Universal Life Church
Imagine a church where the only creed is to "Do that which is right" — and anyone, regardless of their personal beliefs, can become a legally ordained minister, absolutely free. That's the revolutionary idea behind the Universal Life Church, a phenomenon that has profoundly reshaped the landscape of religious freedom and personal ceremonies. From humble beginnings in a California garage to ordaining millions worldwide, its story is a fascinating journey of spiritual inclusivity and legal challenges. The Universal Life Church was founded on a radically inclusive principle: anyone can be ordained a minister, free of charge, if their aim is simply to do what is right. A major driver of the ULC's popularity is the growing desire for friends or family members to officiate weddings, leading to widespread ordinations. Despite its widespread acceptance, the ULC has faced significant legal battles regarding its tax-exempt status and the validity of marriages performed by its ministers in various jurisdictions.
AI Summary
Imagine a church where the only creed is to "Do that which is right" — and anyone, regardless of their personal beliefs, can become a legally ordained minister, absolutely free. That's the revolutionary idea behind the Universal Life Church, a phenomenon that has profoundly reshaped the landscape of religious freedom and personal ceremonies. From humble beginnings in a California garage to ordaining millions worldwide, its story is a fascinating journey of spiritual inclusivity and legal challenges.
- The Universal Life Church was founded on a radically inclusive principle: anyone can be ordained a minister, free of charge, if their aim is simply to do what is right.
- A major driver of the ULC's popularity is the growing desire for friends or family members to officiate weddings, leading to widespread ordinations.
- Despite its widespread acceptance, the ULC has faced significant legal battles regarding its tax-exempt status and the validity of marriages performed by its ministers in various jurisdictions.
The Church of 'Do What Is Right'
The Universal Life Church, or ULC, burst onto the American religious scene in 1962 with a strikingly simple, yet radical, philosophy. Founded by Kirby J. Hensley, this non-denominational organization operates on a single, guiding principle: 'Do that which is right.' No complex doctrines, no rigid dogma—just an unwavering commitment to individual conscience and religious freedom.
What truly sets the ULC apart is its open-door policy for ordination. Anyone, regardless of their personal faith—from atheists to Christians, Jews, Neopagans, and Wiccans—can become a legally recognized minister, free of charge. This unprecedented inclusivity has made the ULC a unique force in contemporary spirituality.
In recent decades, the ULC's popularity has soared, largely driven by a significant cultural shift in how people celebrate pivotal life events, especially weddings. Many couples now prefer the intimate touch of having a close friend or family member officiate their ceremony, rather than a traditional clergy member. The ULC provides the perfect, accessible pathway for this.
This trend isn't just for everyday individuals; it has even attracted numerous celebrities. Stars like Adele, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen, and Stevie Nicks have all become ULC ministers, adding a dash of stardust to the church's already impressive roster of ordained individuals.
A Visionary's Humble Beginnings
The story of the Universal Life Church begins with its founder, Kirby J. Hensley, a self-educated Baptist minister with a deep curiosity about global faiths. Influenced by his extensive reading, Hensley envisioned a church that transcended traditional boundaries — a place where all people could unite under the banner of religious freedom, focusing on shared values rather than divisive doctrines.
With this ambitious goal, Hensley established the 'Life Church' in Modesto, California, in 1959. Initially, services were held in his modest garage, a testament to the grassroots nature of his burgeoning spiritual movement. By 1962, the organization was formally incorporated, laying the groundwork for its future expansion.
Explosive Growth and Unexpected Challenges
Soon after incorporation, the ULC began offering ordinations via mail. The church's growth trajectory was significantly, albeit unexpectedly, influenced by the social upheaval of the Vietnam War era. A widespread rumor — later proven false — claimed that ULC ordination could provide an exemption from the military draft, causing a dramatic surge in applications.
Despite the draft rumor being debunked, the ULC continued its rapid expansion. Kirby Hensley himself became something of a counter-culture folk hero, particularly among college students, often performing mass ordinations at speaking events. The church's unique offerings, coupled with features in prominent publications like Rolling Stone, cemented its place in public awareness.
Leveraging California's law exempting religious schools from accreditation, Hensley also offered an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. For a free-will offering, usually twenty dollars, individuals could receive the degree along with lessons on how to establish their own church. By 1974, the ULC proudly announced that it had ordained over one million ministers, a staggering achievement for such a young organization.
IRS Scrutiny and Digital Expansion
As the ULC grew, it also faced significant internal and external challenges. The proliferation of new, often independent, ULC branches made it difficult for the Modesto headquarters to maintain central control. More critically, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) grew suspicious of alleged tax avoidance schemes promoted through church periodicals.
