Selig, William
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry

William P. Selig, DMin, RBC, is an adjunct assistant professor of Pastoral Ministry at HJ International Graduate School in New York City and a retired board-certified chaplain (RBC) with the Association of Professional Chaplains. He has served as a hospice volunteer and interfaith hospital chaplain in Maryland, Washington, DC, California, and Virginia, and currently volunteers with the Spiritual Care Department at a hospital in Northern Virginia. Dr. Selig holds a BA from the University of Maryland and a Master’s and Doctor of Ministry from the Unification Theological Seminary. His writing has appeared in Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, Reflective Practice, Religious Education, and church publications including Unification News and Applied Unificationism. He serves as Ecclesiastical Endorser and National Seonghwa Advisor for the Family Federation for World Peace-USA.
Research Statement
The integration of spiritual discernment, pastoral presence, and lived experience in processes of human spiritual formation.
Research Interests
Dr. Selig’s research examines spiritual formation as a lifelong process of human development shaped by discernment, relational presence, and pastoral praxis.
- Spiritual formation and the development of the “original nature”
- Pastoral theology and chaplaincy as sites of spiritual transformation
- Discernment, suffering, and meaning-making in lived experience
- Narrative reflection and spiritual autobiography in faith development
- Integration of self-care, other-care, and divine relationship
Keywords: Spiritual formation – Pastoral theology – Discernment – Chaplaincy – Narrative identity – Original nature – Interfaith care – Reflective practice
- Doctor of Ministry, Unification Theological Seminary
- Master’s Degree, Unification Theological Seminary
- B.A., University of Maryland
Books:
- An Exploration of Unification Theology and the Christian Tradition. New York: HJI Press, 2025. Available Online
- Ikita Kamisama ga Hatarakutoki [When the Living God Works]. Tokyo: Kogensha, 2022. Available Online
- Explorations in Unificationism. Co-edited with David A. Carlson. Barrytown, NY: Unification Theological Seminary, 1997. Available Online
Articles:
- “Unification Eschatology as Compared with Christian Eschatology.” Journal of Unification Studies 22 (2021): 87-115. View Online
- “Unification Christology.” Journal of Unification Studies 21 (2020): 51-75. View Online
- “The Unification Doctrine of the Fall.” Journal of Unification Studies 20 (2019): 57-112. View Online
- “Providential History of Modern Thought: A Unification Perspective.” Journal of Unification Studies 18 (2017): 1-54. View Online
- “Were True Parents Born with Original Sin? How to Deal with Their Words on This Matter.” Journal of Unification Studies 18 (2017): 109-122. View Online
- “The Problem of Evil: Unification Theodicy.” Journal of Unification Studies 17 (2016): 33-70. View Online
- “God and the World: Advantages of the Unification Doctrine of God’s Dual Characteristics.” Journal of Unification Studies 16 (2015): 27-64. View Online
- “Two Aspects of Love in God’s Heart in Unification Theism: Biblical Evidence.” Journal of Unification Studies 15 (2014): 101-13. View Online
- “Sun Myung Moon’s Approach to the Bible.” Journal of Unification Studies 14 (2013): 1-22. View Online
- “How a God of Omnipotence and Perfection Can Suffer: A Perspective from Unification Theism.” Journal of Unification Studies 13 (2012): 33-72. View Online
- “The Unification Doctrine of the Atonement.” Journal of Unification Studies 11 (2011): 11-40. View Online
- “The Unity of Sciences according to Unification Thought: A Theological Perspective.” Journal of Unification Thought 4 (2006): 269-93. View Online
- “Faith and Reason: A Unificationist View.” Journal of Unification Studies 3 (1999-2000): 73-84. View Online
- “The Unification Doctrine of the Trinity.” Journal of Unification Studies 2 (1998): 1-17. View Online
- “Unification Christology: A Fulfillment of Niceno-Chalcedonian Orthodoxy.” In Explorations in Unificationism, edited by Theodore T. Shimmyo and David A. Carlson. Barrytown, 17-36. N.Y.: UTS, 1997. View Online
- “Individuality and Relationship: A Unificationist View.” In Explorations in Unificationism. Edited by Theodore T. Shimmyo and David A. Carlson. Barrytown, 127-40. N.Y.: UTS, 1997. View Online
- “St. Augustine’s Treatment of the Donatist Controversy.” The Patristic & Byzantine Review 10 (1991): 173-82.
- “The Problem of the Western Notion of Substance: A Solution by Unification Thought.” In The Establishment of a New Culture and Unification Thought: Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Unification Thought. Tokyo: UTI of Japan, 1991, 257-86.
- “A New Metaphysics in Support of Contemporary Physics: East-West Contributions.” In Absolute Values and the Reassessment of the Contemporary World: Proceedings of the Seventeenth International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences. Los Angeles, 1988, vol. 2. New York: ICUS, 1991, 815-34.
- “Dipolar Theism in Process Thought and Unificationism.” In Unification Theology in Comparative Perspectives, edited by Anthony Querra. Barrytown, 35-48. N.Y.: UTS, 1988. View Online
- “Free Will in St. Augustine’s Doctrine of Predestination.” The Patristic & Byzantine Review 6 (1987): 137-46.
- EDU 5311 Spiritual Formation
Membership:
- Association of Professional Chaplains (APC)
- Religious Education Association (REA)
- Spiritual Care Association
- National Peace Corps Association
Professional Roles and Activities:
- Ecclesiastical Endorser, FFWPU-USA
- National Advisor, Seonghwa (funerary) Ministry, FFWPU-USA
- Member, Sub-Region 2 (SR2) Education Team, FFWPU (presentations and lectures on “How to Become a Peacemaker,” “Living the Principles of Peace,” and “Life and Practice of True Love”)
- Spiritual Care Volunteer, Department of Spiritual Care, INOVA Alexandria Hospital, VA
Honors and Recognitions:
- Retired Board Certified Chaplain (RBC), Association of Professional Chaplains (APC)
- CheonBo (“Heavenly Treasure”) Award, FFWPU (2021)
- Award Certificate, Honorary Mention (Essay Division), 2nd Hyojeong CheonBo Special Great Works Contest (2021)
- Public Service Award, FFWPU (2025)





