ordered affecting indoor religious services during the coronavirus pandemic.