This scrutiny culminated in 1984 when the IRS revoked ULC Modesto's tax-exempt status. What followed was a protracted 16-year legal battle between Hensley, his family, and the IRS over disputed tax payments. The long-running saga finally concluded in 2000, with the Modesto group agreeing to pay $1.5 million in back taxes.
Despite these legal woes, the ULC adapted, embracing the digital age by offering online ordinations starting in 1999. This move, combined with continuing media attention on celebrity officiants, propelled the church's membership even further. By 2008, the ULC had issued an astounding 18 million ordinations worldwide.
A significant majority of these new ministers — roughly 70% according to some estimates — sought ordination specifically to officiate weddings. This trend is undeniable: one survey reported that 43% of couples in the U.S. chose a friend or family member to officiate their wedding in 2016, a substantial leap from just 29% in 2009. But it's not just for weddings; ULC ordination has also facilitated other spiritual rites, such as a Native American minister performing smudging ceremonies in Ohio hospitals.
A Split in the Ranks
Following Kirby Hensley's passing in 1999, the ULC experienced an organizational split that led to the creation of the Universal Life Church Monastery, or ULCM, now based in Seattle. This new entity, also known as Universal Life Church Ministries, became entirely unaffiliated with the original Modesto group.
The formal separation occurred in 2006, driven by a complex web of financial, legal, and philosophical disagreements. Since then, the ULCM has operated independently, continuing to ordain ministers and carry forward its own interpretation of the Universal Life Church's foundational principles.
The ULC's Core Philosophy
The U.S. Department of the Army, in its comprehensive handbook for chaplains, succinctly summarized the ULC's doctrines: 'The Universal Life Church has only one belief. They believe in that which is right and in every person's right to interpret what is right.' This minimalist approach is truly at the heart of the ULC's identity.
Unlike most religious organizations, the ULC boasts no official creed, no sacred texts like a Bible, and no specific ethical guidelines beyond the simple directive to 'do what is right.' It offers materials and a periodical, 'Universal Life,' for those wishing to learn more, but ultimately, individual interpretation reigns supreme.
The ULC embraces people of all faiths, actively opposing only those religions that would deny religious freedom to others. Its structure is remarkably decentralized: any ULC minister is empowered to ordain new members, creating a self-perpetuating, accessible spiritual community. While no specific holidays are mandated, local congregations often celebrate a diverse array of traditions, and the broader church holds two annual conventions for members to gather and conduct business.
It's important to distinguish between Kirby Hensley's personal theological views and the official ULC doctrine. While Hensley himself held beliefs such as reincarnation and a human Jesus, these were never imposed as requirements for ULC members, who are free to follow their own spiritual paths. The church truly practices what it preaches about individual autonomy.
This 'loose structure,' as the Army's handbook describes it, provides incredible freedom. Ordained ministers receive guidance on forming congregations but otherwise operate with complete independence. They are fully authorized to perform all traditional clerical functions, including weddings and funerals. There are no dietary or medical restrictions, no specific burial requirements, and while the ULC has no doctrinal opposition to military service, it staunchly respects the individual's conscience regarding such matters.
Legal Recognition and Ongoing Battles
Given its unconventional nature, the legitimacy of ULC ordination has inevitably faced legal challenges. These disputes primarily revolve around two key areas: whether the ULC qualifies as a religious affiliation for tax purposes, and whether its ordinations legally authorize individuals to perform weddings across different jurisdictions.
Historically, the IRS has often viewed the ULC with suspicion, consistently attempting to revoke its tax-exempt status — as we saw with the Modesto group. Legal cases addressing both tax and ordination questions have yielded a patchwork of varying results across the United States.
As of 2025, ULC ministers are recognized as wedding celebrants in virtually all U.S. states. However, certain counties in Virginia remain an exception, where ongoing litigation continues to question the validity of marriages solemnized by ULC ministers. In North Carolina, such marriages have been deemed 'voidable,' meaning their validity could be challenged.
Conversely, courts in states like Indiana, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah have explicitly affirmed the validity of ULC marriages. Government officials in Alabama, South Carolina, and Washington have also issued opinions confirming their acceptability under state laws, demonstrating a broad, if not universal, acceptance.
Internationally, the picture is less clear. In Canada, for instance, ULC ministers are currently not authorized to solemnize marriages in any province or territory. In places where ULC ordination alone isn't sufficient, ministers often need to fulfill additional requirements, such as registering as a notary public, justice of the peace, or marriage commissioner, to legally perform ceremonies.
