Unification Church

Family Federation for World Peace and Unification
(Unification Church)
세계평화통일가정연합
Family Federation for World Peace and Unification; (Unification Church); 세계평화통일가정연합
	Official emblem
Abbreviation	FFWPU, UC
Classification	New religious movement
Scripture	Bible; Divine Principle
Acting Leader	Hak Ja Han
Founder	Sun Myung Moon
Origin	1 May 1954 ; Seoul, South Korea
Other name(s)	Unification Movement; Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (세계기독교통일신령협회); Unificationists; Moonies;
Official website	familyfed.org

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The Unification Church (통일교) is a new religious movement, derived from Christianity, whose members are called Unificationists or sometimes informally Moonies. Sun Myung Moon (1920–2012) began gaining followers after the Second World War. On 1 May 1954 in Seoul, South Korea, Moon formally founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC), the Unification Church's full name until 1994, when it was officially changed to the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU; Korean: 세계평화통일가정연합). It has a presence in approximately 100 countries around the world.^[1] 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 a new ideal family,^[2] and a larger human lineage, free from sin.^[3] The Unification Church is well known for its mass weddings known as Blessing ceremonies.^[4] It has been criticized for its teachings and for its social and political influence, with critics calling it a dangerous cult,^[5]^[6] a political powerhouse, and a business empire.^[7]^[8] The group has been accused of excessive financial exploitation of its members.^[1] Its involvement in politics includes anti-communism and support for Korean reunification.^[9]^[10]^[11] Its members have founded, owned, and supported related organizations in business,^[12] education,^[13] politics,^[14] and more.^[15]

^ ^a ^b Worth, Robert F. (October 2023). "THE BIZARRE STORY BEHIND SHINZO ABE'S ASSASSINATION". The Atlantic: 44–53. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
^ "Unification Church". Britannica. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
^ Cite error: The named reference maass was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference nrti was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Barker, Eileen, The Making of a Moonie: Choice Or Brainwashing? Modern Revivals in Sociology, illustrated, reprint, revised ed. (Gregg Revivals, 1993)^{[page needed]} ISBN 978-0751201369
^ Bromley, David G. and Anson D. Shupe, Jr., "Moonies" in America: Cult, Church, and Crusade, edited by David G. Bromley, Sage Library of Social Research (Sage, 1979)
^ Swatos, William H. Jr. (1998). Encyclopedia of religion and society. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. ISBN 978-0-7619-8956-1.
^ Stymied in U.S., Moon's Church Sounds a Retreat, Marc Fisher and Jeff Leen, The Washington Post, November 24, 1997
^ Goodman, Walter (21 January 1992). "Review/Television; Sun Myung Moon Changes Robes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
^ Cite error: The named reference books.google.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Kent, Stephen A., From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era (Syracuse University Press, 2001), 168.
^ Fisher, Marc; Leen, Jeff (23 November 1997). "A Church in Flux Is Flush With Cash". The Washington Post. pp. A01. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
^ Yamamoto, J. I., 1995, Unification Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House ISBN 0-310-70381-6 Excerpt: Archived 2012-02-10 at the Wayback Machine
^ Sun Myung Moon forms new political party to merge divided Koreas Archived 2013-09-01 at the Wayback Machine Church and State, May 2003
^ Swatos, William H. Jr. (1998). Encyclopedia of religion and society. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. ISBN 978-0-7619-8956-1. Retrieved 10 February 2018.

[Worth-Moonies-Atlantic-1] Worth, Robert F. (October 2023). "THE BIZARRE STORY BEHIND SHINZO ABE'S ASSASSINATION". The Atlantic: 44–53. Retrieved 6 October 2023.

[EB-UC-2] "Unification Church". Britannica. Retrieved 7 October 2023.

[maass-3] Cite error: The named reference maass was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[nrti-4] Cite error: The named reference nrti was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:5-5] Barker, Eileen, The Making of a Moonie: Choice Or Brainwashing? Modern Revivals in Sociology, illustrated, reprint, revised ed. (Gregg Revivals, 1993)^{[page needed]} ISBN 978-0751201369

[6] Bromley, David G. and Anson D. Shupe, Jr., "Moonies" in America: Cult, Church, and Crusade, edited by David G. Bromley, Sage Library of Social Research (Sage, 1979)

[7] Swatos, William H. Jr. (1998). Encyclopedia of religion and society. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. ISBN 978-0-7619-8956-1.

[8] Stymied in U.S., Moon's Church Sounds a Retreat, Marc Fisher and Jeff Leen, The Washington Post, November 24, 1997

[Sun_Myung_Moon_Changes_Robes-9] Goodman, Walter (21 January 1992). "Review/Television; Sun Myung Moon Changes Robes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 August 2022.

[books.google.com-10] Cite error: The named reference books.google.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[slogans-11] Kent, Stephen A., From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era (Syracuse University Press, 2001), 168.

[Washington_Post_1997-12] Fisher, Marc; Leen, Jeff (23 November 1997). "A Church in Flux Is Flush With Cash". The Washington Post. pp. A01. Retrieved 10 August 2022.

[JIYamamoto-13] Yamamoto, J. I., 1995, Unification Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House ISBN 0-310-70381-6 Excerpt: Archived 2012-02-10 at the Wayback Machine

[ReferenceG-14] Sun Myung Moon forms new political party to merge divided Koreas Archived 2013-09-01 at the Wayback Machine Church and State, May 2003

[AltaMira_Press-15] Swatos, William H. Jr. (1998). Encyclopedia of religion and society. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. ISBN 978-0-7619-8956-1. Retrieved 10 February 2018.

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