Julia Duin

DUIN: Secrecy cloaks bishops

When I attended my first meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 1986, I was very conscious of about 300 men, all dressed in black, scurrying about on very important business.

August 28, 2008

Catholics rap Pelosi’s abortion remarks

Several of the nation's top Catholic bishops, including the archbishops of Washington and New York, piled criticism Tuesday on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about her televised remarks Sunday on abortion and the Catholic Church.

August 27, 2008

Archbishop: No Communion for Biden

The Catholic archbishop of Denver says that presumptive Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. should not take Communion because of his pro-choice stance.

August 25, 2008

DUIN: Faithful repent for national sin

On the TV in my living room on Aug. 16, the two leading candidates for president expounded on their views on faith and politics to the Rev. Rick Warren in the cool confines of Saddleback Church in Southern California.

August 24, 2008

Rule backs doctors opposed to abortion

Federal health officials announced tougher steps yesterday to protect doctors and other health care professionals from being fired or discriminated against for refusing to provide abortions for conscience or religious reasons.

August 22, 2008

Judge rules in favor of breakaway groups

A Fairfax County judge dealt the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia a third defeat in their efforts to retain millions of dollars of church property being held by 11 breakaway congregations.

August 21, 2008

Denver archbishop not among Democrats’ invited clerics

Democrats have invited more than two dozen religious leaders to pray or speak at their upcoming conventioin with a notable exception: Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, a policy wonk and the leader of Colorado's largest religious denomination.

August 19, 2008

DUIN: Chaplain at airport counsels travelers

A few weeks ago, a delayed flight left me marooned at Washington Dulles International Airport. My screeching 3-year-old was running about the gate area. People were glaring and someone even filched my newspaper.

August 17, 2008

TheCall goes out: Redeem America

They came, they fasted and they prayed.

August 17, 2008

Evangelicals rip Obama’s abortion votes

Evangelical Christian leaders of TheCall DC, a large youth prayer rally slated for Saturday on the Mall, criticized presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama on Friday for his liberal votes on abortion.

August 16, 2008

Praying for the U.S.

Washington, is a magnet for all sorts of young people, including a group of devoted Christians who spend their days and nights praying for the nation in a small room on Capitol Hill.

August 14, 2008

DUIN: Protest a ‘siege’ for life

I was driving by the U.S. Supreme Court building the other day when I saw a teenager wearing a red T-shirt, black pants and a piece of red tape across his mouth.

August 14, 2008

DUIN: State reports on religious freedom

Iranian police tortured a Christian couple in East Tehran for holding Bible studies and attending a house church.

August 10, 2008

‘The Shack’: Book on accessible God hits big

William Paul Young, a 53-year-old author turned celebrity, said his book "The Shack" had made God accessible to multitudes who see Him as "angry, distant and disappointed in us."

August 7, 2008

DUIN: More fast times at Call on Mall

Imagine a huge Christian rock concert where the names of the speakers and bands are not announced ahead of time. Instead of a mosh pit, the grounds are filled with twentysomethings with their arms lifted high, lost in worship, repentance, prayer or a combination of all three.

July 27, 2008

DUIN: Priest serves military

I first heard of Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the new head of the Catholic Archdiocese for Military Services, through all the letters he was sending me.

July 24, 2008

DUIN: Web fills a void in Muslim garb

While looking for a place to eat the other night, I discovered Ad-Diwan, a store in a Falls Church strip mall with a sign saying "Islamic clothing."

July 20, 2008

DUIN: Religious speech debated

Late last week, I attended a Capitol Hill briefing about an obscure United Nations resolution on "defamation of religions" that some call the "soft jihad."

July 17, 2008

DUIN: Past comforting in uncertain times

A huge lawsuit involving the national Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia vs. 11 congregations that have broken away to join an Anglican body brings up an inevitable question.

July 13, 2008

DUIN: Bahais a target in Iran

When it comes to the persecution of faith, two groups - the Falun Gong in China and the Bahai in Iran - get some of the worst treatment in the world.

July 10, 2008