- Democratic congressmanand Methodist minister

Emanuel Cleaver deliveredan unusual prayer

for the 117th US Congress.

He opened the first sessionby praying to numerous gods

and appeared to redefine the word amen

into possibly a commentaryon sex and gender.

Mark Martin joins us now with more. Mark?

- Heather, the progressivelawmaker began his prayer

using explicitly Christian language.

He acknowledged God's sacred supremacy,

noting that without hisfavor and forbearance,

we enter this new year relying dangerously

on our own fallible nature.

Cleaver went on to referencethe Old Testament passage

of Numbers 6:24-26 praying,

"May the God who created theworld and everything in it

"bless us and keep us.

"May the Lord make hisface to shine upon us

"and be gracious unto us.

"May the Lord lift up thelight of his countenance on us

"and give us peace.

"Peace in families,peace across this land,

"and dare I ask, O Lord,peace even in this chamber,

"now and ever more."

It was at that point thatthe Democrat's prayer

took a very odd turn.

First, Cleaver apparently gave credit

not only to the Christian God,

but to countless other deities

to whom people of other faiths pray.

He credited Brahma, afour-faced Hindu deity,

as well as God known by many names,

by many different faiths.

He closed with, "Amen and a-woman."

Take a listen.

- We ask it in the name ofthe monotheistic God, Brahma,

and god known by many namesby many different faiths.

Amen and a-woman.

- Republican congressmanGuy Reschenthaler tweeted,

"Amen is Latin for so be it,it's not a gendered word."

The word amen

historically now invokedat the end of a prayer

has its roots in a Hebrew word

that means certainty or truth.

It's used by Jews, Christians and Muslims.

CBN News reached out to Cleaver's office

for more on his prayerand is awaiting comment.

Meanwhile, a dozen Republican senators

and around 140 House members

now say they will oppose certifying

the electoral college resultsin the presidential election.

Senators led by Ted Cruz

are threatening to reject theelectors from disputed states

as not regularly givenand lawfully certified

unless there is an emergency 10 day audit.