My latest article for the Washington Post magazine tells the story of a church in wealthy Loudoun County, Va., that over several decades began (according to accounts from dozens of former members) to sexually, physically, and spiritually abuse its congregants. Former members have been waiting for years for results from an ongoing investigation into abuses -- and as they wait, they have to reckon not just with the legacy of the church itself, but with the legacy of their own actions while under the church's control. How does existing in an oppressive and cruel institution affect our moral selves, and how can someone exiting an institution of this sort find healing and forgiveness, from themselves and others?

During the process of reporting this story, I was kicked out of multiple church events, including a show for the church's "race car ministry," all while hugely pregnant; I also got called a "vehicle of Satan" in a recent sermon (starts around 1:40). Enjoy!