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115-763: The Family Peace Association is one of the successors to the HSA-UWC (widely known as the Unification Church and informally as the Moonies ). The others are the Rod of Iron Ministries , led by Hyun Jin Moon's brothers Hyung Jin Moon and Kook Jin Moon , and The Women's Federation for World Peace led by their mother Hak Ja Han . Hyun Jin Moon also founded the Global Peace Foundation , in 2009. It

230-492: A Presbyterian Church , where he later taught Sunday school . In 1945, Moon attended the Israel Monastery (Israel Jesus Church near Seoul) with his wife, Choi Sun-Kil ( 최선길 ; 崔先吉 ; Choe Seon-gil ), to learn the teachings of Kim Baek-moon  [ ko ] , including his book The Fundamental Principles of Christianity (基督教根本原理 drafted March 2, 1946, published March 2, 1958). After World War II and

345-644: A halfway house . The case was the center of national freedom of religion and free speech debates. Prof. Laurence H. Tribe of the Harvard University Law School argued that the trial by jury had "doomed (Moon) to conviction based on religious prejudice ." The American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. , the National Council of Churches , the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus , and

460-563: A "new Israel" throughout the world. Around this time, Moon changed his given name to Sun Myung as an effort to quell the increased resentment of other Christians against him, as he gradually began gathering his own group of followers. Following World War II , Korea was divided (South and North) along the 38th parallel into two trusteeships: the United States and the Soviet Union . Pyongyang (the eventual capital of North Korea)

575-466: A Blessing ceremony held in Korea, partly in order to promote unity between the two nations. Moon's practice of matching couples was very unusual in both Christian tradition and modern Western culture and attracted much attention and controversy. The Blessing ceremonies have attracted a lot of attention in the press and in the public imagination, often being labeled "mass weddings". However, in most cases,

690-632: A South Korean business group ( chaebol ), as well as other related organizations . Moon was born in what is now North Korea. When he was a child, his family converted to Christianity . In the 1940s and 1950s, he was imprisoned multiple times by the North and South Korean governments during his early new-religious ministries, formally founding the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity , simply known as

805-650: A citizen of South Korea, where he maintained a residence. In 1972, Moon founded the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences , a series of scientific conferences. The first conference had 20 participants, while the largest conference in Seoul, in 1982, had 808 participants from over 100 countries. Participants included Nobel laureates John Eccles (Physiology or Medicine 1963, who chaired

920-464: A close look at HSA-UWC's theology is important: "They raise some incredibly interesting issues." In 1984, Eileen Barker published The Making of a Moonie based on her seven-year study of HSA-UWC members in the United Kingdom and the United States. In 2006, Laurence Iannaccone of George Mason University , a specialist in the economics of religion , wrote that The Making of a Moonie

1035-560: A commitment to serving their larger society. In 1994, Rev. Moon declared the completion of the mission of HSA-UWC aiming to dissolve the Unification Church structure. The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification was established in the mid-1990s by Sun Myung Moon. Sun Myung Moon stated at the founding of the FFWPU that he never intended to create a new religion, but to open an age after religion where families would serve as

1150-485: A conservative, family-oriented value system and his interpretation of the Bible . A follower whose family joined Moon's movement in the early 1950s claims that she and Moon engaged in various religious sexual rituals, including with several other women, and that she remained Moon's mistress (through his second marriage) until 1964, bearing Moon another son, in secret, in 1965. Moon married his second wife, Hak Ja Han (who

1265-789: A doctoral thesis entitled "The World Savers: A Field Study of Cult Processes", and in a 1966 book by Prentice-Hall , Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith . In 1977, Frederick Sontag , a professor of philosophy at Pomona College and a minister in the United Church of Christ , spent 10 months visiting HSA-UWC members in North America, Europe, and Asia, as well as interviewing Moon at his home in New York State . He reported his findings and observations in Sun Myung Moon and

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1380-400: A literal Second Coming . Sun Myung Moon Inactive or defunct Inactive or defunct Sun Myung Moon ( Korean :  문선명 ; Hanja :  文鮮明 ; born Moon Yong-Myeong ; 6 January 1920 – 3 September 2012) was a Korean religious leader, also known for his business ventures and support for conservative political causes. A messiah claimant , he was the founder of

1495-894: A meeting space for like-minded families. The FPA does not define itself as a church, but says it is a faith community and a movement of ideal families. The FPA follows the main rituals established by Sun Myung Moon including daily study of holy books, the Blessing marriage ceremony and the Seong Hwa funeral ceremony. The FPA operates across several countries including Korea, Japan, US, Philippines, Mongolia, Taiwan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Colombia. It offers educational programmes for young people, guidance for parents and leadership training, as well as community projects. HSA-UWC The Unification Church ( Korean :  통일교 ; RR :  Tongil-gyo )

1610-681: A new ideal family, and a larger human lineage, free from sin . The Unification Church is well known for its mass weddings , known as Blessing ceremonies . It has been criticized for its teachings and for its social and political influence, with critics calling it a dangerous cult , a political powerhouse, and a business empire. The group has been accused of excessive financial exploitation of its members. Its involvement in politics includes anti-communism and support for Korean reunification . Its members have founded, owned, and supported related organizations in business, education, politics, and more. Moon did not originally intend to found

