Obama speech in Cairo tops Religion Newswriters' list of top religion stories

President Obama's speech in Cairo, addressing U.S.-Muslim relations, tops the Religion Newswriters Association's list of the top religion stories for 2009.
Sam Hodges/Reporter

Here's a press release with details:

COLUMBIA, MO.--For the second year in a row, activities of Barack Obama topped the list of religion stories for 2009, according to a survey of more than 100 religion journalists.

The president's June speech--in which he pledged a new beginning in Muslim-U.S. relations during a visit to Cairo--was voted the No. 1 religion story of the year.

The speech at Cairo University last spring was widely viewed as a contrast to the approach of previous administrations. During his talk, Obama invoked the Qur'an, Talmud and the Bible while declaring that Amer ica was not at war with Islam.

The No. 2 religion story was health care reform and the role of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other faith groups played in shaping the debate. the rest

Ranked No. 12
The Anglican Church in North America elects Robert Duncan, deposed Episcopal bishop of Pittsburgh, as archbishop, signifying that the breakaway group is not going to go away.