On Sunday, May 31, 2020, Professor William Lay, Director of the University of Bridgeport’s School of Public and International Affairs, organized a virtual convocation of his students to reflect on the inhumane and brutal killing of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police force. I felt fortunate to be among those who participated. Professor Lay explained that he felt called to gather the students due to his additional charge as Chair of the School’s Criminal Justice and Human Security program because students in that program are planning careers in law enforcement. The...

The Seminary’s 44th annual commencement exercises for the UTS Class of 2020 were unique and unprecedented. With the world suffering through a global pandemic due to COVID-19, UTS conducted a virtual graduation for its nineteen M.R.E., M.A., M.Div. and D.Min. graduates. More than 150 “devices” were in attendance representing many more families and friends who logged on to share the graduates’ joy in completing their degrees. Dr. Christine Hempowicz, Vice-Chair of the UTS Board of Trustees, served as MC. Ms. Carla Mongado, a UTS M.A. student and musical theatre performer, sang the...

Dr. Ki Hoon Kim’s Commencement Address to the Unification Theological Seminary Class of 2020. Congratulations to the UTS class of 2020, and congratulations to our Unification Theological Seminary on its 44rd commencement ceremony! As a fellow UTS graduate, it is my honor to recognize the Class of 2020 and to express appreciation to Father and Mother Moon, our Founders, for having made the bold decision to create this institution in 1975 both to train Unification leaders and to enhance dialogue with the Christian community of faith and other believers. Our graduation this...

A Heart Made Whole by Farley Jones Farley Jones numbers among the earliest American followers of Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han. An alumnus of Unification Theological Seminary, he served as President of the Unification Church, as Chairman of the UTS Board of Trustees, and as a long-time Trustee of the Church in the United States. He has recently authored a spiritual autobiography entitled A Heart Made Whole that provides an open window into the early Unification Church movement. Readers, regardless of their religious beliefs, will find that this book recounts a sincere,...

New York – In the fifth UTS Faculty Roundtable Series, Dr. Theodore Shimmyo underscored Unification Christology as a Christology of “the real unity of God and the historical Jesus,” which is largely echoed by the insights of German theologian and Protestant movement catalyst, Martin Luther. Seventy-five participants joined the one-hour online presentation on April 28, 2020 moderated by UTS Academic Dean Dr. Keisuke Noda. Dr. Shimmyo opened his lecture by indicating his passion for Christian theology, including the areas of the Trinity and Christology. He is Professor Emeritus...

On April 14, Dr. Michael Mickler, UTS Vice-President and Professor of Church History, presented on the topic, “No Stranger to Litigation: Court Cases Involving the Unification Church/Family Federation in the United States.” His presentation was the fourth in the Seminary’s current “Faculty Roundtable” series. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this roundtable was virtual rather than in-person. Nevertheless, some forty zoom participants joined in the lively session. Dr. Mickler pointed out that the Seminary’s sponsoring church has passed through two phases of litigation. The first,...

Dear Members of the UTS Community, Warmest greetings in this challenging time. I hope that you and your families are safe and well. This moment in the history of our nation and in the providence of God, Our Heavenly Parent, invites us to reflect and grapple with the most basic questions regarding the relationship between God and humanity. U.S. President John F. Kennedy closed his inaugural address of January 20, 1961 with these words: “With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His...

Unification Theological Seminary will offer its first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) beginning on April 6, 2020. Entitled “Unification Thought in Context,” the course will be taught by Dr. Claude Perrottet, an expert in Unification Thought. Dr. Perrottet translated An Introduction to the Thought of Sun Myung Moon: Unification Thought and V.O.C. Theory from Korean to English. While completing his doctorate at the University of Laval in Quebec, Dr. Perrottet completed the translation of a number of Theologian Paul Tillich’s essays from the original German to English. Dr. Perrottet is...

On March 9, 2020, Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, Family Federation Regional Chairman for North American, as well as International Vice President of the Family Federation, joined Reverend Demian Dunkley, President of Family Federation USA, UTS Board of Trustee Members, and UTS Faculty and Administration in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Unification Theological Seminary’s 43rd Street campus that marked the opening of a new exhibit. It invites interested parties to learn more about the role that UTS has played in Unification History. Ms. Christina Lange, Assistant to UTS President Thomas Ward, as well as...