he Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) alumni are a diverse group; they span many generations and spring from nations all across the globe. Their common ground is the desire to serve and to transcend barriers, hence the motto of UTS: “Bridging religious and cultural divides.” This article features Bento Leal – a graduate from the first class of UTS. First Class All the Way Initially, after graduating from UTS, Bento’s journey was filled church related activities and missions, but he emphasizes that being part of the first class to graduate from UTS had an impact on his future...

BARRYTOWN, NY – Enjoying five days of sunshine and warm weather, The thirteenth edition of the Blessed Culture and Sports Festival (BCSF) returned to the grounds of the Barrytown Conference Center in upstate New York from August 9-13, 2017 for the eighth straight year. With nearly a year’s planning and the help of up to as many as 80 volunteers – including 18 core volunteers – the festival was once again an overwhelming success for the 700-plus family, friends and participants who came from as far away as Alaska, the west coast and Canada to take part in numerous...

RED HOOK, NY – Canadian Fred Lacroix (UTS’94) was the winner of the first trophy-awarded Blessed Culture and Sports Festival (BCSF) inter-generational golf tournament held Saturday, August 12 at the Red Hook Golf Club. A total of 17 players took part in the tournament which Jin Kwon Kim (UTS’10), BCSF founder and coordinator, organized this year. “One of the things with me is I’m always trying to initiate stuff,” said Kim. “For example, golf this year. We didn’t have a set person for golf so I took it upon myself to make sure that it happened. Eventually I hope to find someone who...

Going global with online courses: A new era has begun at UTS We encourage all UTS alumni and supporters, to spread the news about UTS-Online and the first courses that UTS is launching in October 2017.  Let potential students know they can benefit from UTS education wherever they may live or work.  With UTS’s online education program students worldwide have access to our expert faculty. Online learning allows you to fit graduate-level study into your own schedule—no matter where you reside.  Earn credit toward a graduate degree, or simply take courses as a non-degree...

BARRYTOWN – The busy summer of activity on the campus of the Barrytown Conference Center in upstate New York continued unabated on Monday, July 31, with more to come. A production crew, on the campus from July 10-28 shooting an independent film (see related story) had no sooner moved out when the Empire State Riders (ESR) came in for a one-night stay. On Tuesday, August 1, Generation Peace Academy (GPA) began a week-long “leaders training” workshop at Barrytown, which will end just about the time the XIII Blessed Cultural and Sports Festival rolls in on Wednesday, August 9 for a...

The following is a transcript of Dr. Andrew Wilson’s presentation given at the forum on “Interfaith Dialogue in these troubled times”. The event was held at the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) in New York City on Monday, July 31st. Dr. Andrew Wilson is Professor of Scriptural Studies at UTS.Wilson is the author of World Scriptures: A Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts, which is a compilation of the major texts and themes espoused by Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Bahai, and Confucianism. I am sure all of you are here because you are interfaith....

The worldwide Unification movement needs trailblazers who can apply the Unification worldview and teachings of the True Parents in their own cultural context, who can affirm unchanging values and ideals and who can apply them in our troubled world. UTS is prepared to serve that need and has built an online education platform that will allow students throughout the world, including North America, to access graduate-level courses remotely through the Internet. Online learning allows you to fit graduate-level study into your own schedule—wherever you are. Are you interested in...

NEW YORK CITY – In the celebrated Oak Room, a multi-media classroom for graduate studies at the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS), interfaith inched up into a more profound and pragmatic meaning during a forum on “Interfaith Dialogue in these troubled times” on Monday, July 31st.  The speakers, representing academia, community service, and church ministry articulated how interfaith, both in reason and action, could provide the platform for peace in this era of local and global divide and chaos.  Photo: Rev Michael Elam, representing church ministry, addresses the...

MINNEAPOLIS – On a trip back to Minnesota to visit my family, I was able to meet alumni of the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) on Thursday evening, July 20th, at the home of Gordon and Mary Jane Anderson in White Bear Lake, a St. Paul suburb. We had a home-cooked meal, a tour of the garden where the fresh vegetables we ate were grown, an old-fashioned game of horseshoes, and a walk down memory lane. Vetoing my idea of “getting together for pizza,” Gordon (UTS’78) and Mary Jane (UTS’79) invited Jim Bard (UTS’90) and me for a meal at their home. We had salad with ingredients...