Editing Unification Church (section)

{{Short description|International new religious movement}}
{{Distinguish|text=[[Unitarianism]], [[Universalism]], or [[Unity Church]]}}
{{redirect|Moonies||Moonie (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox religion
| name                = Family Federation for World Peace and Unification<br />(Unification Church)<br/>{{Nobold|{{Lang|ko|세계평화통일가정연합}}}}
| image               = Logo of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.jpg
| imagewidth          = 150px
| caption             = Official emblem
| alt                 =
| abbreviation        = FFWPU, UC
| main_classification =[[New religious movement]]
| orientation         =
| scripture           = [[Bible]]<br />Divine Principle
| founder             = [[Sun Myung Moon]]
| founded_date        = May 1, 1954
| leader_title        = Acting Leader
| leader_name         = [[Hak Ja Han]]
| founded_place       = [[Seoul]], South Korea
| area                =
| website             = {{URL|familyfed.org}}
| other_names         = {{ubl|''Unification Movement''|''Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity'' ({{Korean|hangul=세계기독교통일신령협회|labels=no}})|''Unificationists''|''[[Moonie (nickname)|Moonies]]''}}
}}
[[File:Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han.jpg|thumb|alt=Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han, founders of the Unification Church|Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han, founders of the Unification Church]]

The '''Unification Church''' ({{Korean|hangul=통일교|rr=Tongil-gyo}}) is a [[new religious movement]], 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'''; {{Korean|hangul=세계기독교통일신령협회|labels=no|links=no}}); in 1994, the organization changed its name to the '''Family Federation for World Peace and Unification''' ('''FFWPU'''; {{Korean|hangul=세계평화통일가정연합|labels=no}}). It has a presence in approximately 100 countries around the world.<ref name="Worth-Moonies-Atlantic">{{cite journal |last1=Worth |first1=Robert F. |date=October 2023 |title=THE BIZARRE STORY BEHIND SHINZO ABE'S ASSASSINATION |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/10/shinzo-abe-assassination-japan-unification-church-moonies/675114/ |journal=The Atlantic |pages=44–53 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |archive-date=March 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329071117/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/10/shinzo-abe-assassination-japan-unification-church-moonies/675114/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 [[list of messiah claimants|considered himself]] the [[Second Coming|Second Coming of Christ]], claiming to complete the mission [[Jesus Christ]] was unable to because of his crucifixion: beginning a new ideal family,<ref name="EB-UC">{{cite web |title=Unification Church |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Unification-Church |website=Britannica |access-date=October 7, 2023 |archive-date=September 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920223303/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Unification-Church |url-status=live }}</ref> and a larger human lineage, free from [[sin]].<ref name=maass/> The Unification Church is well known for its [[Collective wedding|mass wedding]]s, known as [[Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church|''Blessing'' ceremonies]].<ref name=nrti/> It has been criticized for its teachings and for its social and political influence, with critics calling it a [[dangerous cult]],<ref name=":5">Barker, Eileen, ''The Making of a Moonie: Choice Or Brainwashing? Modern Revivals in Sociology,'' illustrated, reprint, revised ed. (Gregg Revivals, 1993){{page needed|date=July 2022}} {{ISBN|978-0751201369}}</ref><ref>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 Publishing|Sage]], 1979)</ref> a political powerhouse and a business empire.<ref>Swatos, William H. Jr. (1998). Encyclopedia of religion and society. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. {{ISBN|978-0-7619-8956-1}}.</ref><ref>Stymied in U.S., Moon's Church Sounds a Retreat, Marc Fisher and Jeff Leen, The Washington Post, November 24, 1997</ref> The group has been accused of excessive financial exploitation of its members.<ref name="Worth-Moonies-Atlantic" /> Its involvement in politics includes [[anti-communism]] and support for [[Korean reunification]].<ref name="Sun Myung Moon Changes Robes">{{Cite news |last=Goodman |first=Walter |date=January 21, 1992 |title=Review/Television; Sun Myung Moon Changes Robes |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/21/news/review-television-sun-myung-moon-changes-robes.html |access-date=August 10, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409160211/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/21/news/review-television-sun-myung-moon-changes-robes.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="books.google.com"/><ref name="slogans">Kent, Stephen A., ''From Slogans to Mantras: Social Protest and Religious Conversion in the Late Vietnam War Era'' (Syracuse University Press, 2001), 168.</ref> Its members have founded, owned and supported [[Organizations related to the Unification Church|related organizations]] in business,<ref name= "Washington Post 1997" >{{Cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Marc |last2=Leen |first2=Jeff |date=November 23, 1997 |title=A Church in Flux Is Flush With Cash |pages=A01 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/unification/main.htm |access-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-date=October 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007140615/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/unification/main.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> education,<ref name="JIYamamoto">Yamamoto, J. I., 1995, ''Unification Church'', Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House {{ISBN|0-310-70381-6}} [http://www.zondervan.com/media/samples/pdf/0310703816_samptxt.pdf Excerpt:] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210024144/http://www.zondervan.com/media/samples/pdf/0310703816_samptxt.pdf |date=February 10, 2012 }}</ref> politics<ref name="ReferenceG">[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3944/is_200305/ai_n9239403 Sun Myung Moon forms new political party to merge divided Koreas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901005321/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3944/is_200305/ai_n9239403/ |date=September 1, 2013 }} [[Americans United for Separation of Church and State|Church and State]], May 2003</ref> and more.<ref name="AltaMira Press">{{cite book|last1=Swatos|first1=William H. Jr.|title=Encyclopedia of religion and society|year=1998|publisher=AltaMira Press|location=Walnut Creek, CA|isbn=978-0-7619-8956-1|url=http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/Unification.htm|access-date=February 10, 2018|archive-date=February 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225130746/http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/Unification.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>