Question. Per uc-as-network-of-hubs-without-parish-lines, Reverend Moon called for a UC spiritual community structured as multiple Blessed-family hubs of equal authority in the same geographical area, without parish lines. In practice, how do multiple hubs in one neighborhood relate? Pluralistically (each serves whoever finds them), cooperatively (joint events, shared resources), or competitively (vying for the same potential members)? Are there current UC neighborhoods where this multi-hub pattern is empirically observable, and what does it look like?
Why it matters. “Pluralistic without parish lines, all of equal authority” is theologically attractive but operationally underspecified. The same physical neighborhood has a finite supply of potential members; if two hubs both seek growth there, they are competing for the same population regardless of “equal authority” language. Competition between hubs could produce: (a) healthy diversity of style attracting different sub-populations; (b) tension and member-poaching damaging both; (c) one hub naturally dominating and others withering, effectively producing a parish-by-default.
If the model has not actually been implemented at scale, the prescription is aspirational and the practical guidance Hendricks offers is incomplete. If it has been implemented (Moon’s Korea? Japan? specific Western communities?), examples would specify what makes pluralism work without competition.
Current best guesses. Probable real-world resolution: hubs differentiate by language, demographic age, sub-culture, or specific theological emphasis (e.g., one home-church focused on Cheong Pyeong-style prayer ministry, another on Bible study, another on inter-faith outreach). The “equal authority” claim probably means structural equality in the eyes of central UC rather than equality of size or influence. The “no parish lines” claim probably means no enforced geographic exclusivity rather than no de facto territorial sorting.
But this is conjecture. Empirical observation of current multi-hub UC neighborhoods (Korea, Japan, possibly NYC area) would settle it.
Source. Raised in br-06-uc-and-the-populist-style REVIEW, from uc-as-network-of-hubs-without-parish-lines.