Unification Theological Seminary

The Unification Theological Seminary (UTS), is the main seminary of the international Unification Church. It is located in Barrytown, New York and with an Extension Center in midtown Manhattan. Its purpose has been described as training leaders and theologians within the Unification Church.Yamamoto, J. I., 1995, "Unification Church", Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House ISBN 0310703816 ( [http://www.zondervan.com/media/samples/pdf/0310703816_samptxt.pdf sample text] )
"1. The Unification Theological Seminary:a. The Unification Church has a seminary in Barrytown, New York called The Unification Theological Seminary.:b. It is used as a theological training center, where members are prepared to be leaders and theologians in the church.:c. Since many people regard Moon as a cult leader, there is a false impression that this seminary is academically weak.:d. Moon’s seminary, however, has not only attracted a respectable faculty (many of whom are not members of his church), but it also has graduated many students (who are members of his church) who have been accepted into doctoral programs at institutions such as Harvard and Yale."] The Unification Theological Seminary is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, [ [http://www.chea.org/search/actionInst.asp?CheaID=439 Unification Theological Seminary] , Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is the regional accrediting organization (for New York and other mid-Atlantic states) for higher education institutions recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the United States Department of Education.] but was placed on warning status in 2001. [cite journal|title=Money & Management Notes|journale=Chronicle of Higher Education|date=2001-12-14|volume=48|issue=16|pages=A29|last=Mcmurtrie|first=Beth|coauthor=Audrey Y. Williams and Goldie Blumenstyk] It offers a three-year Master of Divinity program and a two-year Master of Religious Education program. Its first classes were offered in September 1975. The seminary has had three presidents: David S.C. Kim (1975-94), Theodore Shimmyo (1994-2000) and Tyler Hendricks (2000 to date). [ [http://www.uts.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=264&Itemid=133 History] UTS website. Accessed July 6, 2008.]

The majority of the Seminary's professors have not been Unification Church members, and have included a rabbi, a Methodist minister, a Presbyterian, and a Catholic priest. [ [http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/apr1978/v35-1-criticscorner3.htm Dialogue with the Moonies] Rodney Sawatsky, "Theology Today", April 1978. "Only a minority of their teachers are Unification devotees; a Jew teaches Old Testament, a Christian instructs in church history and a Presbyterian lectures in theology, and so on. Typical sectarian fears of the outsider are not found among Moonies; truth is one or at least must become one, and understanding can be delivered even by the uninitiated."] [ [http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=6158/ Where have all the Moonies gone?] K. Gordon Neufeld, "First Things", March 2008, "While I was studying theology, church history, and the Bible—taught by an eclectic faculty that included a rabbi, a Jesuit priest, and a Methodist minister—most of my young coreligionists were standing on street corners in San Francisco, Boston, and Miami urging strangers to attend a vaguely described dinner."] [Helm, S. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1163 Divine Principle and the Second Advent] "Christian Century" May 11, 1977 "In fact Moon’s adherents differ from previous fringe groups in their quite early and expensive pursuit of respectability, as evidenced by the scientific conventions they have sponsored in England and the U.S. and the seminary they have established in Barrytown, New York, whose faculty is composed not of their own group members but rather of respected Christian scholars."] Most, if not all, of the UTS's students have been Unification Church members. [ [http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/jul1978/v35-2-article3.htm Korean Moon: Waxing or Waning] Leo Sandon Jr. "Theology Today", July 1978, "The Unification Church purchased the estate and now administers a growing seminary where approximately 110 Moonies engage in a two-year curriculum which includes biblical studies, church history, philosophy, theology, religious education, and which leads to a Master of Religious Education degree."] In 2003, the seminary had about 120 students from around the world; with most coming from South Korea and Japan, which have large numbers of Unification Church members. [ [http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/projects/cultures/lo121103s2.shtml Church urges Christian unity: Valley seminary open since 1975] "Poughkeepsie Journal", 2003-12-11 "The seminary usually hosts about 120 students from all over the world, with the majority coming from Japan and Korea, where Unification has large bases."] [ [http://www.religioustolerance.org/unificat.htm Sun Myung Moon] religioustolerance.org "They now have a presence in over 150 countries, with concentrations in Korea, Japan and the United States."] Most students follow the two-year curriculum which includes biblical studies, church history, philosophy, theology, and religious education. [Sandon] Many UTS graduates have been accepted into doctoral programs at institutions such as Harvard and Yale.

Alumni

*Dan Fefferman - Executive director of International Coalition for Religious Freedom
*Tyler Hendricks - President of U.S. Unification Church (1991-2000), now president of Unification Theological Seminary (UTS)
*Michael Jenkins - President of U.S. Unification Church, 2000 to present
*Tom McDevitt - President of the Washington Times
*Lee Shapiro - Documentary film maker, died in Afghanistan in 1987
*Jonathan Wells (1978) - Author and proponent of Intelligent design
*Andrew Wilson - Academic dean of UTS; editor of "World scripture: A comparative anthology of sacred texts"

References

ee also

*Unification Church of the United States
*Union Theological Seminary, associated with Columbia University, which shares the acronym "UTS."

External links

* [http://www.uts.edu/ Seminary's website]