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 Hermeneutics and the Meaning of...

This is the third article on some of the various non-profit groups which have offices at 4W43rd St. in Manhattan, where and the Unification Theological Seminary’ (UTS) has its New York campus. Eckankar is a spiritually-oriented group. Eckankar, which literally means “Co-worker with God,” was started in 1965 and currently has members in over 100 countries. They publicize themselves as the “Religion of the Light and Sound of God,” and practice the singing of the word “HU,” an ancient name for God, to uplift and enlighten and bring one closer to God. My main job is to awaken the...

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. Robin James Graham, UTS Director of Advancement and Communication 8 competencies and support structures that bi-vocational ministers need. Bi-vocational ministry can play out in a variety of ways. Some choose to do graphic design or hold a retail job with a flexible schedule. Some hold traditional day jobs in business. In my case, bi-vocational ministry...

One of the most difficult things to do when summing up the life of a famous person is the inevitable question of “What to put in and what to leave out?” It’s sort of like asking someone what their favorite food is, there are so many to choose from. In the case of Huston Smith, who passed away at his home in Berkeley, California on December 30, 2016 at the age of 97, a better, and more relevant, question would be, “who more than he embodied the essence of the spiritual journey we have all been on over the past eight decades?” Born to Methodist missionary parents in China in 1919,...

On November 30, just before the conclusion of the Fall 2016 semester, Mr. Robert Bernstein, journalist and former educator and administrator in the New York City public school system, gave a talk at the UTS Manhattan extension center on the theme “Black/White Relations” in the United States. Mr. Bernstein began his remarks, outlined in full below, with a timely and moving expression of concern about the impact that the recent presidential election has had, and will likely continue to have, on the state of race relations in America; he went on to discuss in turn the historical,...

It is with great pleasure that I introduce this collection of articles written by my long-time colleague, Dr. Dietrich Seidel. Publishing his teachings is one of the last projects he worked on in his earthly life. Dietrich passed away in November, shortly before this book was ready for publication. With the help of his wife, Elisabeth, and the support of their children, Chris and Diesa, the work has continued and this first volume is now complete. I first met Dietrich in 1988 at the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) in Barrytown, New York. Dietrich had recently joined the faculty...

NEW YORK – This is the second part in our series on non-profit organizations which occupy space in the same building as UTS at 4W43 Street. This week the focus is on a group at the center of a topic that appears in the news on a regular basis: gender-based violence. Whether the story gains national headlines involving professional athletes, college campuses, or simply stories reported in local radio, television or newspaper accounts, violence against women is not only a current “hot” topic, but certainly one that will not soon, fade from our conscience. The group,...

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 How New York City Invented...

NEW YORK – The Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) occupies most of the second floor in an eight-story building at 4W43rd Street in Manhattan. Unbeknownst to many, on floors 3-8 in the same building are three dozen other non-profit groups of various sizes and stripes with different purposes and “missions.” UTS’s mission is in the education field. However, that does not limit students to academic study and the pursuit of theology and religion. Students will go on to participate in many aspects of public life, and the proximity of several non-profits in the building gives UTS...