Calling All Future Seminarians
“I think beyond anything else, the seminary is a place that people come to who feel a calling,” said Mr. Steven Boyd, director of Enrollment Management and Student Life at the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS). “True Parents really had a vision that all of the leaders in our movement would go through seminary training at some point in their careers.”
On Jan. 10, Mr. Boyd shared how a UTS education helps build the foundation for great leadership within the Unification movement and beyond, as he urged new student enrollment for the spring 2023 semester during an FFWPU USA leaders’ meeting.
Today, some 32 percent of the world’s population identifies as Christian, while 25 percent are linked to Islam, and another 25 percent belong to other faiths. With so many believers worldwide, Mr. Boyd said, “[UTS] begins to expose you to the world of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue,” — opening a door to billions of people.
RELATED: UTS Inaugurates New President Dr. Thomas Walsh
Under the leadership of new UTS President Dr. Thomas Walsh, the graduate school will be offering two education tracks going forward, one focused on divinity and the other on peace studies. NGO leadership training is also part of the updated curriculum. With co-founder True Mother’s guidance, Dr. Walsh called the change in seminary leadership and curriculum “a dramatic new chapter in our history, and a new era at UTS,” during his inaugural speech in October 2022.
“We see many encouraging opportunities for developing partnerships,” Dr. Walsh said in his remarks. “UTS’s restorative vision and practices offer hope.”
UTS is the perfect fit for graduate students of any age seeking to develop in the areas of pastoral and church leadership, Mr. Boyd said, as well as those who feel an “academic calling” and “called to service.”
Photo courtesy of UTS
“The seminary is really the place that True Parents founded to be able to help brothers and sisters complete their mission and a sense of training,” said Mr. Boyd. Current students and alumni have shared how UTS transformed their perspective and understanding of the world. “UTS is a place where people are anointed,” said one Unificationist student.
Current study programs include: Graduate Certificate in Unification Leadership, Master of Arts in Religious Studies, Master of Arts in Peace Studies, Master of Divinity, and Doctor of Divinity. Mr. Boyd said this will be the last semester for former Religion Education students to upgrade their diploma to a master program.
Mr. Boyd also highlighted new ways to study at UTS, which now include on-campus study, fully remote study online, and some hybrid options. “So many of our students are now studying from home online,” he said. “Through Zoom, people are [participating] from all around the world.”
Some 24 countries are currently represented among the UTS student body, who Mr. Boyd described as “bright” and “inspiring” as he noted an engaging classroom of diverse faiths and highly qualified faculty. “This is really an opportunity to learn and grow,” he said, while pointing out that scholarships are available for those in need. “We are so grateful that we can support True Mother in this way [as we respond] to her interest in the seminary.”
You can learn more about UTS including enrollment here.