1725-534: A period of nine years after he claimed Jesus appeared to him on Easter Sunday 1936 on the mountainside and asked him to continue the work that he could not finish while he was on earth, due to the "tragedy" of his crucifixion. It was first published as Wolli Wonbon ( 원리 원본 ; 原理原本 , ' Original Text of the Divine Principle ' ) in 1945. The earliest manuscript was lost in North Korea during

1840-493: A presence in approximately 100 countries around the world. Its leaders are Moon (prior to his death) and his wife, Hak Ja Han , whom their followers honor with the title "True Parents". Moon's book, The Divine Principle , informs the beliefs of the Unification Church. Moon considered himself the Second Coming of Christ , claiming to complete the mission Jesus Christ was unable to because of his crucifixion: beginning

1955-651: A president from the Negro race. What will you do if I say so? There's no question there. We must never forget that we are brothers and sisters in a huge human family. In any level of community, we must become like a family." In 1981, he said that he himself was a victim of racial prejudice in the United States (concerning his prosecution on tax charges in United States v. Sun Myung Moon ), saying: "I would not be standing here today if my skin were white or my religion were Presbyterian . I am here today only because my skin

2070-430: A separate organization or denomination, and did not give his group of followers its official name, Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity ( 세계 기독교 통일 신령 협회 ; Segye Gidoggyo Tong-il Sinryeong Hyeobhoe ), until 1954. The informal name "Unification Church" ( 통일교 ; Tongilgyo ) has been commonly used by members, the public, and the news media. By 2018, the term "Unification Movement"

2185-676: A time when Korea was under Japanese rule . He was the second son in a farming family of thirteen children, eight of whom survived. Moon's family followed Confucianist beliefs until he was around 10 years old, when they converted to Christianity and joined the Presbyterian Church . Moon claims that he experienced a religious vision of Jesus at age 16 that laid out his life's mission. In 1941, Moon began studying electrical engineering at Waseda University in Japan. During this time, he cooperated with Communist Party members in

2300-467: A view of a "God-centered family". In 2003, Korean FFWPU members started a political party in South Korea, "The Party for God, Peace, Unification, and Home" ( 천주평화통일가정당 ). An inauguration declaration stated the new party would focus on preparing for Korean reunification by educating the public about God and peace. An FFWPU official said that similar political parties would be started in Japan and

2415-691: A whole were prepared by God to receive the Messiah in the person of Jesus of Nazareth , with John the Baptist tasked from birth with the mission to lead the Jewish people to Jesus, but failed in his mission. According to the Divine Principle , the Jews went through a "course of indemnity" due to the failure of John the Baptist to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, in spite of publicly testifying to him at

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2530-431: Is "really the only sacrament " in the Unification movement. Unificationists therefore view singleness as "not a state to be sought or cultivated" but as preparation for marriage. Pre-marital celibacy and marital faithfulness are emphasized. Adherents may be taught to "abstain from intimate relations for a specified time after marriage". The church does not give its marriage blessing to same-sex couples. Moon has emphasized

2645-561: Is a new religious movement derived from Christianity , whose members are called Unificationists or sometimes informally Moonies . It was founded in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon in Seoul , South Korea, as the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity ( HSA-UWC ; 세계기독교통일신령협회 ); in 1994, the organization changed its name to the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification ( FFWPU ; 세계평화통일가정연합 ). It has

2760-466: Is a harsh word to use". In the same year, Durst wrote in his autobiography : "Our relations with the Jewish community have been the most painful to me personally. I say this with a heavy heart since I was raised in the Jewish faith and am proud of my heritage." In 1989, Unification Church leaders Peter Ross and Andrew Wilson issued "Guidelines for Members of The Unification Church in Relations with

2875-556: Is not always considered pejorative, as Unification Church members have used the word—including the president of the Unification Theological Seminary David Kim, Bo Hi Pak , Moon's aide and president of Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea , and Moon himself. Moon and his wife, Hak Ja Han, are regarded by Unificationists as "True Father" and "True Mother", respectively, and as "True Parents" collectively. On February 25, 1920, Moon

2990-495: Is the main theological textbook of the Unification movement. It was co-written by Moon and early disciple Hyo Won Eu and first published in 1966. A translation entitled Divine Principle was published in English in 1973. The book lays out the core of Unification theology and is held to have the status of scripture by believers. Following the format of systematic theology, it includes (1) God's purpose in creating human beings, (2)

3105-694: Is the second largest exporter of Korean goods. In 2011, construction of the $ 18-million Yeosu Expo Hotel was completed; the hotel is located at the Moon-owned Ocean Resort in Yeosu , the venue of Expo 2012 . The opening ceremony was attended by the governor of the province. Another one, the Ocean Hotel, was completed in February 2012. Moon-owned Yeongpyeong Resort, Ocean Resort, and Pineridge Resort were scheduled to host Expo 2012 ,

3220-482: Is to promote "intercultural, interracial, and international cooperation through the Unification world view." J. Isamu Yamamoto states in Unification Church : "At times, CARP has been very subtle about its association with the Unification Church; however, the link between the two has always been strong since the purpose of both is to spread Moon's teachings." The HSA-UWC also sent missionaries to Europe. They entered Czechoslovakia in 1968 and remained underground until

3335-580: Is yellow and my religion is Unification Church. The ugliest things in this beautiful country of America are religious bigotry and racism." Several African American organizations and individuals spoke out in defense of Moon at this time, including the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus , the Southern Christian Leadership Conference , the National Conference of Black Mayors , and Joseph Lowery , who

