Chapter 2 The Unification Movement in Korea

 

 

 

 

 

1986 - Creation and Building of the Kingdom of Heaven

 

 

The year of 1986 marked the beginning of a new forty-year period of settlement in Canaan following the completion of the forty-year course that began at the time of Korean liberation in 1945. From this, the year of 1986 was understood to be one of great significance.

Through Reverend Moon's prayer and the motto for the year, Creation and Building of the Kingdom of Heaven, the members assembled at the Headquarters Church could understand the direction to go in 1986.

"During the tedious forty-year period since the Second World War, America centered on Christianity could not fulfill her providential responsibility to You, Father. You had hoped at that time to reach the threshold of world peace through the completion of the mission of Christianity, but the Unification Church and the rest of Christianity could not become one centered on Korea as the representative nation. Without establishing the foundation in Korea, Heaven could not help but be driven out on a lonely wilderness course.

Father, with our heads bowed low, we again remember that You have been faithfully traveling this forty-year historic course of suffering by letting us pioneer the true way of fighting against the opposing forces, on the levels of the individual, family, tribe, nation, and world. This morning, at the beginning of the year 1986, we sincerely ask You to forgive all the sins committed up to now by humankind and to have pity on and accept these sons and daughters who stand here in the name of True Parents."

Having established Home Church movement mottoes for the years 1982 and 1983, Reverend Moon clarified that Home Church was a necessary condition for the realization of the Kingdom of Heaven, giving the motto Creation and Building of the Fatherland in 1984 and in 1985. By giving the motto Creation and Building of the Kingdom of Heaven in 1986, he stressed that God's nation must be established, and a new era of the settlement of Canaan would emerge after 1986. When Reverend Moon declared the Day of Total Victory in 1985, he in fact proclaimed victory for his entire forty-year course. Through this, the foundation to initiate the new forty-year course was established.

Reverend Moon demonstrated his capacity for dealing with an enormous workload during a six-month sojourn in Korea following his release from Danbury.

Above all, on January 27, he extensively restructured the leadership and the organization of personnel in the church, the foundation, the institutions, and the companies. These personnel changes within the organization had a unique feature: they were carried out "horizontally" to prevent people working too long in one place, and to maximize efficiency.

Following this, 150 members including church leaders, received mission changes.

During his stay in Korea, Reverend Moon attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the Dowon Building, and the Fourth PWPA academic conference from January 28 to 29. He also spoke at special determination rallies incorporating training on national security for local leaders in Seoul, sponsored by the International Federation for Victory Over Communism, on eight occasions from February 19 to March 12. Moreover, he personally lectured the VOC leaders in Cheju Island on two occasions, on February 11 and 21, and held invitational university professors lectures in Taejon, Kwangju, Taegu, Pusan and Seoul from March 14 to 20.

Reverend Moon also took part in the "Meeting to Welcome Tribal Chief Sun Myung Moon on his Victorious Return," sponsored by the Nampyung Moon Clan Tribal Association. Reverend Moon delivered and address on the theme "A Peaceful World, a Unified World," and through this historic event he embraced the entire tribe.

Reverend Moon set up a new chain of command by streamlining the church,  the providential organizations in the universities (CARP and ICSA), and IFVOC. This was done within three months of the reshuffle of high-level leadership in the federation and companies that had taken effect earlier in the year. Reverend Moon appointed Young-whi Kim, who had previously held the position of church president, once again to that post. His inauguration took place at the Headquarters Church on May 10. Prior to this, Reverend Moon mustered the church leaders in Seoul and the IFVOC leaders above the level of director at the Hannam-dog official residence on April 30, and carried out a full-scale personnel change by lottery. Then, he also held an unprecedented training for personnel in church-related companies at the training center in Yongin.

The historic Holy Wedding Ceremony of Un-jin Moom, third daughter of Reverend Moon and Jin-hun Park, first son of Jong-gu Park, took place at the Little angels Performing Arts Center at ten o'clock in the morning of April 11. This Blessing Ceremony took place on the 26th anniversary of Reverend and Mrs. Moon's declared own Holy Wedding. Reverend Moon declared "the making of a historic forum for the second generation, who are growing up in their families, to be connected by receiving the Blessing with the families of the second generation who are centered on True Parents' family and their sons and daughters."

Reverend and Mrs. Moon presided over the Second Generation 36-couple Blessing Ceremony at the Little Angels Performing Arts Center at eight o'clock in the morning of April 12. Prior to this, on April 8 at two o'clock in the afternoon, Reverend Moon had held a candidates' meeting in preparation for the Blessing at which he spoke at some length. Immediately afterwards, he began the engagement ceremony and engaged fourteen couples. The rest were matched the following day.

Reverend Moon asked them in earnest to fulfill their responsibility as chosen people who would stand as standard-bearers on the front line in this new transitional period.

The National Students Federation for the Unification of North and South Korea, centered on CARP and the International Christian Students Association, was established on May 15. Reverend Moon stressed the urgency for the ideological armament of college students and intelligentsia and founded the National Students Federation and its two subsidiaries, the Student Volunteer Group of the Citizen's Ideological Movement for the unification of Korea, and the Community School Volunteer Group.

There was a dramatic change on the college campuses. Public written discussions began to take place with each faction posting their viewpoint in large letters on the walls on university campuses. This presented an opportunity to influence the direction of the student movement.

From July 21 to 24, PWPA held the World Professors Lecture Tour Through Korea under the theme "The Future of the World and the Ideology of Reverend Moon." It advanced vigorously throughout 201 districts within Korea. One hundred twenty professors including 60 from Korea, 30 from Europe and the USA, and 21 from Japan representing eighty colleges from seven nations, participated as lecturers. They did so either by testifying to Reverend Moon from the perspective of their particular field, or by introducing his ideology and church activities to the audience.

The church decided on a special forty-day prayer period from June 7 to July 16, and held prayer meetings three times a day. The purposes of the prayer were as follows: the victory of True Parents, the secure establishment of an ideology for the unification of North and South Korea through Victory Over Communism, Home Church activity and the revival of the church, and the development of faithful character.

Special training for church leaders was held at the Chungpyung Training Center from August 25 to 27. Church president Young-whi Kim gave lectures on the theme "The Era of Settlement and Church Leaders." The attitude, current work, and prayer life of church leaders were discussed. From August 7, three training sessions, each of three days, were held for Home Church leaders.

Reverend Moon established the National Professors and Students Federation for the Unification of North and South Korea on October 11 and urged it to devote its efforts to solving current problems on the campuses, and the energy of the people to unifying North and South Korea. Reverend Moon returned to America on November 24 and attended the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences, held from November 27.  

The most providentially significant event of 1986 was the installation, by the end of the year, of Home Church representative covering the 13,000 neighborhood areas in Seoul. Reverend Moon gave this special direction in order that a foundation for the unification of North and South Korea would be established. The church invested its full effort into finding members through rallies organized by Home Church leaders, distribution of church pamphlets, visits to companies, and short-term workshops.

 

 

 

 

Home

Tparents.Org

Back