Julia Duin

Va. Episcopal bishop retiring early

Virginia Episcopal Bishop Peter J. Lee said Friday that he will retire three months early, on Oct. 1, in a bid to save money for his financially-strapped diocese.

January 24, 2009

Clergy offer Obama counsel

A bevy of religious leaders, including the first woman to preach at an inaugural prayer service, gave newly sworn-in President Obama plenty of spiritual advice Wednesday.

January 22, 2009

DUIN: Pro-lifers prepare for fight

Grim. That's the mood among the pro-lifers, thousands of whom are marching down Constitution Avenue on Thursday to protest the 36th anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

January 22, 2009

DUIN: Teaching kids about religion

Not long ago, I was in a synagogue, surrounded by toddlers, trying to pray in Hebrew.

January 18, 2009

Some faiths left out of prayer service

Four Episcopalians and three Jews lead the list of religious figures selected to give sermons, prayers, Scripture readings and blessings at the National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral.

January 17, 2009

Faithful to celebrate Obama with dance, song

A variety of religions will be whooping it up this weekend at something unique in terms of inaugural festivities: religiously oriented balls.

January 15, 2009

DUIN: Masonic rituals live on

President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in Tuesday will incorporate several elements out of America's Masonic past.

January 15, 2009

Charts hail unlikely ‘Priests’

Spiritually inspired music isn't known for making Billboard's top 100 list, but a debut album from a trio of Irish priests is hanging on during the post-Christmas season.

January 15, 2009

Gay bishop to give Inaugural prayer

President-elect Barack Obama's choice of openly gay New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson to say a prayer Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial is the latest in a theologically diverse lineup of clergy slated to pray or speak at inauguration festivities.

January 13, 2009

DUIN: Ignoring issue of black abortions

It arrived in my e-mail last Friday; a press release about a journalism conference on mortality rates for black Americans.

January 11, 2009

Faith community mourns ‘inspirational’ Neuhaus

The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus traversed the entire political spectrum during his 40 years in public life, starting as a Lutheran pastor preaching fiery sermons against the Vietnam War and ending as de facto leader and inspirer of a generation of post-Vatican II Catholic conservatives.

January 9, 2009

DUIN: College decrees welcome for gays

Last week, I got a curious tip. Protestants at Georgetown University have been directed to sponsor an event to be "welcoming" to the new campus gay rights center.

January 8, 2009

DUIN: Finding God and losing God

While vacationing in Seattle over Christmas, I read two books --

January 4, 2009

Seattle sees faith differently

Every Christmas, I traverse the country to Seattle, another world in terms of state of mind and how things are done.

January 1, 2009

DUIN: ‘Bella’ celebrates life, changed lives

Dec. 28 is known as the Massacre of the Innocents, named after the slaughter of a whole city's worth of baby boys younger than 2, ordered by King Herod when he was told by the wise men that a messiah had been born in Bethlehem within the past two years.

December 28, 2008

DUIN: Let us adore Him

The other day, my daughter returned home from her speech class with Prince George's County schools with a strange green button pinned onto her jumper.

December 25, 2008

Conservative churches win case in Episcopal split

Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Randy I. Bellows on Friday issued a fourth straight ruling in favor of a group of 11 conservative Episcopal churches that left the denomination two years ago this month — dismayed over issues of biblical authority and the prospect of gay clergy.

December 21, 2008

Synagogue’s director plays by own rules

Much has been said of Washington's historic and innovative Sixth and I Synagogue but little of the marketing genius behind its success.

December 21, 2008

DUIN: An expedition to Armageddon

One hot spring day in 1986, a bunch of us visited the great archaeological site Megiddo in Israel's Jezreel Valley to see where history would end.

December 21, 2008

DUIN: Witnessing theology from inside

Two years ago this week, nine Episcopal churches staged a dramatic walkout from the Diocese of Virginia, followed by two more the following month.

December 18, 2008