3450-740: The New York City Tribune ) and the Spanish-language Noticias del Mundo, were published in New York from 1976 until the early 1990s. In 1982 The New York Times described News World as "the newspaper unit of the Unification Church." Moon's son, Hyun Jin Moon , is its chairman of the board. News World Communications owns United Press International , The World and I , Tiempos del Mundo (Latin America), The Segye Ilbo (South Korea), The Sekai Nippo (Japan),

3565-593: The 2018 Winter Olympics , and Formula 1 . Moon also managed the FIFA -accredited Peace Cup . The FIFA itself has funded more than $ 2m for the Peace Cup since 2003. Moon took a strong stance against racism and racial discrimination . In 1974, he urged Unification Church members to support an African-American president of the United States: "We have had enough of white presidents. So, let's this time elect

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3680-657: The Japanese rule ended in 1945, Moon began preaching. In 1946, Moon traveled alone to Pyongyang in Communist -ruled North Korea. He was arrested on allegations of spying for South Korea and given a five-year sentence to the Hŭngnam labor camp . Moon founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC) in Seoul on May 1, 1954. It expanded rapidly in South Korea and, by

3795-537: The Korean War . A second, expanded version, Wonli Hesol ( 원리 해설 ; 原理解說 ), or Explanation of the Divine Principle , was published in 1957. The Divine Principle    [ ko ] or Exposition of the Divine Principle ( 원리강론 ; 原理講論 ; Wolli Gangnon ) is the main theological textbook of the movement. It was co-written by Sun Myung Moon and early disciple Hyo Won'eu and first published in 1966. A translation entitled Divine Principle

3910-462: The Korean independence movement against Imperial Japan . In 1943, he returned to Seoul and, in 1944, married his first wife, Sun-kil Choi ( 최선길 ; 崔先吉 ; Choe Seon-gil ). They had a son, Sung Jin Moon ( 문성진 ; 文聖進 ; Mun Seong-jin ). In the 1940s, Sun Myung Moon attended a church led by Kim Baek-moon, who influentially taught that he had been given by Jesus the mission to spread the message of

4025-408: The Korean peninsula , as well as on international relations , tourism, etc. In 1994, Moon was officially invited to the funeral of Kim Il Sung in spite of the absence of diplomatic relations between North Korea and South Korea. Moon and his church are known for their efforts to promote Korean unification . In 2003, Korean Unification Church members started a political party in South Korea. It

4140-869: The Palestinian Parliament as part of his Middle East Peace Initiatives . Tongil Group is a South Korean business group ( chaebol "Tongil" is Korean for "unification"; the name of the Unification Church in Korean is "Tongilgyo") founded in 1963 by Moon as a nonprofit organization to provide revenue for the church. Its core focus was manufacturing, but in the 1970s and 1980s, it expanded by founding or acquiring businesses in pharmaceuticals, tourism, and publishing. Among Tongil Group's chief holdings are: The Ilwha Company, which produces ginseng and related products; Ilshin Stone, building materials; and Tongil Heavy Industries, machine parts, including hardware for

4255-523: The Rod of Iron Ministries (also known as the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary Church). It has been controversial for its advocacy of private ownership of firearms and for its support of the January 6 United States Capitol protest . The Unification Church has been struggling with severe financial difficulties following the death of Sun Myung Moon. Since late July 2024, protests have erupted at

4370-581: The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion . In 1997 Barker reported that Unificationists had mostly undergone a transformation in their worldview from millennialism to utopianism . In 1998, Irving Louis Horowitz , a sociologist, questioned the relationship between the HSA-UWC and scholars whom it paid to conduct research on its behalf. Unificationism holds that the Jewish people as

4485-504: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference filed briefs in support of Moon. Many notable clergy, including Jerry Falwell and Joseph Lowery , signed petitions protesting the government's case and spoke out in defense of Moon. Carlton Sherwood , in his book Inquisition , stated that the conviction of Reverend Moon was viewed by Protestant pastors to be a humiliation of religious liberty. After his prison sentence, Moon began calling himself humanity's Messiah , and officially conferred

4600-588: The Soviet Union and met with President Mikhail Gorbachev . Moon expressed support for the political and economic transformations underway in the Soviet Union. At the same time, the movement was expanding into formerly communist nations. The Women's Federation for World Peace (세계평화여성연합, WFWP) was founded in 1992 by Hak Ja Han. Its stated purpose is to encourage women to work more actively to promote peace in their communities and society. It has members in 143 countries. On May 1, 1994 (the 40th anniversary of

4715-604: The Tokyo Dome . Bush told the gathering: "If as president I could have done one thing to have helped the country more, it would have been to do a better job in finding a way, either through speaking out or through raising a moral standard, to strengthen the American family." Hak Ja Han , the main speaker, credited her husband with bringing about the Fall of Communism and declared that he must save America from "the destruction of

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4830-603: The Unification Church , whose members consider him and his wife Hak Ja Han to be their " True Parents ", and of its widely noted " Blessing " or mass wedding ceremonies. The author of the Unification Church's religious scripture, the Divine Principle , he was an anti-communist and an advocate for Korean reunification , for which he was recognized by the governments of both North and South Korea . Businesses he promoted included News World Communications , an international news media corporation known for its American subsidiary The Washington Times , and Tongil Group ,

