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Glite Dictionary
Unification Church

Unification Church

1 9.2
A religious group from South Korea started by Sun Myung Moon that mixes Christian ideas and holds large group weddings
  • proper noun
  • /ˌjunɪfɪˈkeɪʃən tʃɜːrch/
translation icon : Iglesia de la Unificación
  • Many people attended the mass wedding organized by the Unification Church last summer.

Examples

  • In 1992, the Professors World Peace Academy, an organization openly affiliated with the Unification Church, effectively bought out the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The Unification Church promotes a unique blend of Christian and Buddhist teachings.

  • The director of the program is Richard Panzer, a former Unification Church official.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Shiner was active in the Unification Church for more than twenty years and worked as the managing editor of the Washington Times.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The message is problematic because it is a tenet taken directly from Unification Church teachings.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The Unification Church first began drawing attention when Moon started holding mass weddings, officiating the arranged marriages of thousands of couples at a time.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Moon believes that "God is the true parent of mankind" (this phrase is written on a large banner in front of the Unification Church in Washington, D.C.).

    Academic text (2004)

  • Another Unification Church-affiliated individual singled out for promotion by Bush is Josette Shiner, who was appointed U.S. Deputy Trade Representative in 2003.

    Academic text (2004)

  • She grew up participating in events organized by the Unification Church with her family.

Surface Forms

Unification Church main

Morphology

unification + church

The name combines 'unification' (the process of combining groups) with 'church' (a Christian body), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a religious organization oriented around unification. Specific historical facts (founder, origin country, practices) are not derivable from the phrase, but the core referential meaning is compositional and transparent.

Etymology

Unification Church was named for the idea to 'unify' people and different faiths into one family, like a picture of people from many countries joining hands. That's why the name refers to a religious group that stresses family values, world unity and large group weddings.