Walsh, Thomas

HJI President

Professor of Religion and Peace

A 1979 graduate of HJI, Dr. Walsh earned his Ph.D. in 1986 at Vanderbilt University’s School of Religion where he specialized in the study of Religion and Ethics. Dr. Walsh has taught courses in religion, philosophy and ethics at a number of colleges and universities, including at HJI. He has also been actively engaged in developing academic and ecumenical programs associated with the wider Unification movement, even as he continued to teach on a part-time basis in higher education. 

Dr. Walsh has worked closely with HJI Co-Founders, Rev Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, in the establishment and in the leadership of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF). Most recently he served as the International Chair of UPF, which holds General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and which has active chapters in more than 120 countries. In addition, Dr. Walsh serves as the Co-Chair of the Coalition of Faith-based Organizations, incorporated in New York and Vienna, and as Vice-Chair of the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations. Dr Walsh has edited more than twenty books and publications for the Universal Peace Federation and he serves as Executive Editor of Dialogue & Alliance, an academic journal indexed by the American Theological Library Association.

Dr. Walsh is the 7th president of HJI, and serves on the faculty as Professor of Religion and Peace.