Back in June of this year while I was wrapping up my students’ grades, I received an unexpected email from “Stossel in the Classroom (SITC)” a website designed to help teachers encourage students’ critical thinking. SITC provides teachers with free (We love that word!) DVDs on a wide variety of topics compiled by Mr. John Stossel over his 29+ years as a consumer reporter, best-selling author, and TV commentator. I used Mr. Stossel’s DVDs in my classroom to provoke debate/discussion over science and social issues that coalesced with our school’s character education objectives. In case you...

On July 27th 2019, the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) organized an Open House at its 4W43 Street New York City Main Campus.  The program started at 2:00pm with Carla Angeline Mongado, a prospective UTS student, offering a beautiful song “Breathe”, from In the Heights, the musical. Dr. Spurgin (UTS’77), the UTS president offered opening remarks. He shared the mission of UTS with participants, encouraging them to become leaders who bridge the divides in this world full of conflicts. Dr Spurgin carries the following card in his wallet: 10 potential students attended the...

Applied Unificationism (the AU Blog) explores the application of Unificationism to the wider world. It is hosted by Unification Theological Seminary in Barrytown, NY. Its articles address concerns of the theological community and the professional ministry, as well as contemporary social, cultural, political, scientific and economic issues, from a Unificationist perspective. This recent article by Dr. David Eaton is being republished in UTS News with permission. In his article Music’s Moral Power: From Christianity to 2020 and Beyond Dr. David Eaton expresses the need for...

“I am one of the many people whom our Heavenly Father has prepared throughout the history of restoration to do a certain task. The work given me may be small, but I accept it, knowing that joined with other such works the world will be restored.” – Theodorus Verheyen Theodorus “Teddy” Verheyen passed away on June 27, 2019 at the age of 84. He lived much of his life in the United States in Tarrytown, NY before moving to Red Hook, NY in 2017. Teddy was born in the town of Noordwijkerhout on March 14, 1935 to Antonius (Toon) Hubertus Verheijen and Johanna (Anna) Gerarda de Haart...

His motto for the year 2019 In this year of transition: Let us all be humble and contrite purifying our hearts seeking a deeper personal relationship with God in order that we may commit ourselves fully to doing His will. Let us all work together with God in love to assist in the realization of His kingdom  – January 1, 2019 of the Gregorian calendar Alex (Ace) Colvin (UTS Class of 1986) was born on September 14, 1950 and ascended on June 14, 2019. I did not know him personally but came across his life and...

A delegation from the Universal Peace Federation International (UPF) had a private meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis at the pope’s office in the Vatican. The delegation consisted of Dr. Thomas G. Walsh (UTS’79), the chair of UPF International; Dr. Tageldin Hamad (UTS’86), vice president of UPF International; and H.E. Hisham Badr, the ambassador of Egypt to Italy and the president of the World Food Programme Executive Board. The thirty-minute meeting took place on July 1, 2019, in the pope’s office around a simple desk with His Holiness, the UPF delegates, and an...

UTS administrators often attend Association of Theological Schools (ATS) events. Experience shows that it is important for UTS to stay current with the conversations which are part of the theological landscape in North America. UTS has affiliate status with ATS Robin James Graham, UTS Director of Institutional Advancement Stability amidst turbulent times: the benefits of bi-vocational ministry Over the last ten years, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Kentucky (CCinKY) observed a growing number of congregations intentionally employing ministers whom they...

Edna Ruth Byler was someone who lived her life to make a difference.  Although I never knew her, she was raised as a Mennonite in the town where I went to college. For those of you who might not know about the Mennonites, they are a faith group that began in the 16th century during the Protestant Reformation. They are known for peace, justice and non-resistance and my father is a retired Mennonite minister. Mrs. Byler grew up surrounding by role models who made a difference through their life.  However, in the 1930-1950’s, the role of a woman in the Mennonite Church was largely to...

The news came that the NY Board of Regents had approved the change of the main campus for UTS from Barrytown, NY to New York City. From July 1, 2019 the new name of the UTS main location will be the UTS New York City Campus located at 4 West 43rd St.  Barrytown will be an “instructional site”. The Board of Regents then held its meeting on May 7.  Master Plan Amendment – Unification Theological Seminary – Relocation of main campus from Barrytown, NY to NYC – The Board of Regents voted to approve a master plan amendment to authorize the Unification...