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Guidance for reopening houses of worship amid the coronavirus pandemic has been put on hold after a battle between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House, which was resistant to putting limits on religious institutions, according to administration officials. The CDC this week issued a detailed road map for reopening schools, child-care facilities, restaurants and mass transit. On Tuesday night, the agency issued additional guidance in the form of “health considerations” for summer camps, including overnight camps, and youth sports organizations and colleges. (Sun, Dawsey and Boorstein, 5/20)

The novel coronavirus has taken a massive toll on Americans from all walks of life. Communities of faith have paid a heavy price, both in terms of congregations not being able to worship together and religious leaders along with so many of their church members being afflicted with and dying from the disease. The crisis has been felt among a number of religious backgrounds, but particularly acute among leading African American members of the clergy and churches with predominantly black congregations, according to faith leaders. (Carrega and Brown, 5/21)

More than 1,200 pastors have vowed to hold in-person services on May 31, Pentecost Sunday, defying a state moratorium on religious gatherings that Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. In a letter to Newsom, Robert H. Tyler, an attorney representing a Lodi church that has challenged the governor’s order in court, said more than 1,200 pastors have signed a “Declaration of Essentiality,” asserting their churches are as essential as any grocery or hardware store and should be allowed to reopen. (Ormseth, 5/20)

Religious services with 10 or fewer people will be permitted again in New York state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday, as restrictions related to the new coronavirus are relaxed. The Democratic governor already had said that Memorial Day celebrations with that number of people could take place in the coming days. Services can resume starting Thursday, Mr. Cuomo said, as long as participants stay apart and wear masks. Drive-in services also are permitted. (Vielkind, 5/20)