4945-710: The Zambezi Times (South Africa), The Middle East Times (Egypt). Until 2008 it published the Washington, D.C.-based newsmagazine Insight on the News . Until 2010, it owned The Washington Times . On November 2, 2010, Sun Myung Moon and a group of former Times editors purchased the paper from News World. Starting in the 1980s, Moon instructed HSA-UWC members to take part in a program called "Home Church" in which they reached out to neighbors and community members through public service. In April 1990, Moon visited

5060-628: The 1976 conference) and Eugene Wigner (Physics 1963). In 1974, Moon asked church members in the United States to support President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal , when Nixon was being pressured to resign his office. Church members prayed and fasted in support of Nixon for three days in front of the United States Capitol under the motto: "Forgive, Love and Unite." On 1 February 1974, Nixon publicly thanked them for their support and officially received Moon. This brought

5175-575: The 1982 one at New York's Madison Square Garden , the first outside South Korea. In 1992, about 30,000 couples took part in a ceremony and a record 360,000 couples in Seoul took part three years later. Moon said that he matched couples from differing races and nationalities because of his belief that all of humanity should be united: "International and intercultural marriages are the quickest way to bring about an ideal world of peace. People should marry across national and cultural boundaries with people from countries they consider to be their enemies so that

5290-615: The 1990s. Unification movement activity in South America began in the 1970s with missionary work. Later, the HSA-UWC made large investments in civic organizations and business projects, including an international newspaper. Starting in the 1990s, the HSA-UWC expanded in Russia and other former communist nations. Hak Ja Han , Moon's wife, made a radio broadcast to the nation from the State Kremlin Palace . As of 1994,

5405-559: The 70th year it will be altogether ruined. This is true. Therefore, now is the time for people who are studying communism to abandon it." In 1980, Moon asked church members to found CAUSA International as an anti-communist educational organization, based in New York . In the 1980s, it was active in 21 countries. In the United States, it sponsored educational conferences for Christian leaders as well as seminars and conferences for Senate staffers and other activists. In 1986, it produced

5520-416: The Blessing ceremony is not a legal wedding ceremony. Some couples are already married and those that are engaged are later legally married according to the laws of their own countries. The New York Times referred to a 1997 ceremony for 28,000 couples as a "marriage affirmation ceremony", adding: "The real weddings were held later in separate legal ceremonies." Mary Farrell Bednarowski says that marriage

5635-495: The Church invested nearly a million dollars into the United States seafood industry. Moon delivered a speech in 1980 entitled "The Way of Tuna," in which he claimed that "After we build the boats, we catch the fish and process them for the market, and then have a distribution network. This is not just on the drawing board; I have already done it." and declared himself the "king of the ocean." He also suggested that they could get around

5750-737: The HSA-UWC had about 5,000 members in Russia. About 500 Russian students had been sent to the US to participate in 40-day workshops. Moon moved to the United States in 1971, although he remained a citizen of the Republic of Korea. In the 1970s, he gave a series of public speeches in the United States, including one in Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1974; two in 1976 in Yankee Stadium in New York City; and one on

5865-650: The Jewish People" which stated: "In the past there have been serious misunderstandings between Judaism and the Unification Church. In order to clarify these difficulties and guide Unification Church members in their relations with Jews, the Unification Church suggests the following guidelines." In 2008, the Encyclopaedia Judaica described the statements and guidelines arising from mutual contacts as "excellent". Protestant commentators have criticized Unification Church teachings as being contrary to

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5980-662: The Jordan River, whilst receiving the baptism. In 1976, the American Jewish Committee released a report by Rabbi A. James Rudin which stated that the Divine Principle contained "pejorative language, stereotyped imagery, and accusations of collective sin and guilt ." In a news conference that was presented by the AJC and representatives of Catholic and Protestant churches, panelists stated that

6095-469: The News . Until 2010, it owned The Washington Times . On 2 November 2010, Sun Myung Moon and a group of former Times editors purchased the Times from News World. In 1982, Moon sponsored the film Inchon , an historical drama about the Battle of Inchon during the Korean War . It was not successful critically or financially and was criticized for its unfair treatment of the North Korean government. In 1989, Moon founded Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma ,

6210-434: The Protestant doctrine of salvation by faith alone . In their influential book The Kingdom of the Cults (first published in 1965), Walter Ralston Martin and Ravi K. Zacharias disagreed with the Divine Principle on the issues of Christology , the virgin birth of Jesus , the movement's belief that Jesus should have married , the necessity of the crucifixion of Jesus , and a literal resurrection of Jesus as well as

6325-401: The Sanctuary Church, while his widow Hak Ja Han has continued to lead the Unification Church (Also known as FFWPU - Family Federation for World Peace and Unification). The FPA believes that all people are a unique creation of God, and members of a human family. The FPA believes that the family is a sacred institution for God's original vision of creation. The FPA sees its role as providing

6440-433: The South Korean military. News World Communications is an international news media corporation founded by Moon in 1976. It owns United Press International , World and I , Tiempos del Mundo (Latin America), The Segye Ilbo (South Korea), The Sekai Nippo (Japan), the Zambezi Times (South Africa), and The Middle East Times (Egypt). Until 2008, it published the Washington, D.C.-based newsmagazine Insight on

6555-422: The Unification Church , published by Abingdon Press . The book also provides an overview of the Divine Principle . In an interview with UPI , Sontag compared the HSA-UWC with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and said that he expects its practices to conform more to mainstream American society as its members become more mature. He added that he did not want to be considered an apologist but that

