This Week in History: January 12–18

This Week in History” briefly lists significant events in the history of the Unification, the lives of the Founders and world events that are momentous to Unificationists. Most items are marked according to the solar calendar. Items marked “H.C” correspond to the Cheon-gi or Heavenly Calendar, which is based on the lunar calendar. This installment covers the movements during the week of January 12 to 18.

January 13, 2001

Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon cut a cake at the Coronation Ceremony of God’s Kingship, January 13, 2001, Cheong Pyeong, Korea.

Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon enter the Coronation Ceremony of God’s Kingship wearing holy robes and gold crowns, January 13, 2001, Cheong Pyeong, Korea.

Coronation of God’s Kingship

Rev. Sun Myung Moon—called and known by many as True Father—conducted the Coronation of God’s Kingship Ceremony on January 13, 2001 in Korea. Dr. Bo Hi Pak explained the meaning of the Coronation of God’s Kingship on July 1, 2001 at Washington D.C.’s church headquarters. Originally, Adam and Eve were to be wed before God as God’s son and daughter and then become parents. This would have been the day that the ideal of creation was completed. He explained, “First, this day completes the ‘Restoration of God’s Original Standard’ and ‘Recovers God’s Total Ownership.’ Second, it is the total liberation of God. Due to the fall of humanity even the Creator, God, has suffered a broken heart and has been captured under Satan’s bonds throughout all of history. Third, it marks the total unity between God and all God’s creatures. Just as God recovered God’s original position as the Creator, God finally could be united with all creatures completely, once again. Father said that this day established the beginning of the new era.”

· Read the prayer Rev. Moon gave on this day here.

· Read Rev. Moon’s full speech for the Coronation of God’s Kingship here.

January 17, 1990

David S.C. Kim with Rev. Sun Myung Moon, Unification Theological Seminary.

New York State Board of Regents Grant Charter for Unification Theological Seminary

January 17 became a historic day when the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) was granted its absolute charter by the New York State Board of Regents. The day was long in coming since the seminary’s inception on September 20, 1975.

January 14, 1975

First International One World Crusade (IOWC)

On January 14, the first International One World Crusade (IOWC) team, which included some 340 American and European members, flew to Japan where they joined forces with Japanese Unificationists to conduct Day of Hope rallies in major Japanese cities. From there, the global team ferried across to Korea where they supported massively attended Day of Hope rallies in major Korean cities.

January 17, 1974

Perry Cordill, International One World Crusade (IOWC) team leader in 1973, leads one of the rallies for the Day of Hope Tours, 1973.

Day of Hope Banquet in San Francisco and Proclamation of “Hope and Unification Week” in Oakland

On January 17, 1974, the San Francisco Day of Hope banquet attracted more than 500 guests to Benjamin Swig’s Fairmont Hotel. In Berkeley, where Rev. Moon spoke at Zellerbach Auditorium on the University of California campus, The Daily Californian reported, “Rev. Moon’s followers have waged one of the neatest and best-run publicity campaigns seen here in years.” In San Jose, January 17-24, 1974, was proclaimed “Hope and Unification Week,” while in Oakland, Mayor John H. Reading proclaimed the period from January 21-24, 1974, as “Day of Hope Days.” Single days of “Hope and Unification” were proclaimed in Berkeley and Hayward, and on January 21, 1974, Rev. Moon was awarded the key to the city of Berkeley by Mayor Warren Widener.

January 14, 1972

Training the Pioneers for the Third World Tour

The first step taken in preparation for the Third World Tour was the selection of pioneers for the two-week training session scheduled to begin in New York City on January 14, 1972. The pioneers housed in the three-story, stone and stucco Bronx center, seventy-two pioneers and staff traveled daily to St. Steven’s Methodist Episcopal Church, where they were accommodated more comfortably for meals and lectures in the basement social hall. The training session focused on building solidarity—a difficult task—given the factions which had developed in the American church. One pioneer described the challenges of the early days:

“There are about eighty of us. We come from different centers throughout the United States. We didn’t know each other when we first started. Each of us had different songs, different ways of praying, and different ways of applying the Principle. It was hard to unify at first. But we knew it was necessary.”

Compiled by Lymhwa Kim.