A Subject of Criticism
The ULC's radical openness and the ease of its ordination process have not been without critics. Perhaps the most common jest involves people submitting ordination requests for their pets — a practice the ULC actively discourages, yet one that sometimes slips through if the application appears legitimate.
The ULC website explicitly warns against fraudulent requests, stating that 'Applying for ordination in the name of a fictitious person or animal, or the submission of a person's name without his or her permission is fraud, and may subject you to prosecution!' It's a fine line between inclusivity and maintaining integrity.
In 2015, The New York Times encapsulated the sentiment of many critics, writing that the ULC 'pumps out ordinations at an assembly-line pace, almost mocking a process that usually requires years of seminary study.' This highlights the fundamental tension between the ULC's revolutionary accessibility and traditional religious institutions, a conversation that continues to evolve.
Article
Universal Life Church
The Universal Life Church (ULC) is an American non-denominational religious organization founded in 1962 by Kirby J. Hensley. Its creed is "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 atheists, Christians, Jews, Neopagans and Wiccans.
The ULC's popularity stems in part from rising interest in having friends or family officiate weddings; surveys reported that one-quarter to one-half of couples married in 2020 had a friend or family member officiate their wedding ceremony. This trend has attracted a range of celebrities to become ordained including Adele, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen, Stevie Nicks, Conan O'Brien, and Steven Tyler.
Appellate courts in Virginia have held that they will not recognize marriages solemnized by ULC ministers, with litigation on the question ongoing as of 2025, while appellate courts in North Carolina have held that such marriages may be voidable. Courts in Indiana, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah have specifically held such marriages to be valid, while government officials in Alabama, South Carolina, and Washington have opined that the marriages are acceptable under each state's respective laws.
History
Foundation and early growth
The Universal Life Church was founded by Kirby J. Hensley, "a self-educated Baptist minister who was deeply influenced by his reading in world religion". Religious scholar James R. Lewis wrote that Hensley "began to conceive of a church that would, on the one hand, offer complete freedom of religion, and could, on the other hand, bring all people of all religions together, instead of separating them". With this aim, he established "a new religion that would emphasize what all religions have in common", creating in 1959 the "Life Church" in Modesto, California. He first held services in his garage, and incorporated the organization in 1962.
The ULC began issuing mail-order ordinations shortly after its incorporation. The church's growth was affected in part by social movements; during the Vietnam War, a widely circulated rumor claimed that ordination would qualify one for a legal exemption from the draft. Ordination requests increased dramatically, but the rumor proved to be false. The ULC and its founder, Hensley, were also featured in several publications during this time, including Rolling Stone, which further increased public awareness of the church. In the late 1960s, Hensley "became something of a folk hero among the young", particularly with college students, whom he would mass-ordain at speaking events. In accordance with the Law of California that exempts religious schools from accreditation, he offered an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the ULC for a free-will offering of twenty dollars, including "ten free lessons explaining how to set up a church". By 1974, the church had ordained over 1 million ministers. Also in 1974, a federal judge declared that the ULC was qualified for a religious tax exemption.
Later expansion and division
The Universal Life Church ran into difficulties as new branches of the ULC were granted charters and began moving off in different directions. The Modesto group struggled to maintain control over these other entities as ULC affiliates grew in number. There are multiple groups operating under the ULC name, most of which are unaffiliated in practice. During this period, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) became suspicious about tax avoidance efforts within the church, eventually determining that Hensley, the Modesto ULC, and affiliated churches chartered under its name were promoting tax avoidance schemes within church periodicals. As a result, the IRS withdrew ULC Modesto's tax-exempt status in 1984. Over the next 16 years, Hensley and his family battled the IRS in court over disputed tax payments. The matter was eventually settled in 2000 when the Modesto group agreed to pay $1.5 million in back taxes.
By 1999, the ULC had begun offering ordinations online. News coverage about journalists and celebrities getting ordained to perform weddings helped boost the popularity of online ordination. As more people became aware of non-traditional officiants presiding over wedding ceremonies, ULC membership rolls rose. Between 1962 and 2008, the ULC issued more than 18 million ordinations worldwide. A large number of people seeking ULC ordination do so in order to be able to legally officiate at weddings or perform other spiritual rites. A 2007 article noted that "[a]bout 70 percent of people who become ordained through the Universal Life Church do so... to officiate at weddings". According to a 2016 internal survey conducted by wedding website The Knot and reported by the Baltimore Sun, 43% of couples in the U.S. in 2016 chose to have a friend or family member officiate their wedding, up from 29% in 2009. Another example of a person becoming ordained through ULC in order to perform a religious ritual is that of a Native American in Cincinnati, Ohio, who needed such an affiliation to perform smudging ceremonies as part of the prayer ritual for other Native Americans in area hospitals.
