The mayor of a Texas city has sparked a debate about prayer, gender and the relation of church and state after requesting that only men pray at city council meetings.

Wylie, Texas, Mayor Eric Hogue, who also serves as pastor of Cottonwood Church of Christ in the same city, made the comments in an email to a city council member who suggested local students from Youth With a Mission pray at a future council meeting, WFAA-TV in Dallas reported. 

“All I ask is that those leading the public prayer be young men,” Hogue wrote on May 17 while citing two verses from the New Testament. “As a preacher for the Cottonwood Church of Christ, we take the two verses below literally.”

Hogue confirmed the validity of the email in an interview with WFAA.

In the email he cited 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and posted the text: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”

He also quoted 1 Timothy 2:11-12: “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

Hogue told WFAA: “I believe a lady can be president of the United States. I believe a lady can be CEO of a…

The Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. is once again facing criticism for its possession of a stolen artifact.

According to Christianity Today, US Attorney Richard Donoghue of the Eastern District of New York filed a forfeiture claim against the museum on Monday for a six by five-inch clay tablet that was stolen from Iraq.

The tablet, which is known as the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet was sold to arts and crafts retailer Hobby Lobby – which is owned by the Museum’s owner Steve Green – in 2014 at Christie’s auction house for $1.6 million. Following the purchase, Hobby Lobby donated the tablet to the Museum of the Bible, unaware that the tablet had actually been stolen years prior.

“In this case, a major auction house failed to meet its obligations by minimizing its concerns that the provenance of an important Iraqi artifact was fabricated and withheld from the buyer information that undermined the provenance’s reliability,” said US Attorney Richard Donoghue.

In a statement, representatives from the Museum of the Bible told Christianity Today that the artifact will be returned to Iraq in compliance with authorities.

Christie’s auction house is also being sued by Hobby Lobby for selling the stolen tablet with falsified claims of its provenance.

Deemed one of the world’s most important pieces of literature, the Gilgamesh epic recounts the story of a king who…

President Trump on Friday deemed churches and houses of worship “essential services” and called upon governors to allow them to open, saying he will “override” governors if they don’t cooperate.

“In America, we need more prayer, not less,” Trump said at a White House press conference.

Some states have deemed churches “essential services” during the pandemic, but in other states – such as New York, Illinois and California – churches remain closed under order of the respective governor.

Trump criticized governors for allowing businesses such as liquor stores and abortion clinics to remain open while forcing churches to close. He also said houses of worship could open safely while practicing social distancing and CDC health guidance.

“Today I’m identifying houses of worship – churches, synagogues and mosques – as essential places that provide essential services,” Trump told reporters. “Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential but have left out churches and other houses of worship. It’s not right. So I’m correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential.

“I call upon governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now. If there’s any questions, they’re gonna have to call me, but they’re not going to be successful in that call. These are places that hold our society together and keep…

Catholic and Lutheran church leaders in Minnesota say state rules that only allow 10 people in a worship service are unfair.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recently opened retail locations to serve up to 50 percent capacity, according to CBN News. However, he has capped church worship services to 10 people.

“We are extremely grateful for the constitutional guarantee of the free exercise of religion in this wonderful country,” Rev. Dr. Lucas Woodford of the Lutherans’ Missouri synod said.

“We believe that forbidding 11 people from gathering together in a church, regardless of its size, while at the same time allowing malls and other non-critical businesses to open for people to congregate fails to uphold that guarantee.”

Despite state rules, the Catholic and Lutheran church leaders said this week they will resume in-person services on May 26 and Sunday services will begin on May 31. Leadership also submitted a plan to reopen to the governor’s office in early May. They say they have not received a response.

“Today is one of mixed emotions as we make the hard decision to reopen our churches for our communities after being left behind as the governor’s office allows retail and other non-critical businesses to reopen,” Woodford said.

Eric Rassbach, of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, the group representing the religious leaders, said the churches are asking…

A Chicago businessman and former mayoral candidate says he will pay the $500 fines local authorities handed to three churches that held worship services Sunday in defiance of a statewide ban.

Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church, Philadelphia Romanian Church of God and Metro Praise International Church – all in the Chicago area – each were fined $500 for defying a statewide order limiting in-person church gatherings to 10 persons. All three churches say they can safely worship while following social distancing guidelines with reduced seating.

Willie Wilson, a 2015 and 2019 Chicago mayoral candidate, said in a Wednesday press release he will pay the fines. He criticized Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“Mayor Lightfoot and Governor Pritzker continue to intimidate the Church,” Wilson said. “… The first right guaranteed by the constitution is free exercise of religion. The governor and mayor continue to trample on our constitutional rights while hiding behind a Stay at Home Order that treats the church as non-essential.”

Wilson applauded the churches that “dared to worship” Sunday and also questioned why businesses are allowed to open while churches must remain closed.

“It is shameful that the church is discriminated against, while liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries and Home Depot [are] treated as essential…

A Harvard University professor sparked an online debate Thursday after suggesting belief in heaven has harmed the coronavirus response by devaluing human life.

Steven Pinker, a professor of psychology at the school, made the comments on Twitter while referencing a Washington Post article that blamed evangelicals for the movement to a quick reopening of America.

“Belief in an afterlife is a malignant delusion, since it devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer, safer, and happier,” Pinker wrote on Twitter. “Exhibit A: What’s really behind Republicans wanting a swift reopening? Evangelicals.”

Belief in an afterlife is a malignant delusion, since it devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer, safer, and happier. Exhibit A: What’s really behind Republicans wanting a swift reopening? Evangelicals. https://t.co/ppo2bwiVGn

— Steven Pinker (@sapinker) May 21, 2020

The comment drew more than 4,500 responses.

“It’s just the opposite,” one person wrote. “People who believe there is no higher power or no consequences in the afterlife are much more willing to commit crimes if they think they can get away with it.”

“My faith in God only increases my appreciation for the value, worth & purpose of each human life (mine included),” another person wrote. “This isn’t some sort of waiting…