Doctoral Dissertation Project Summary by Magnus Larsson | Larssonusa@gmail.com Abstract How can religious ideas be presented to people who do not already have a background in faith? Is there a way to talk about God that does not alienate those who are skeptical of religious authority? In today’s world, where many seek both intellectual credibility and personal meaning, education must bridge spiritual insight with real-world application. This requires a model that is both theologically grounded and practically relevant. This study addresses that challenge by developing and...

Doctoral Dissertation Project by Alhassan Abubakari Kamagtey | a.kamagtey@hji.edu, gawsuzaman@gmail.com, Alhassan.kamagtey@wmchealth.org My dissertation focused on the role of marital counseling in enhancing the quality of marital relationships among married couples within the Yankasa Muslim Community, located in the Bronx, New York, USA. The central objective of the research was to investigate how members of this immigrant Muslim community view, understand, and experience Islamic marital counseling, especially in the context of its relevance and impact on marital stability and overall...

Doctoral Dissertation Project Overview by Shota Iwasaki | Shotaiwasaki1031@gmail.com, +1 267 333 2347          This dissertation project aimed to show how an active, genuine, community-oriented ministry could establish a practical ethos to attract more youth through consistent community cleanup projects and the need to facilitate numerous in-person and online meetings with was to promote community engagement, encourage residents, and convince public officials to stop illegal dumping and maintain the beauty of the Germantown section of Philadelphia. It also sought to understand how to...

Doctoral Dissertation Project Summary by Alice Fleisher | A.Fleisher@hji.edu Abstract A nationwide study was conducted, assessing the spiritual life and development providence, including both cognitive education and practices available for young adults, ages 18 through 26, who were affiliated with the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) in the USA. Educational programs and ministries sponsored by FFWPU-USA, tasked with the responsibility of helping young adults invest in and develop their spiritual lives, were investigated. Areas of focus included an examination...

Doctoral Dissertation Project Summary by Mika Deshotel | M.Deshotel@hji.edu Abstract This study looked at the effects of monthly intergenerational worship services within a medium-sized Northeast Unificationist community in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The services sought to empower intergenerational collaboration and leadership within the community, while exploring congregants’ sense of belonging, appreciation of one another, and an overall sense of shared commitment to the community’s future. Surveys were conducted at various times over a 5-month period, uncovering the importance and...

Doctoral Dissertation Project Summary by Katarina Connery | KConnery@wfwp.us Abstract This dissertation project explores whether deepening a connection to God’s motherly love—expressed through the nurturing presence of “Heavenly Mother”—can help mothers of young children enhance their sense of self-worth. At the heart of the project, 30 mothers of children ages 9 and younger worked through a 40-day spiritual practice journal rooted in the metaphor of growing within God’s “womb” as a beloved child—the journal was created to guide participants in creating a sacred space to reflect on...

Doctoral Dissertation Project Summary by Kenneth Alexander | K.Alexander@hji.edu Abstract         It is the lack of agencies working together to provide citizens returning to society after incarceration with the support they need to become productive working-class citizens and avoid recidivism that has plagued our families and communities in America for decades.  Data from the Department of Labor and other organizations show that reentry initiatives require our attention to reduce recidivism and support those ex-offenders seeking to...

On Saturday, May 31, 2025, HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership (HJI) held its 49th Commencement in New York City to celebrate the class of 2025. Rev. Demian Dunkley Special remarks were offered by Rev. Demian Dunkley, FFWPU Continental Director, North America, and Member of the HJI Board of Trustees. “I believe we came here, to this great school, to go deeper and dive deeper into our own sense of purpose and to show up boldly, courageously, and surrender to a higher will.” Dr. Franco Famulao, Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, Rev. Demian Dunkley Dr. Thomas...