After considerable prayer, thought, discussion and due diligence, the UTS Board of Trustees has directed the UTS administration to sell the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) property in Barrytown, NY. The trustees, who have fiduciary responsibility for the institution, came to this difficult decision with a heavy heart. UTS is no longer able to pay what it costs to maintain the property, while simultaneously fulfilling its educational mission in a changing world. In reviewing the financial situation, the trustees determined that it is best to invest the Seminary’s limited resources to...

Jenny Symon lived an adventurous roaming life for many decades before finally settling down in Anchorage, Alaska – a long way from her birthplace of Australia. Her parents were originally from New Zealand so Jenny’s early life found her shifting between the two countries. After spending her early life in Australia, at 16 she returned to New Zealand where she earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Otago in Dunedin. She took a degree in psychology, and although it was to be useful in the future, she didn’t immediately know what she wanted to do in terms of a career. Jenny...

BARRYTOWN – It’s not often that our dreams and desires melt seamlessly into the ever-changing patterns of the universe in which we live. When it does happen, we realize it’s not our actions alone that have brought about this most-favored result, but forces beyond our grasp – or control – that have conspired to bring about the end result. Such is the case with Dr. Abdou Gaye, a 1997 graduate of the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) with a Masters of Religious Education (MRE) degree, and a 2016 graduate of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program. He has been teaching...

The Applied Unificationism Blog was founded five years ago on May 1, 2013 and is a blog hosted by the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS). Its purpose is to explore the application of Unificationism to the wider world, but also occasionally posts significant articles on theology. It generally posts a new commentary article every Monday. The Applied Unificationism Blog is broadly read by Unificationists in the U.S., as well as in Europe, Korea and Japan. One major leader termed it, “the best thing out there,” referring to its focus and discussion of how to apply Unificationist...

NEW YORK – One of the most popular classes this semester at the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) New York City campus is a new course being taught by Dr. Frank Kaufmann (UTS’79) entitled: “Interfaith Peacebuilding and the United Nations” (UN).  Designed as an “intensive,” the course covers the content of the program in five weeks instead of the usual 15 weeks, with each class lasting for nine hours. Each class is broken up into two halves; usually classroom meetings in the morning and afternoon visits arranged to meet with different UN and Non-Governmental Organizations...

The Journal of Unification Studies is a forum for committed engagement with Unification theology and practice, published annually by the Unification Theological Seminary. 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. In addition, the Journal promotes dialogue and understanding by presenting papers from diverse viewpoints that engage Unification theology and practice. In his article, Words Matter:...

I attended the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Global Summit 2018 in Washington, D.C. from April 4-7. My involvement is a direct result of hearing about the Set Free Summit held in April of 2016 in North Carolina from Rev. Kevin Thompson, pastor of the Bay Area Family Church, who introduced it at the 2017Famicon.  In 2016 the organizers of the Blessed Marriage Project (BMP), which promotes marriage enrichment, learned about the ugly problem of pornography which affects singles and couples. They  decided to tackle the problem; David and Mitsue Wolfenberger offered to...

New York City – An interfaith spiritual leader said that the current social problems, ranging from drug addiction, to family breakdowns and rampant shootings throughout the USA, are basically caused by the “unforgiving mind” of individuals which is a reflection of the lack of spirituality. Ron Pappalardo, author, historian, Reiki master, medium, and international lecturer, voiced that in order to heal these social problems, America has to embark on a spiritual revival through individual and community prayer. Pappalardo recently spoke at the UTS Speaker Series on the topic “Healing...

Dr. Ronald Brown, adjunct professor in World Religions at Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) and assistant professor of History and Political Science at Touro College, presented a well-received paper titled: “The Technology Empowered Cleric and the End of Traditional Religions” at the recent 2018 New England & Canadian Maritimes Regional Meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) on Saturday, April 7, 2018. A graduate of Gannon University, Erie, Pa., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Harvard Divinity School, and The University of Geneva, Switzerland, Dr. Brown analyzed the...