The Words The Kwak Family
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The Words The Kwak Family |
First
church building, Puk Hak Dung:
This year we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of our movement. However, the actual founding date is not the most important aspect of this anniversary. Rather, it is vital that we all understand the root of this movement.
Our movement in 1954 was like a tender green shoot emerging from the soil. However, underneath that tiny "plant" lay a tremendous root: all of human history.
In order to think about the root of our movement, we must understand two points. The Unification movement is the main result, the conclusion, of God's entire historical dispensation. It is an extension of the foundation laid during Jewish history and the New Testament era. One cannot possibly explain our movement without understanding this fact. Without a very deep comprehension of history, one cannot possibly know God's heart or hopes. The Unification movement was established not by Father but by God Himself, to liberate God's agony and to fulfill His purpose of creation on earth and in spirit world.
Therefore, the Unification movement has a threefold purpose: to restore the past, solve the problems of the present, and establish the ideal world. We must embrace Christianity, Judaism, all other religions, and all ideologies. We must take on the responsibility to restore all past events, and solve present world problems by laying indemnity conditions.
The second point to understand -- and this is a very important point -- Father did not establish a church or a denomination. He started a movement. Originally God did not expect a denomination or a church to emerge from Father's work. Thus the original name of our movement is the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. Christians were to receive God's message through Father, then extend this message to all religions and all humankind. This was God's original plan.
On May 1, 1954, in Seoul, Korea, at 391 Puk Hak Dong, Sung Dong Ku, Father established this association, HSA-UWC, with several early followers. Father's motivation and purpose were clear. His course was not simple, because it was related with the past as well as the present and future. Even the humble house that was called our center at that time had such significance.
There have been many serious events in the thirty year history of the Unification movement. Over these years we have been laying indemnity conditions for all humankind. Ours is not simply a church history: many events relate directly to the indemnification of past mistakes and to the establishment of the future world situation. Because of the nature of the mission of True Father and our movement, always, the Unification Church has been on the front line between God and Satan. Without understanding this internal aspect, no one can interpret our movement.
Ever since the earliest days in Korea, God has constantly supported, and spirit world has continually assisted, Father and our movement. Particularly during those earliest days, the events of our church's history would have been impossible to survive without this support and assistance. Please recognize and understand this point about the founding time of our movement. It is essential to view our church from the dispensational viewpoint. Its history is one of blood, sweat, tears, and even death. There has been tremendous sacrifice on the part of True Parents and the early members. Many, many indemnity conditions were required to lay a foundation for victory.
Father has had no external position -- he has kept only the Founder's position. For so many years he has been leading and guiding, focused night and day on God's will and direction. Whether he was addressing villagers or urbanites, young people or the elderly, Father has always kept God's heart and felt that he was conveying His message to all humanity. The numerical size of his audience has never changed his sincere and powerful presentation of God's message. Father's heart is always evident when he teaches.
Father
with early followers in the 1950s:
The name of Father's movement, Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, was originally chosen even though it would bring tremendous persecution. Over the years we have become widely known as "Unification Church"- but we use this name now only for convenience. Please understand the heart of God and True Parents toward these names. I believe that God and True Parents never look at our members and think "my members." Instead, God and True Parents view members as representatives of all humankind, all denominations, all religions. So, each of us has a duty, a responsibility, to understand that God's grace is not reaching only to ourselves. We must always view it as being transferred through ourselves to other people, to other denominations, to all humankind. To think otherwise -- to hold God's grace to oneself -- has no meaning. Membership in our movement has meaning only if we understand this point, this sacred responsibility to all humanity.
Had a different name been selected for our movement, we might not have received so much persecution from Christianity. Many famous people in Korea, non-members who were close to Father and early disciples, often asked Father to remove "Christianity" from the formal name of our movement, because they considered ours a new religious movement, not just a new Christian movement. They advised this because they thought such an action would lessen persecution from Christians. But Father always refused, pointing out that even if the situation was difficult, with even violent persecution and incredible misunderstanding, our movement could never deny God's historical expectation, or forget that God wants to fulfill His ideal through the Judeo-Christian religious tradition. Our movement must never lose sight of its root.
1954.
The first church in Seoul, Puk Hak Dung.
The events of the twentieth century have been very much related with our movement's history. Father himself was born after the victory of the Abel side in World War I. Then, after World War II, Father's message could be spread -- a second coming movement could begin. Father's public mission began just after the Abel side gained victory in the Second World War.
