Faith Leaders and Clergy Honor True Father’s Legacy

“In Father and Mother Moon, we have not only heard true love, we have experienced it, as we live a true life in the lineage of God,” said Dr. Luonne Rouse, national co-chair of the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC). On Aug. 31, faith and spiritual leaders commemorated the 10th anniversary of True Father’s seonghwa in a special World Clergy Leadership Conference (WCLC) webinar, “Honoring the Legacy of Rev. Sun Myung Moon.”

The hour-long program, moderated by Dr. Rouse, featured the personal testimonies of various religious leaders including Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, WCLC steering committee chair; Pastor T.L. Barrett, founder and senior pastor of The Life Center Church of God in Christ; Archbishop George Augustus Stallings, Jr., ACLC national co-chair emeritus and founder of the Imani Temple; and Dr. Kathy Rigney, chair of Universal Peace Federation (UPF), Africa.

Speakers shared about their spiritual journeys and True Father’s impact on their lives and mission. “True Father lived a life of loving the unlovable, even those who tried to kill him,” said Dr. Rigney. “When I went to Africa [for missionary work], I found myself trying to love the people there ... because of True Father’s living example of always loving others and living for the sake of others. Africans are now open to Father and Mother Moon because of their exemplary lives.”

“Today Mother Moon is leading us in the direction of working together with key leaders and youth ministers in Africa,” she continued. “True Mother has inherited the heart and dedication of our beloved True Father, and she is walking a path that is unbelievable. The future of the world will be tied by our ability to be led by spirituality.”

Dr. Rigney and other faith leaders discussed the providence in Africa, where several heads of state from the continent spoke at UPF’s recent Summit 2022 — supporting global peace-building efforts led by True Mother and honoring True Father’s legacy of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula and around the world. “This is why we are taking a lead role in guiding Africa’s politicians,” said Dr. Rigney, “[while] also assisting and educating the youth of Africa, where 70 percent of the population are young people.”

The Summit 2022 event in South Korea included a 10th anniversary celebration of True Father’s seonghwa, where some 350 international leaders convened in person and virtually for the summit’s activities. “True Parents really focused on Africa,” said Archbishop Stallings. “More than 200 delegates at the recent summit came from Africa. What True Mother is doing now is being guided by True Father in tandem with God.”

Archbishop Stallings, among other speakers, shared how True Father influenced his understanding and perspective of God. “True Parents are really the embodiment of the invisible God on earth,” he said. “The Bible says we, the children of God, are like God and should be as God ... It’s biblically aligned and correct that Jesus passed on his authority. When I juxtapose the scriptures with what I've seen with True Parents, I see that they are the physical, tangible and anointed manifestation of God.”

“I had the privilege of meeting one of the greatest people in the flesh in my lifetime — True Father — a man who was persecuted because he came to be as Jesus was in his lifetime,” Archbishop Stallings continued. “He left an indelible mark on the lives of all of us, and we are all molded and remolded as the work and legacy of True Parents.”

The WCLC, founded by True Mother in Dec. 2019, aims to revive and deepen unity among Christian leaders worldwide. More than 7,000 clergy have registered with the association. “We are grateful to offer this celebration of True Father, who gave his whole life for the world,” said Min. Reiko Jenkins of WIM, who closed the program with prayer. “True Father never wavered in his faith and love and dedication to God. True Parents continue to work in oneness with God to bring salvation to humanity and build God’s kingdom on earth.”

You can learn more about the World Clergy Leadership Conference here.