6670-440: The Unification Church, in Seoul , South Korea, in 1954. The Unification Church teaches conservative, heterosexual family-oriented values from new interpretations of the Christian Bible mixed with theology from Moon's own text, the Divine Principle . In 1971, Moon moved to the United States and became well known after giving a series of public speeches on his beliefs. In the 1982 case United States v. Sun Myung Moon , he

6785-438: The Unification Church: In the early 1960s, John Lofland lived with HSA-UWC missionary Young Oon Kim and a small group of American members and studied their promotional and proselytization activities. Lofland noted that most of their efforts were ineffective and that most of the people who joined did so because of personal relationships with other members—often family relationships. Lofland published his findings in 1964 as

6900-452: The United Nations." In 2003, Moon sponsored the first Peace Cup international club soccer tournament. The Los Angeles Galaxy , which competes in Major League Soccer , played in South Korea in the Peace Cup. During the event, Pelé , widely regarded as the best soccer player of all time and former Brazilian Sports Minister, met with Moon. In 2009, Moon's autobiography, As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen ( Korean : 평화를 사랑하는 세계인으로 ),

7015-445: The United States. Since 2003, the FFWPU-related Universal Peace Federation's Middle East Peace Initiative has been organizing group tours of Israel and Palestine to promote understanding, respect, and reconciliation among Jews, Muslims, and Christians. On August 15, 2012, Moon was reported to be gravely ill and was put on a respirator at the intensive care unit of St. Mary's Hospital at The Catholic University of Korea in Seoul. He

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7130-419: The Universal Peace Federation (UPF), an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). "We support and promote the work of the United Nations and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals ." Moon's projects have been lobbied in the National Congress of Brazil by Brazilian MPs. Moon has held dialogues between members of the Israeli Knesset and

7245-440: The anti-communist documentary film Nicaragua Was Our Home . CAUSA supported the Nicaraguan Contras . In August 1985, the Professors World Peace Academy , an organization founded by Moon, sponsored a conference in Geneva to debate the theme "The situation in the world after the fall of the communist empire." In April 1990, Moon visited the Soviet Union and met with President Mikhail Gorbachev . Moon expressed support for

7360-432: The church into widespread public and media attention. In the 1970s, Moon, who had seldom before spoken to the general public, gave a series of public speeches to audiences in the United States, Japan , and South Korea. The largest were a rally in 1975 against North Korean aggression in Seoul and a speech at an event organized by the Unification Church in Washington, D.C. In 1982, following an IRS investigation, Moon

7475-481: The core of spiritual and character growth. Two years later the FFWPU was launched as a new entity to advance Unification Church theology and principles. The FFWPU was created as a broad-based social movement to promote healthy families and strong societies. According to a memo from the HSA-UWC North America Headquarters in 1997, from the beginning it was clear that the two entities, FFWPU and HSA-UWC, were completely separate, both in objectives and legally. Hyun Jin Moon

7590-555: The couples except 12 who were already married to each other before joining the church. This was Moon's second marriage. In 1945 he married Sun Kil Choi . They had a son in 1946 and divorced in 1954. Later Blessing ceremonies were larger in scale but followed the same pattern. All participants were HSA-UWC members and Moon matched most of the couples. In 1982 the first large-scale Blessing (of 2,000 couples) outside of Korea took place in Madison Square Garden, New York City. In 1988, Moon matched 2,500 Korean members with Japanese members for

7705-500: The day of the "marriage". Public mass blessing ceremonies followed. Some couples are already married, and those that are engaged are later legally married according to the laws of their own countries. Meant to highlight the church's emphasis on traditional morality, they brought Moon both fame and controversy. 36 couples participated in the first ceremony in 1961 for members of the early church in Seoul . The ceremonies continued to grow in scale; over 2,000 couples participated in

7820-423: The decline of communism , based on the teachings of the Divine Principle : "After 7,000 biblical years — 6,000 years of restoration history plus the millennium, the time of completion — communism will fall in its 70th year. Here is the meaning of the year 1978. Communism, begun in 1917, could maintain itself approximately 60 years and reach its peak. So 1978 is the border line and afterward communism will decline; in

7935-438: The end of 1955, had 30 centers nationwide. The HSA-UWC expanded throughout the world, with most members living in South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and other nations in East Asia . In the 1970s, American HSA-UWC members were noted for raising money for Unification Church projects. In 1955 the HSA-UWC founded The Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles ( CARP ; 대학원리연구회 ). According to CARP's website, its goal

8050-749: The entrance of Cheonjeonggung Palace in Gapyeong, starting with a rally calling for the resignation of Vice President Jung Won-joo. These protests have been fueled by the exposure of corruption involving key aides of the former head of the Unification Church Foundation, particularly those close to Han Hak Ja. From late September, the Unification Church Members' Emergency Response Committee and gatherings advocating for Jung's resignation have held protests. By early October, demonstrations spread to major Unification Church sites, including Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gyeonggi's Gapyeong and Cheonwon Temple in Yongsan, Seoul, demanding Jung's resignation. Moon's book, The Divine Principle , was, he claimed, revealed to him over

8165-487: The excommunicated Roman Catholic archbishop Emmanuel Milingo . Moon was also criticized for his relationships with political and religious figures, including U.S. presidents Richard Nixon , George H. W. Bush , and George W. Bush ; Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev ; North Korean president Kim Il Sung ; and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan . Sun Myung Moon was born Yong Myung Moon on 6 January 1920 in modern-day North P'yŏng'an Province , North Korea, at