In 1945, centering on Father, a worldwide forty year wilderness period began. This period can be likened to the forty years that the Jewish people spent wandering in the desert until they could enter Canaan. These forty years will come to an end at almost the same time as the thirtieth anniversary of the Unification movement. This is very significant. Father had to fulfill his basic role and mission within this forty year wilderness period.
God's original plan was for Father to bring His new message to the world through Christianity. America was to be the central nation of a world Christian movement. Korean Christianity had developed largely as a result of the efforts of American missionaries in that country, so Korea was deeply linked spiritually to America. America had also externally supported Korean liberty, politically and militarily. At the beginning of Father's public mission, therefore, God expected that Father's movement would quickly expand from Father and Korean Christianity to the American missionaries in Korea, and then to America. The movement would spread through American Christianity to the world -- to every country and to all religions.
Considering the United States' role in World War II, and its immediate postwar international influence, this entire plan could have been easily fulfilled. Unfortunately, the plan failed at the very beginning, for the Korean Christians and the American missionaries rejected and even opposed Father. Father's early ministry met with tremendous persecution. As a result of agitation and false accusation from Christians, Father was jailed on July 4, 1955, in Seoul. His vindication came several tortuous months later, on October 4, when he was proclaimed innocent and released.
However, because God's first plan could not succeed, Father had to gain followers would be taught God's message and heart and become a catalyst to Christianity. Therefore, even from the earliest days of our history in Korea, Father urged an ecumenical, interdenominational, interfaith movement.
At this time in our movement's history, this kind of work is being done through the various activities under the International Religious Foundation (IRF), such as the New Ecumenical Research Foundation (New ERA), the National Council for the Church and Social Action (NCCSA), Interdenominational Conferences for Clergy (ICC), and many seminars. Also, Father has recently directed that IOWC members in America conduct interdenominational revival meetings to revitalize Christian churches throughout America. Father has always heartily encouraged us to make harmony with Christianity.
Furthermore, through the God Conference, which brings together scholars from all the major religions, and the Youth Seminar on World Religions, our movement's effort to make unity with and among other religions is already being realized. Through interdenominational and interfaith work, and through that kind of movement, Father has always taught that God is far beyond denominations and divisions. He has always taught that all religions should be under God -- not God under religions. Father continually urges leaders and adherents of all faiths to gather together in harmony, in order to fulfill God's will on earth and in spirit world.
March
1960. Father giving Sunday sermon at the Chungpadong Church in Seoul,
Just before his Holy Blessing.Most Important Event
To God, our church represents the Judeo-Christian religious tradition; its main purpose is to establish the foundation for the Messiah, worldwide. Therefore, keeping in mind God's main goal, Parents Day 1960 was no doubt the most important event of these thirty years.
Sadly, Father's first wife could not fulfill her difficult mission as his spouse. She could not comprehend or understand Father's great responsibility and messianic mission. She could not endure the indemnity she had to pay in order to become the true mother of humanity. Father was incredibly patient with her. Finally, however, she divorced him.
Parents Day was established on the foundation of Father's fulfillment of all conditions and God's permission for the True Parents' position to be established. After Parents Day on March 1, 1960 (lunar calendar), the Holy Wedding was held on March 16, 1960 (lunar calendar). The first Parents Day, therefore, was a new start of history for all humankind.
Father could build his model of the ideal of creation on the family, national, and world levels only after a certain foundation had been laid. To lay this foundation, Father's early followers before 1960 had to keep unchanging faith even under tremendous and relentless persecution. This was a very important condition, and all members today must recall that faith of the early followers. Some early followers were even put in jail, but even then they didn't deny Father. Students and professors were expelled from their universities after they joined the movement.
… Day, the Day of All Things, and God's Day.
June
1961. Father with Ye Jin Nim.
Father also had to consider the nation and world even though his main focus was his family. Therefore, his first world tour took place in 1965. Father had to be concerned about the environment of the Heavenly Kingdom on earth, so he established 120 Holy Grounds as the base for the Heavenly Kingdom all over the earth.
In addition, Father established the first economic foundation of our movement during his first seven-year course. The first Tong II Corporation factory was built in 1966. Father was even thinking toward the establishment of Ocean Church during this early time -- members began building boats in Korea in 1963. CARP was established in Korea on January 10, 1966. Forty day pioneering, volunteer teaching, and the VOC movement were also inaugurated during the first seven-year course.
Externally, our movement concentrated on spreading the message throughout the nation of Korea. Meanwhile, Father was laying indemnity conditions for the next providential level, which would be the national level.
