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Selig, William

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry

Dr. William P. Selig

w.selig@hji.edu

William P. Selig, DMin, RBC, is an adjunct assistant professor of Pastoral Ministry at HJ International Graduate School in New York City and a retired board-certified chaplain (RBC) with the Association of Professional Chaplains. He has served as a hospice volunteer and interfaith hospital chaplain in Maryland, Washington, DC, California, and Virginia, and currently volunteers with the Spiritual Care Department at a hospital in Northern Virginia. Dr. Selig holds a BA from the University of Maryland and a Master’s and Doctor of Ministry from the Unification Theological Seminary. His writing has appeared in Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, Reflective Practice, Religious Education, and church publications including Unification News and Applied Unificationism. He serves as Ecclesiastical Endorser and National Seonghwa Advisor for the Family Federation for World Peace-USA.

Research Statement

The integration of spiritual discernment, pastoral presence, and lived experience in processes of human spiritual formation.

Research Interests

Dr. Selig’s research examines spiritual formation as a lifelong process of human development shaped by discernment, relational presence, and pastoral praxis.

  • Spiritual formation and the development of the “original nature”
  • Pastoral theology and chaplaincy as sites of spiritual transformation
  • Discernment, suffering, and meaning-making in lived experience
  • Narrative reflection and spiritual autobiography in faith development
  • Integration of self-care, other-care, and divine relationship

Keywords: Spiritual formation – Pastoral theology – Discernment – Chaplaincy – Narrative identity – Original nature – Interfaith care – Reflective practice

  • Doctor of Ministry, Unification Theological Seminary
  • Master’s Degree, Unification Theological Seminary
  • B.A., University of Maryland

Articles and Publications:

  • “Spiritual Resilience,” Association of Professional Chaplains Forum, Vol. 19, No. 1, February 2017. View Online
  • “Is the Air Quality Good Today?” Association of Professional Chaplains Forum, Vol. 23, No. 2, February 2021. View Online
  • “Spiritual Formation during the Coronavirus and Pandemic,” Association of Professional Chaplains Forum, Vol. 24, No. 1, February 2022. View Online
  • “Personal Testimony about Dealing with Loss and Self-Care,” Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, Vol. 78, Issue 4 (December 2024), pp. 196-197. DOI: 10.1177/15423050241293665
  • “Paying God’s Love Forward: A Hospital Chaplain’s Perspective,” Journal of Reflective Practice, Vol. 45, No. 45 (2025). View Online
  • “We’re Never Alone,” Caring for the Human Spirit magazine, Winter/Spring (2025), pp. 20–21. View Online
  • Book review, Becoming by Beholding: The Power of Imagination in Spiritual Formation by Lanta Davis, Religious Education, Vol. 122, Number 2 (2026). View Online
  • “Spiritual Journal,” Caring for the Human Spirit Magazine, Winter/Spring (2026), pp. 8-9. View Online
  • Spiritual Discernment, Journal of Reflective Practice, Vol. 46, No. 46 (2026). View Online
  • EDU 5311 Spiritual Formation

Membership:

  • Association of Professional Chaplains (APC)
  • Religious Education Association (REA)
  • Spiritual Care Association
  • National Peace Corps Association

Professional Roles and Activities:

  • Ecclesiastical Endorser, FFWPU-USA
  • National Advisor, Seonghwa (funerary) Ministry, FFWPU-USA
  • Member, Sub-Region 2 (SR2) Education Team, FFWPU (presentations and lectures on “How to Become a Peacemaker,” “Living the Principles of Peace,” and “Life and Practice of True Love”)
  • Spiritual Care Volunteer, Department of Spiritual Care, INOVA Alexandria Hospital, VA

Honors and Recognitions:

  • Retired Board Certified Chaplain (RBC), Association of Professional Chaplains (APC)
  • CheonBo (“Heavenly Treasure”) Award, FFWPU (2021)
  • Award Certificate, Honorary Mention (Essay Division), 2nd Hyojeong CheonBo Special Great Works Contest (2021)
  • Public Service Award, FFWPU (2025)