8280-463: The fall and restore humanity back to the relationship and position that God originally intended. David Václavík and Dušan Lužný described the details of those three points as follows: Followers take as a starting point the truth of the Christian Old and New Testaments, with the Divine Principle an additional text that intends to interpret and "fulfill" the purpose of those older texts. Moon

8395-586: The fall of man, and (3) restoration — the process through history by which God is working to remove the ill effects of the fall and restore humanity back to the relationship and position that God originally intended. God is viewed as the creator, whose nature combines both masculinity and femininity, and is the source of all truth, beauty, and goodness. Human beings and the universe reflect God's personality, nature, and purpose. "Give-and-take action" (reciprocal interaction) and "subject and object position" (initiator and responder) are "key interpretive concepts", and

8510-637: The family and moral decay". In 2000, Moon founded the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO), which describes itself as "a global organization whose mission is to serve its member organizations, strengthen and encourage the non-governmental sector as a whole, increase public understanding of the non-governmental community, and provide the mechanism and support needed for NGOs to connect, partner, and multiply their contributions to solve humanity's basic problems." It has been criticized for promoting conservatism in contrast to some of

8625-642: The founding of the HSA-UWC), Moon declared that the era of the HSA-UWC had ended and inaugurated a new organization: the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) would include HSA-UWC members and members of other religious organizations working toward common goals, especially on issues of sexual morality and reconciliation between people of different religions, nations, and races. The FFWPU co-sponsored Blessing ceremonies in which thousands of couples from other churches and religions were given

8740-533: The grounds of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., where he spoke on "God's Hope for America" to 300,000 people. In 1975, the HSA-UWC held one of the largest peaceful gatherings in history , with 1.2 million people in Yeouido , South Korea. In the 1970s, the Unification Church, along with some other new religious movements, became a target of the anti-cult movement . Activists have accused

8855-475: The human bloodline is sinful due to being directly descended from Satan. Through the Blessing, members believe, the couple is removed from the lineage of sinful humanity and restored back into God's sinless lineage. The first Blessing ceremony was held in 1961 for 36 couples in Seoul, South Korea by the Moons shortly after their own marriage in 1960. All the couples were members of the church. Moon matched all of

8970-406: The ideal wife and creating a pure family that would have begun humanity's liberation from its sinful condition. When Jesus was crucified before marrying, he redeemed mankind spiritually but not physically. That task was left to the "True Parents" — Moon and Han — who would link married couples and their families to God. Although they initially lived communally, his followers gradually returned to

9085-861: The ideals of the United Nations . In 2000, the FFWPU co-sponsored the Million Family March , a rally in Washington, D.C. , to celebrate family unity and racial and religious harmony, along with the Nation of Islam . Louis Farrakhan was the main speaker at the event which was held on October 16, 2000; the fifth anniversary of the Million Man March , which was also organized by Farrakhan. FFWPU leader Dan Fefferman wrote to his colleagues acknowledging that Farrakhan's and Moon's views differed on multiple issues but shared

9200-549: The inaugural opening of the FPA, Hyun Jin Moon expressed that the FPA was created to carry on the trans-religious work his late father, Sun Myung Moon, sought to accomplish with the establishment of the FFWPU. Since Sun Myung Moon's death in 2012, several factions of the Unification Church have been established. While his son Hyun Jin Moon created the Family Peace Association, his youngest son, Hyung Jin Moon started

9315-495: The marriage blessing previously given only to HSA-UWC members. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Church's businesses expanded greatly and encountered significant success, leading to it becoming wealthy despite its declining number of members. In 1991 Moon announced that members should return to their hometowns, to undertake apostolic work there. Massimo Introvigne , who has studied the Unification Church and other new religious movements , said that this confirmed that full-time membership

9430-454: The month, Moon was admitted to Saint Mary's Hospital at The Catholic University of Korea in Seoul. On 15 August 2012, he was reported to be gravely ill and was put on a ventilator at the intensive care unit of St. Mary's. On 31 August 2012, Moon was transferred to a church-owned hospital near his home in Gapyeong , northeast of Seoul , after suffering multiple organ failure. Moon died on

9545-730: The morning of 3 September 2012 (1:54 am KST) at the age of 92. A two-week mourning period was conducted in honor of him. On 15 September, after a funeral service attended by tens of thousands of Unification Church followers, Moon was buried at a church-owned mansion in Gapyeong. In 1964, Moon founded the Korean Culture and Freedom Foundation , which promoted the interests of South Korea and sponsored Radio Free Asia. Former U.S. Presidents Harry S Truman , Dwight D. Eisenhower , and Richard Nixon were honorary presidents or directors at various times. In 1972, Moon offered predictions on

9660-412: The motivation behind his arrest: religious persecution , or a charge of espionage or polygamy . His religious practices during this time may have included unorthodox sexual rituals with multiple women, a claim the Unification Church denies and some scholars have doubted. Arrested again in 1948, he was sentenced to five years at Hungnam labor camp, though in 1950, during the Korean War , he

9775-417: The movement of having "brainwashed" its members. In 1976, American Unification Church president Neil Albert Salonen met with Senator Bob Dole to defend the HSA-UWC against charges made by its critics, including the parents of some members. The Unification Church's involvement in the seafood industry began at the direction of Moon, who ordered an expansion into "the oceanic providence." In 1976 and 1977

9890-425: The political and economic transformations under way in the Soviet Union. At the same time, the Unification Church was expanding into formerly communist nations. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, some American conservatives criticized Moon for his softening of his previous anti-communist stance. In 1991, Moon met with Kim Il Sung , then North Korean president, to discuss ways to achieve peace on