After 1968, both internally and externally, our movement focused heavily upon activities toward restoring the nation of Korea. The IFVOC (International Federation for Victory over Communism) was established on January 13, 1968. Preparation for this federation was actually begun some three years earlier by the regional leaders of the movement in Korea. But an official, national organization was not established until 1968.
Father followed the same pattern during his second seven-year course. While focusing upon restoring Korea, he prepared for worldwide restoration. At the end of 1971, Father went to America, the central nation for worldwide restoration. During the previous seven years, he had already laid the groundwork for the activities in Korea, so that the external restoration could be carried out by the Korean members after Father departed for America to prepare the worldwide level. The Korean members were to continue the work Father inaugurated in Korea.
The tradition of Blessed wives going out to witness for three years began during Father's second seven-year course. Many of the elder Blessed wives had voluntarily been involved in public missions, at the sacrifice of their families, throughout the early years of our movement. But as a tradition later to become worldwide, this condition was formalized by Father on December 1, 1970, when he asked the Blessed wives to witness for three years as a condition to save the nation.
Before 1972, while he was in Korea, Father never gave public speeches -- he spoke only to members. Therefore, it is deeply significant that Father first spoke publicly in America and then in Germany, and Japan, before returning to speak publicly in Korea. Father's public speeches began with a seven city tour in the United States. Following that tour were the 21 city tour ("Christianity in Crisis and New Hope," October 1, 1973-January 29, 1974); then a 32 city tour ("New Future of Christianity," February 15, 1974-April 21, 1974). Following those tours, Father spoke at a Day of Hope banquet in Japan on May 7, 1974. Then, on September 18, 1974, Father returned to the United States to speak at a Day of Hope rally at Madison Square Garden, thus inaugurating an eight city tour which ended December 23, 1974 in Los Angeles. Then, finally, Father returned to Korea for his first public speech ever in that country.
The Day of Hope banquet at the Chosun Hotel in Seoul, on January 16, 1975, was attended by seven hundred guests. Among those guests was the Chairman of the National Assembly; also in attendance were other Assembly members, cabinet ministers, distinguished scholars, and major religious leaders. Those people represented the people of the entire country. They welcomed Father heartily and listened to him, thus laying the condition for the entire country of Korea to welcome Father. Therefore, on June 7, 1975, Father spoke to over one million people at the Yoido Island Rally. Father was well received there -- the Korean government had cooperated despite strong Christian opposition to the rally. This was truly an amazing condition, truly the victory of Father's second seven-year course. which had centered upon the restoration of the country.
Father was then ready to start the third seven-year course for the restoration of the world. America, the representative of Christianity and the world, celebrated its Bicentennial in 1976. Father initiated and spoke at two special God Bless America rallies -- at Yankee Stadium on June 1, 1976, and at Washington Monument on September 18, 1976. Through these rallies, representatives of the entire world attended and listened to Father. Upon that foundation, the Day of Victory of Heaven was proclaimed by Father on October 4, 1976. Then, on February 23, 1977, 'five Parents' Birthday, Father proclaimed Day One of the Kingdom of Heaven. This day could be declared because, essentially, Father's basic role was already established. All the conditions had been fulfilled. In front of God, Father was already the victor, beyond Satan's accusation.
In 1975, when the third seven-year course began, Father sent missionaries to over 120 countries. At that time, Father had to proclaim God's new message, the messiahship, the new era, and God's new standard of restoration to the entire world. He had to do this through the missionaries sent to each country. Thus, these missionaries were not simply to be leaders, but were to be representatives of True Parents to each nation. Their missions were so important, but it was not possible to educate and train them sufficiently before they left for their countries. For these missionaries, the first seven years in their assigned countries were completely their own responsibility. As representatives of True Parents, they would have to overcome all difficulties through faith. They would have to rely upon their belief in, and relationship with, True Parents.
As the same time as missionaries were departing for the worldwide effort, Father established the Unification Theological Seminary in Barrytown, New York. UTS was to become the base for worldwide ecumenical and interfaith activities.
Upon the foundation of the declaration of Day One of the Kingdom of Heaven, Father prepared the home church providence in 1978. On this foundation, ideally, the Children's Course could begin. Thus, Father began teaching about home church from that time. The year's motto for 1979, and those for the succeeding years, have been related to home church. Although related activities began, the real providence of home church would not commence until after 1981, with the beginning of the Children's Course following Ye Jin Nim's Blessing on May 16, 1981. Father taught that home church was to be the mission of Blessed couples in order to inherit his victorious foundation. He taught that each Blessed couple would be given a home church area, a microcosm of the cosmos consisting of 360 homes. This area would be bequeathed to each couple by the live Parents, whose home church area is the entire cosmos.
