Churches and other houses of worship in Michigan will not be penalized if they hold gatherings under the stay-at-home executive order signed Monday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

"Churches are exempt from penalty," Whitmer spokesmwoman Tiffany Brown told the Free Press on Monday.

Whitmer's new order says that "all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons not part of a single household are prohibited."

But another part of the order makes it clear that religious centers will not be penalized if they hold worship services.

"Consistent with prior guidance, a place of religious worship, when used for religious worship, is not subject to penalty under section 14," reads the new order. Section 14 refers to the part of the order that makes violations a misdemeanor.

The exemption for churches under the new order is similar to the exemption in last week's order that banned gatherings of more than 50 people. Whitmer updated the order to include the exemption for houses of worship.

That exemption stirred debate. A petition is calling for Whitmer to end the exemptions for churches: "Tell Michigan Governor Whitmer NO EXCEPTIONS to Michigan's social distancing order for churches," it states. "Churches have many elderly parishioners and people sit close together. Keep Michiganders safe."

On Monday, Americans United for Separation of Church and State wrote an open letter criticizing Whitmer and describing the exemption as "not only dangerous but also unconstitutional."

The letter said: "Houses of worship are just as likely as other places of mass gathering to spread COVID-19," citing Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who said recently that “crowds in church are important…it makes common sense that it involves the church.” The letter cited the spread of coronavirus at faith centers in Kentucky and New York.

Whitmer addressed the issue Sunday on "Fox News Sunday" after host John Roberts asked: "Why would a place of worship be any less likely to transmit disease? ... Why this exception?"

The governor replied: "The separation of church and state and the Republican legislature asked me to clarify that. That's an area we don't have the ability to directly enforce and control."

Some Republican leaders and conservative Christians in Michigan had been asking for a religious exemption. After Whitmer modified her order to include the exemption, she was praised by Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering.

Speaking on Fox News, Whitmer said that despite the exemption, people should not go to church services.

More:Whitmer exempts Michigan churches from penalties for 50+ gatherings

More:Michigan churches, mosques, synagogues suspend services over coronavirus concerns

"We are encouraging people, though, do not congregate," Whitmer said. "Do not go to church on Sunday and sit next to people who could be spreading the COVID-19. That would be the worst thing in the world, to go to church and worship ... and sit next to someone and infect them and have them suffer life-threatening consequences."

Under her order, religious organizations that help the needy can also remain open.

It allows people to keep working if they "work or volunteer for businesses or operations (including both and religious and secular nonprofit organizations) that provide food, shelter, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals, individuals who need assistance as a result of this emergency, and people with disabilities."

Ohio also appears to have an exemption for religious centers and gatherings, deeming them part of their "essential business and operations" in their Governor's 'Stay at Home' order last week. Illinois does not appear to have such an exemption in its order.

Despite the penalty exemption in Michigan, many churches, synagogues, mosques and temples in metro Detroit have canceled in-person services.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, which has more than 1 million members, and Kensington Church, the largest Protestant church in metro Detroit with several locations, said they will continue to have only online services this week and Sunday. The archdiocese announced Monday that Holy Week and Easter in-person services would be canceled.

Many mosques are also still closed for Friday prayers, including the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn. A video on the mosque's Facebook page featuring health care professionals urges members to stay home and practice social distancing. The Islamic Institute of Knowledge in Dearborn is also continuing to suspend its services, board member Fouad Berry said. And the Imam's Council of the Michigan Muslim Community Council, a group that consists of several local mosques, continues to suspend services, said Dr. Muzammil Ahmed of the Community Council.

Some mosques, though, such as Masjid Bilal in Canton, continue to hold services, albeit with some modifications, Ahmed said. According to the mosque's website, children, seniors, and worshippers who are sick should stay home, and Friday and daily prayers have been shortened.

Lauren Garfield-Herrin of the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit said that most of the synagogues that she's aware of would remain closed for services.

"In upholding Judaism’s commitment to the value of protecting life, Congregation Shaarey Zedek remains committed to keeping our physical doors closed while opening even further the gates of our heart," said Rabbi Aaron Starr of his Southfield synagogue. "We are continuing to offer our daily prayer and Sabbath services exclusively online, and we are also expanding our digital and social media adult education opportunities with an eye toward deepening our sense of fellowship and exploring the messages of purpose and meaning for our day."

In some cases, religious gatherings in South Korea, Malaysia, and Iran have contributed to the spread of coronavirus, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Some congregations are still holding in-person services. Greater Grace Temple, a sizable Pentecostal church in Detroit, held services Sunday with almost 200 attending, but practiced social distancing inside, with congregants sitting several feet away from one another, reported Deadline Detroit. At Fellowship Chapel in Detroit, there was a choir during Sunday services, but the singers were at a distance from one another, a livestream showed.

Starr said he's encouraging members of his congregation to phone one another to keep in touch while they're physically separated.

"We continue to try to connect virtually and spiritually with each other while maintaining our commitment to physical distancing," he said. "In this way, we hope to consider, in the midst of the threat that surrounds us, how we can make more meaningful our own lives, how we can make more peaceful the lives of those whom we love and, most of all, how we can make the lives of those who are in need, truly, better.

Contact Niraj Warikoo:nwarikoo@freepress.com or 313-223-4792. Twitter @nwarikoo

Here are two sections of the new 'Stay Home' executive order that pertain to religious institutions.

-- "Nothing in this order should be taken to supersede another executive order or directive that is in effect, except to the extent this order imposes more stringent limitations on in-person work, activities, and interactions. Consistent with prior guidance, a place of religious worship, when used for religious worship, is not subject to penalty under section 14."

-- "To work or volunteer for businesses or operations (including both and religious and secular nonprofit organizations) that provide food, shelter, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals, individuals who need assistance as a result of this emergency, and people with disabilities."