10005-583: The president of the Unification Church of the United States as well as a convert from Judaism , said that the Jewish community had been "hateful" in its response to the growth of the Unification movement, and he also placed blame on the community's "insecurity" and Unification Church members' "youthful zeal and ignorance". Rudin, then the national interreligious affairs director of the American Jewish Committee, said that Durst's remarks were inaccurate and unfair and he also said that "hateful

10120-623: The recently imposed 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone by marrying American and Japanese members, allowing the Japanese ones to become American citizens, because once married, "we are not foreigners; therefore Japanese brothers, particularly those matched to Americans, are becoming ..... leaders for fishing and distribution." He also declared that " Gloucester is almost a Moonie town now!" In 1976 UC members founded News World Communications , an international news media corporation . Its first two newspapers, The News World (later renamed

10235-530: The second most successful soccer club in South Korea, having won a record 7 league titles , 2 FA Cups , 3 League Cups , and 2 AFC Champions League titles. Seongnam's record was beaten by Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2020. The church is the largest owner of U.S. sushi restaurants, and in the Kodiak region of Alaska is the area's largest employer. The church founded the first currently operating automobile manufacturing plant in North Korea, Pyeonghwa Motors , and

10350-496: The self is designed to be God's object. The purpose of human existence is to return joy to God. The "four-position foundation" (Origin, Subject, Object, and Union) is another important and interpretive concept, and explains in part the emphasis on the family. In 1971, Moon moved to the United States, which he had first visited in 1965, and eventually settled into a 35-room mansion on an estate in Irvington, New York . He remained

10465-509: The similarity between Unification views of sexuality and evangelical Christianity, "reaching out to conservative Christians in this country in the last few years by emphasizing shared goals like support for sexual abstinence outside of marriage, and opposition to homosexuality." Since 2001 couples Blessed by Moon have been able to arrange marriages for their own children, without his direct guidance. Also, some Unification Church members have married partners who are not church members. Holy Days of

10580-432: The teachings of the Divine Principle and summarized it in 12 concise points: The Unification Church is well known for its Blessing tradition: a mass wedding ceremony ( 합동결혼식 ) and wedding vow renewal ceremony . It is given to engaged or married couples. According to the Church's belief in a serpent seed interpretation of original sin and the Fall of Man , Eve was sexually seduced by Satan (the serpent), and thus

10695-405: The text "contained over 125 anti-Jewish references." They also cited Moon's recent and public condemnation of " antisemitic and anti-Christian attitudes", and called upon him to make a "comprehensive and systematic removal" of antisemitic and anti-Christian references in the Divine Principle as a demonstration of good faith. In 1977, the HSA-UWC issued a rebuttal to the report, stating that it

10810-422: The title of "Messiah" on himself in 1992. In 1982, The Washington Times was founded by News World Communications , an international media conglomerate associated with Moon, which also owned newspapers in South Korea, Japan , and South America , as well as the news agency United Press International . The political views of The Washington Times have often been described as conservative . The Times

10925-482: The traditional Christian family form (monogamy). Blessing ceremonies have attracted attention in the press and in the public imagination, often being labeled "mass weddings". People who have never met, from completely different countries, were married by the Messiah of the Unification Church by "matching". They were informed that a certain person, specially chosen for him/her by the Messiah, would become their husband/wife. Some of them did not see their future partner until

11040-406: The world of peace can come that much more quickly." Moon said that when he was 16 years old, Jesus appeared to him, anointing him to carry out his unfinished work by becoming parent to all of humanity. The Divine Principle    [ ko ] , or Exposition of the Divine Principle ( Korean :  원리강론 ; Hanja :  原理講論 ; RR :  Wolli Gangnon ),

11155-478: Was "one of the most comprehensive and influential studies" of the process of conversion to new religious movements . Australian psychologist Len Oakes and British psychiatry professor Anthony Storr , who have written rather critically about cults , gurus , new religious movements , and their leaders have praised The Making of a Moonie . It was given the Distinguished Book Award in 1985 by

11270-478: Was 17 at the time) on 11 April 1960, soon after Moon turned 40 years old, in a ceremony called the Holy Marriage. Han is called "Mother" or "True Mother". She and Moon together are referred to as the "True Parents" by members of the Unification Church and their family as the "True Family". Jesus was divine but not God ; he was supposed to be the second Adam who would create a perfect family by joining with

11385-553: Was admitted on August 14, 2012, after suffering from pneumonia earlier in the month. He died there on September 3. Soon after Moon's death the Global Peace Foundation , which had been founded in 2009 by Moon and Han's son Hyun Jin Moon and church leader Chung Hwan Kwak , distanced itself from the FFWPU, which is led by Han. In 2017 they also founded the Family Peace Association . In 2014 Moon and Han's younger sons Hyung Jin Moon and Kook-jin Moon founded

11500-437: Was also widely used. Moonie , the colloquial term for members, was first used in 1974 by some American media outlets. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Unification Church of the United States undertook an extensive public relations campaign against the use of the word by the news media . Many Unification Church members consider the word "Moonie" derogatory, despite originally being received neutrally. In other contexts, it

11615-455: Was appointed vice-president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in 1998 and held the role for ten years. In 2017, he stated, "I can no longer work through the FFWPU because it is not true to my father's original mission", and dedicated the Family Peace Association as the "new vehicle" to realize his father's intentions of "creating a global movement to inspire all humanity to establish God-centered families.". In his address at