During the 21 years after 1960 the main dispensation of our church history was Father's three seven-year courses. Therefore, this first 21 year period centered upon the True Parents was the Parents' Course. After the completion of that period, the Children's Course would begin, upon the foundation of the victory of True Parents. The Children's Course would have to be developed in various areas, areas which Father had already established during his own 21-year course, the Parents' Course. Activities would have to be continued by the members, following the tradition set by True Parents. Among the activities established during Father's third seven-year course were: the Professors Association for the Research of Principles (PARP), the Korean Evangelical Association (KEA), IRFF, MAI, News World Communications, Inc., One Way Productions, and Ocean Church.
The conditional restoration of the spirit world has been, of course, another very important matter. As mentioned earlier, at the beginning of our movement, many spiritual phenomena occurred, and the assistance of the spirit world was constantly felt. Father held many important ceremonies regarding the spirit world over these thirty years. Father's restoration activity is not limited to this earth, but must encompass the spirit world as well. In the spirit world there are many divisions -- particularly among the Christian denominations and the major religions. This is true even among the lowest realms of the spirit world.
The recent ascent of Heung Jin Nim is very important to the restoration of the spirit world. Because of his loyalty and filial piety, he became a precious sacrifice. According to the Principle, the correct order of the spirit world was to be established and stabilized after True Parents' ascent to that world. But because Heung Jin Nim's life was dedicated to God, and his physical life was taken instead of True Parents' life -- and also because of live Parents' worldwide foundation of victory -- True Parents could send their son to the spirit world as their representative. Heung Jin Nim has begun preparatory work in the spirit world even before True Parents' ascent. Father's work in the spirit world has thus already begun.
January
5, 1965. Celebration of Hyo Jin Nim's second birthday at the
Chungpadong Church. Father is holding In Jin Nim and Mother is
holding Hyo Jin Nim.
At this anniversary time, we should also reflect upon the scope of the projects Father personally founded or inspired. When we think back to the humble beginnings of our movement, and consider the vast array of activities that have come into existence, we must feel how incredible it is. Father's vision is so broad! The main point to understand is that Father has a pattern in the way he works, a tradition of starting from the position of servant of servants, that he wants to pass on to each of us.
With regard to the academic world, there is now: ICF, PWPA, ICUS, Paragon House, the Washington Institute for Values in Public Policy, the Sun Myung Moon Institute, and Introductory and Advanced Divine Principle Seminars. Then, consider Father's outreach to the religious world: IRF, New ERA, the God Conference, the Youth Seminar on World Religions, NCCSA, ICC, etc. As a form of evangelical outreach, Father has established the International One World Crusade (IOWC) in the United States.
Father has also established media activities: the Religious Weekly (in Korea), the Sekkai Nippo (in Japan), News World Communications, Inc., the New York Tribune, the Washington Times, Noticias del Mundo, the Sae Gae Shinbo, Free Press International, the World Media Conference, etc.
Father's desire to guide people to Godism, to attack the false theories of communism, and to propound God-centered ideology is expressed through the following organizations: the Unification Thought Institute, IFVOC, CAUSA International, and CAUSA America. Father's teachings have also served as the inspiration behind the founding of the university student organization, CARP. In the interests of attaining a peaceful world and protecting human rights, the Minority Alliance International (MAI) and the lawyers' seminars (ICLIF) have been established. Father himself established the Little Angels School as an exemplary educational system. It is a primary, middle, and high school, but soon will be connected to a university, according to Father's plan. Father has also proclaimed that he will eventually build seventy universities throughout the world. In addition to the Little Angels of Korea, our movement has performing arts departments in other countries, and a film production company (One Way Productions).
Father's heart is dedicated also to assisting needy people everywhere. IRFF and Project Volunteer are two activities established toward solving world problems of deprivation, hunger and ignorance. Also, our movement has been involved in the sponsorship of rural medical teams in Africa and Southeast Asia, and in the establishment of the Isshin Hospital in Japan. Also, we have begun teaching programs in third world nations, such as ECOPROF, which provides agricultural education in Africa. In South America, members have worked in programs to assist the handicapped and the orphaned.
And, of course, Father also inaugurated Ocean Church, and has focused deeply, personally, upon its development since 1976. Father has taught that the ocean is vital for the future of the world, especially as a source of food.
As we reflect upon the growth of our movement, we can see how extensive is our international outreach. Our message has truly spread throughout the world.
