Unification Church : Studies in Contemporary Religion

By Massimo Introvigne

Unificationists believe in "reconciling the internal truth pursued by religion with the external truth pursued by science." They promote anti-Communism, family values, and the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Hebrew prophets.

Where they depart from traditional Christianity is in their acceptance of the Divine Principle as a companion to the Bible and in their assertion that founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon is Lord of the Second Advent, that with his wife (together the "True Parents"), Original Sin is conquered through special blessings.

Since 1954 Unificationism has evolved toward a more normative approach to worship and lifestyle, if not belief--a point that Italian scholar Massimo Introvigne emphasizes in his balanced overview of the church's history, doctrine, spirituality, missionary activities, and controversies. He notes that in doctrine Unificationism has moved away from mainstream churches toward increased emphasis on contact with the spirit world, numerology, and construction of a modern "Garden of Eden" in Brazil.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560851457
• ISBN13: 9781560851455
• Release Date: August 1970
• Publisher: Signature Books, LLC
• Length: 70 Pages
• Weight: 0.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.8" x 7.5"
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

good overview

I am a UC member and I found the information in this book to be accurate. It is, perhaps, a little dry but a good source of basic information. It covers the various controversies and criticisms of the church well and at only 100 pages or so it does not take long to read. I am now using it as a source for my work on UC related articles on Wikipedia.