The Unification Church was founded 1954 in South Korea by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. It is commonly known by the pejorative term Moonies (after the founder and leader). Some followers object to the name, claiming it is meant as an insult. However, the name was coined and used by members of the Unification Church itself. Currently, the Unification Church goes by the name "Association of Families for Unification and World Peace," or "Family Federation for World Peace and Unification." However, the Unification Church operates under numerous names.

The Unification Church claims to be a Christian movement, but deviates significantly in teachings and practices. Members live throughout the world with the largest number living in South Korea, or perhaps Japan.

Members reject the concept of the Christian Trinity in favor of one unified God, and believe that humanity's fallen nature is due to an affair Eve had with Lucifer. The church's goal is to unite all of Christianity under one church, which will be achieved through the birth of the "third Adam," something that already occured during the early 20th century in Korea.

The church is perhaps best known for its mass wedding ceremonies, known as Blessings. As an example, on February 17, 2010 the Rev. Sun Myung Moon carried out one of the signature events of his church by blessing about 7,000 couples in Seoul, South Korea. Most of the couples never saw each other before they were matched. The church is slightly less known for its funding of numerous conservative political groups and publications in the United States, including the Washington Times.