As mentioned earlier, Father sent missionaries to more than 120 nations in 1975. Father actually began foreign mission work as long ago as 1958. Some of those early missionaries included Rev. Sang Ik Choi, Dr. Young Oon Kim, Mr. David S.C. Kim, and Col. Bo Hi Pak. There have actually been three distinct periods of foreign mission work in the history of our church: 1958-1969, 1969-1975, and 1975 to the present. By 1960, our movement had missionaries in twelve different countries; by 1966, the number had risen to forty; and by 1975, to more than 120 countries.
When the missionaries were sent out to over 120 countries in 1975, they were sent in teams of three to each country: one Japanese, one German, and one American. Cooperation among these three missionaries was, according to Father's deep guidance, a vital key to success in spreading the message in their nations -- and perhaps one of the most difficult things to achieve.
Our message has now been translated into many different tongues. The Divine Principle (black book) has been translated from Korean into Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Finnish, and several Eastern European languages. The Outline of the Principle (Level Four) has been translated from Korean into Arabic, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and several Eastern European languages. Nearly all of these translations are published; a few are to be published soon.
The work of the foreign missionaries has been so important to Father. Without this kind of effort and activity, so many of Father's projects would not have been possible: the ICUS conferences would not have been attended by scholars from many nations, and PWPA would not now have chapters in 72 nations. Our missionaries have worked so hard to interest scholars in their nations in our message and our movement, and in our valuable international conferences. On December 18, 1983, following Father's victorious speaking tour in Korea, PWPA chairpersons from 72 different nations who attended and participated in the tour, signed a Pledge and Resolution supporting the work of our True Parents. These PWPA chairpersons, representatives of the present academic and cultural world, and coming from 72 different nations, would never have supported Father during the tour in Korea or signed this Pledge and Resolution had it not been for the work of our missionaries throughout the world.
The thirty years of our mission activity can be compared to the birth and growth of a child. The end result of all the efforts, not only of the missionaries themselves, but of all the members working under Father's direction, is the level of success we have attained thus far. The continued growth and success of our mission work is dependent upon all members' continued absolute support of Father's plans.
1974.
True Children before they left for America: back row, left to right
-- Hyo Jin Nim, In Jin Nim, Heung Jin Nim; bottom -- Ye Jin Nim, Kook
Jin Nim, Hyun Jin Nim, and Un Jin Nim.
When I first met the church in 1958, I was most impressed by its explanation of the spirit world. I had never before encountered such a logical teaching, either in Christianity or Buddhism. From the early days of my membership, I experienced many spiritual phenomena related to Father, as well as phenomena which confirmed the teachings of the Divine Principle about spirit world. Also, when I joined, I believed that our movement would become very established and stable in the future -- that with the assistance of spirit world, there would soon come a heavenly system, doctrine, organization, etc.
On the day I joined, I expected the heavenly kingdom to come within a few years. I was so excited, and I expected everyone else to be as excited as I was. I pledged to my central figure that I would bring one hundred people in one day, planning to witness to my family, friends, and teachers. However, at that time, I experienced only persecution, and was very disappointed. I did not dwell upon my disappointment for very long because I was so involved with the task at hand -- helping to build the heavenly kingdom.
During those early days, when there were so many spiritual phenomena, all members focused mainly upon their relationship with God. We had almost no funds for anything -- ecumenical work or other activities, or personal matters. Now, in our movement, we have so many different cultures, environments, and activities. Our system of education for members is therefore extremely vital, so that all may understand those early days even if they cannot directly experience such times. Education is also so important in order that the traditions of True Parents, and the principles of life are kept and understood throughout all the various activities members are involved in. An internal relationship with God and True Parents is necessary more than anything else at any time.
Projecting into the future, I believe that thirty years from now there will be many restored countries, models of the heavenly kingdom, on the earth. Human relationships with God will, at that time, be living relationships, not by formula faith, but by direct attendance. People will relate with one another based upon their original minds, without covering, or makeup, or deception. I believe that at that time almost everybody will understand the spirit world and will believe in God's existence. As for the Unification Church, I am sure that name will change. As for what it will be, it is impossible to know now.
As we mark this thirtieth anniversary, we will have Pledge Service and a special celebration; it is appropriate to commemorate this day in such a manner. But first, wt. must sincerely respect the root of our church, the history that came before its establishment. We should acknowledge and admire the historical accomplishments which laid the foundation upon which our movement was established. We must understand the truly sacrificial foundation of our movement -- True Parents' sacrifice, the sacrifice of elders and early members. Please determine to inherit the tradition and then extend it to all humankind through your own sacrifice and activities.