Mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand have caused the loss of at least 50 lives, including women and children. As the horrific news continues to come out, I am full of grief, just as I was over the murders of worshippers in Charleston, Pittsburgh and elsewhere. An attack on one religious community is an attack on all of us. Each and every person, whether Christian, Jew, Muslim or atheist, is a child of God and beloved by God. News reports indicate that the shooter was influenced by extremist rhetoric on the internet that foists false and hate-filled stereotypes...

Is the fetus a human being with sacred, inviolable rights, or is it just a clump of cells that might be inconvenient for a woman, much like a boil that can be removed at will?  The recent controversy about New York’s Reproductive Health Act and its stipulation that abortion can take place up to the moment of birth, followed by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s remarks which seemed to approve of infanticide have highlighted key variables in the arguments about abortion. Pro-choice feminists argue that it’s all about a woman’s right to do what she feels is best for her body, and...

UTS is proud to report that several UTS alumni are very active in religious education in Philadelphia, PA. In attendance at a recent seminar were the following alumni: Kevin Convery (UTS’84) Sukhont Convery (UTS’83) Shota Iwasaki (UTS’07) Wayne Miller (UTS’79) Hans Moyer (UTS’93) On January 26, the Philadelphia Family Church hosted a one-day intensive Divine Principle seminar at their church meeting hall. Approximately 20 participants attended the dynamic lecture series, which was organized by Pastor Shota Iwasaki (UTS’07) and Assistant Pastor Sunhyun Miller. The...

On the cold and frigid morning of Friday, February 1, in sub-zero degree temperatures, Family Federation pastors and Christian ministers gathered in Chicago, IL to attend the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) 2019 Summit. As more guests arrived, the weather grew warmer with the heartfelt attitude of the clergy. A total of 100 ACLC representatives, coordinators and co-chairs from around the country gathered to welcome the new ACLC National Co-Chairmen and to define the vision for ACLC as it advances toward 2020 and beyond. Dr. Ki Hoon Kim (UTS’96) and Dr. Luonne Rouse were...

The Doctor of Ministry is an advanced theological degree that provides students who are engaged in ministerial leadership the opportunity to enhance and expand their ministerial skills and to reflect on their own theological and spiritual development as men and women of God. It is the capstone professional degree program for individuals who hold the Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent, providing them with the opportunity for further study and reflection and to develop the advanced skills and knowledge required for ministry in the 21st century. The program challenges students...

At the invitation of Family Federation International Vice President Dr. Ki Hoon Kim (UTS’96 ), Rev. Franco Famularo (UTS’94), Chair of the UTS Board of Trustees, gathered some 35 Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) alumni for a meeting at the HyoJeong Cafe on the HJ Cheonwon campus of the Unification movement, some 35 miles outside of Seoul, Korea. The event took place on the evening of February 13.  The participants were Unification movement leaders from throughout the world who had gathered for the movement’s International Leaders’ Assembly on the occasion of the celebration of the...

Is it non-intellectual and foolish to believe that God exists? Is there any evidence in the world around us that will demonstrate that God exists and also show us what God is like? Whenever I kiss our cat on his forehead, he begins to purr. When I place my cheek against his, and hear and feel the contentment of his purring, I sense an invisible but palpable energy of love pass between his consciousness and mine. He expresses and responds to love, as do I. When I walked on the beach one wintry afternoon, with a half-moon riding along the clouds that flowed from a sunset over my...

How was the first week of class at Unification Theological Seminary (UTS)? I picked Systematic Theology, a course which is taught by Dr. Theodore Shimmyo to find out more. It is a significant course; the UTS registrar, Mrs. Ute Delaney (UTS’10) says it is required for the Master of Divinity (MDiv) program, and for the “traditional” Master of Religious Education (MRE) program, though not required for the Master of Arts in Religious Studies or the MRE in Interfaith Peacebuilding. (pp 15-19 UTS Catalog). I hoped to overcome my own apprehensions. What is systematic about...

Republished with permission of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce By Michael Anderson  STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — When the Rev. Dr. Demetrius S. Carolina Sr. arrived at the North Shore in 2005, he understood what one of his priorities should be to help the youth in Stapleton. “Education is the greatest equalizer in the world. When people know better, they can do better,” he said. “I’m a lifelong learner. It is my belief that whenever I’m learning something that will benefit me, it will benefit everyone else around me.” Judging by his accomplishments in the last several...