11730-482: Was arrested two more times: once on suspicion of religious orgies and once for draft evasion ; both charges were overturned. In 1954, Moon formally founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity in Seoul and fathered an illegitimate child (who died in 1969). In the 1950s, Moon quickly drew young acolytes who helped to build the foundations of Unification-affiliated business and cultural organizations . In his new church, he preached

11845-548: Was born Mun Yong-myeong in Sangsa-ri ( 상사리 ; 上思里 ), Deogun-myon ( 덕언면 ), Jeongju-gun , North P'yŏng'an Province , at a time when Korea was under Japanese rule . His birthday was recorded as January 6 by the traditional lunar calendar (February 25, 1920, according to the Gregorian Calendar ). Around 1930, his family, who followed traditional Confucianist beliefs, converted to Christianity and joined

11960-538: Was convicted in the United States of conspiracy and tax evasion by filing incorrect federal income tax returns totaling less than $ 8,000. He refused to stay in Korea and returned to the United States. His conviction was upheld on appeal in a split decision. Moon was given an 18-month sentence and a $ 15,000 fine. He served 13 months of the sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury , before being released on good behavior to

12075-445: Was found guilty of willfully filing false federal income tax returns and sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. His case generated protests from clergy and civil libertarians, who said that the trial was biased against him. Many of Moon's followers were very dedicated and were often referred to in popular parlance as "Moonies". His wedding ceremonies drew criticism, specifically after members of other churches took part, including

12190-708: Was intent on replacing worldwide forms of Christianity with his new unified vision of it, Moon being a self-declared messiah . Moon's followers regard him as a separate person from Jesus but with a mission to basically continue and complete Jesus's work in a new way, according to the Principle . The Unification Church regards a person's destination after death as being dependent on how much one's work during this life corresponds to its teachings. Moon's followers believe in Apocatastasis , that everyone will eventually receive salvation . In 1977, Frederick Sontag analyzed

12305-572: Was liberated by United Nations troops and allegedly traveled by foot to Busan , (South) Korea. Moon emerged from his years in the labor camp as a staunch anti-communist. His teachings viewed the Cold War between capitalism and communism as the final conflict between God and Satan , with divided Korea as its primary front line. In the 1950s, after years of being separated from his wife and child before reuniting, Moon and Choi divorced. Moon moved to Seoul once again and, continuing his ministry,

12420-612: Was named "The Party for God, Peace, Unification, and Home." In its inauguration declaration, the new party said it would focus on preparing for Korean reunification by educating the public about God and peace. Moon was a member of the Honorary Committee of the Unification Ministry of the Republic of Korea. In 2012, Moon was posthumously awarded North Korea's National Reunification Prize . In 2005, Rev. Sun Myung Moon and his wife, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, founded

12535-510: Was neither comprehensive nor reconciliatory, instead, it had a "hateful tone" and it was filled with "sweeping denunciations". It denied that the Divine Principle teaches antisemitism and gave detailed responses to 17 specific allegations which were contained in the AJC's report, stating that the allegations were distortions of teachings and obscurations of the real content of passages or the passages were accurate summaries of Jewish scriptures or New Testament passages. In 1984, Mose Durst , then

12650-665: Was no longer considered crucial to church members. In 1994, The New York Times recognized the movement's political influence, saying it was "a theocratic powerhouse that is pouring foreign fortunes into conservative causes in the United States." In 1998, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram criticized Moon's "ultra-right leanings" and suggested a personal relationship with conservative Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . In 1995, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and his wife, Barbara Bush , spoke at an FFWPU event in

12765-551: Was published by Gimm-Young Publishers in South Korea. The book became a best-seller in Korea and Japan. By 2010, Moon had given much of the responsibility for Family Federation for World Peace and Unification religious and business activities to his children, who were then in their 30s and 40s. In 2012, the South Korean press reported that Moon traveled worldwide in his private jet , which cost $ 50 million. On 14 August 2012, after suffering from pneumonia earlier in

12880-407: Was published in English in 1973. The Divine Principle lays out the core of Unification Church theology and is held by its believers to have the status of holy scripture. Following the format of systematic theology , it includes God 's purpose in creating human beings, the fall of man , and restoration – the process through history by which God is working to remove the ill effects of

12995-450: Was read by many Washington, DC insiders, including Ronald Reagan . By 2002, Moon had invested roughly $ 1.7 billion to support the Times , which he called "the instrument in spreading the truth about God to the world". In 2000, Moon sponsored a United Nations conference that proposed the formation of "a religious assembly, or council of religious representatives, within the structure of

13110-412: Was suggested that the Family Peace Association could play a leadership role in the reunification of the Korean peninsula through a focus on reuniting families divided between North and South. Sun Myung Moon established the HSA-UWC (Unification Church) in 1954. He stated that the association was meant to foster ecumenical cooperation among Christian sects to promote families with deep spirituality and

13225-695: Was the center of Christian activity in Korea until 1945. From the late 1940s, hundreds of Korean Christian religious figures were killed or disappeared in concentration camps, including Francis Hong Yong-ho , Catholic bishop of Pyongyang, and all monks of Tokwon Abbey . When Moon started his own movement (an early version of the Unification Church) in Pyongyang in 1946, the Soviet-controlled North Korean government imprisoned and, he claims, tortured him. Sources vary on

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