Following Kirby Hensley's death in 1999, an organizational split led to the creation of the ULC Monastery (ULCM, also using the name Universal Life Church Ministries; now based in Seattle), which remains unaffiliated with the Modesto group. The ULCM formally split from the ULC in 2006 following financial, legal, and philosophical disputes between the two bodies and began ordaining ministers independently.
Beliefs and practices
Universal Life Church
The U.S. Department of the Army publication, Religious Requirements and Practices: A Handbook for Chaplains, summarized the doctrines of the ULC as follows:
The Universal Life Church has only one belief. They believe in that which is right and in every person's right to interpret what is right. The Universal Life Church has no creed or authoritative book such as a Bible. Those wishing to learn about the Church can obtain its periodical Universal Life and other materials that it publishes from its international headquarters. No specific ethical guidelines except to do "what is right". ... The Universal Life Church is open and accepting of people of all religions. It is opposed only to those religions that attempt to deny religious freedom. Any minister in the ULC can ordain new members. ... The Universal Life Church has no specific holidays, though local congregations celebrate a wide variety of them. There are two gatherings (conventions) each year in the spring and in the fall, at which the members and ministers meet for celebration and to conduct business.
According to Lewis, Hensley personally believed in reincarnation, in a merely human Jesus, and "in the reunification of all religions and governments under the Universal Life banner during thirty years of turmoil around the year 2000". None of these beliefs were doctrinal to the ULC, which allowed members to follow their own doctrines. The U.S. Army's Handbook for Chaplains also notes that the ULC "has a very loose structure", with those ordained being given "a set of instructions on how to form a congregation", but otherwise operating with complete autonomy. It further notes that those ordained "may perform any of the functions normally associated with the clergy, including the conducting of weddings, funerals, etc.", and that "[g]roup worship is not required, but local congregations are required to hold regular meetings". The ULC is noted to have no medical or dietary restrictions, and no specific burial requirements. With respect to military service, the handbook notes that the ULC maintains no doctrinal opposition to military service, but "respects the individual opinion of its members".
Legal status
Universal Life Church
The legitimacy of ULC ordination has been challenged in legal venues, primarily with respect to the questions of whether it constitutes a religious affiliation for tax purposes, and whether ordinations legally permit recipients to perform weddings in various jurisdictions. Lewis notes that the American Internal Revenue Service has generally assumed a negative predisposition towards the ULC, and has sought to eliminate the organization's tax-exempt status. A number of legal cases have addressed this question, as well as the ordination question, with varying results.
As of 2025, all U.S. states recognize ministers of the Universal Life Church as wedding celebrants except for certain counties in Virginia, with litigation with respect to those counties ongoing as of 2025. In those counties, the solemnization of a marriage by a minister of the Universal Life Church (who is not otherwise authorized) may result in questioning of the validity of the marriage. Historically, such ordinations were more broadly contentious, with Professor Robert Rains, writing in the University of Miami Law Review in 2020 that "even a reasonably intelligent (and suspicious) person could be readily misled by the ULC into believing that by becoming a ULC minister he can legally perform marriages throughout the United States, and beyond". In Canada, ULC ministers are currently not authorized to solemnize marriage in any province or territory. In places where being a ULC minister does not legally authorize a person to solemnize marriages, ULC ministers intending to do so must also meet other requirements, which might include registering as a notary public, justice of the peace, or marriage commissioner.
Criticism
Universal Life Church
The ULC has occasionally been criticized for its openness and ease of ordination. Some people, usually as a joke, submit ordination requests for their pets. The ULC has tried to curb the ordination of pets, but if the name on the application appears to be legitimate, the application will probably be granted. The ULC website warns against fraudulent ordination requests, including attempts to ordain pets: "No one is rejected because of their name, but we must protect the integrity of the records against those who fraudulently submit requests for pets, obscene names, etc. Applying for ordination in the name of a fictitious person or animal, or the submission of a person's name without his or her permission is fraud, and may subject you to prosecution!". In 2015, The New York Times wrote that the ULC "pumps out ordinations at an assembly-line pace, almost mocking a process that usually requires years of seminary study".