Universal Life Church
The Universal Life Church (ULC) is an American non-denominational religious organization founded in 1962 by Kirby J. Hensley, under the doctrine: "Do that which is right". The Universal Life Church advocates for religious freedom, offering legal ordination to become a minister free of charge, to anyone who wishes to join. The ULC has ordained ministers from a wide range of backgrounds and beliefs, including Christians, atheists, Wiccans, pagans, Jews, and people of many other faiths.
| Universal Life Church | |
|---|---|
Logo of the Universal Life Church | |
| Region | Worldwide |
| Headquarters | Modesto, California |
| Founder | Kirby J. Hensley |
| Origin | May 2, 1962 Modesto, California, US |
| Members | 18,000,000+ ordained |
The ULC's popularity stems in part from a rising interest in having friends or loved ones officiate weddings, a trend which has attracted a range of celebrities to become ordained including Stevie Nicks, Adele, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen, Conan O’Brien and Steven Tyler, among others. However, courts in Virginia have held that they will not recognize marriages solemnized by ULC ministers, while eight states have specifically held such marriages to be valid, these being Alabama, Illinois, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Washington. The remainder have not addressed the issue.