Universal Life Church Monastery
{{Short description|Multi-religious interfaith ministry}}
{{Distinguish|Universal Life Church}}
{{Infobox religion
| name = Universal Life Church Monastery
| caption_background =
| image = ULC_Monastery_Logo.jpg
| imagewidth =
| alt =
| caption =
| main_classification = Non-denominational
| leader_title = Brother
| leader_name = George Freeman
| area = Worldwide
| headquarters = Seattle, Washington
| founder =
| founded_date = 1977
| separated_from = Universal Life Church
| members =
| ministers = 20 million (2011){{Failed verification|date=January 2016}}
| website = {{URL|http://themonastery.org}}
| footnotes =
}}
The Universal Life Church Monastery (ULCM) is a multi-religious interfaith ministry that has an online ordination program, which allows individuals to preside over weddings, baptisms, and funerals in the United States depending on state and county laws.{{Cite web |title=UI students serve as ordained ministers |url=http://www.dailyiowan.com/2011/05/12/Metro/23511.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113083317/https://dailyiowan.com/2011/05/12/Metro/23511.html |archive-date=November 13, 2014 |newspaper=The Daily Iowan |access-date=December 27, 2014}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |title=Chapel Bound: Getting Ordained Online |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121322275524265889 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=December 27, 2014}} George Freeman is president of the Seattle, Washington–based ministry.{{cite web |title=Pa. judge nullifies weddings by online ministers |newspaper=USA Today |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2007-10-24-online-marriages_n.htm |access-date=December 27, 2014}}{{cite news |last=Karpel |first=Ari |date=10 December 2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/fashion/weddings/12FIELD.html |title=The Officiant Among Us |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=December 27, 2014 }} It claims to have ordained 20 million ministers.
History
The Universal Life Church Monastery was founded in 1977 as an offshoot of the Universal Life Church. The church first established a website that allowed individuals to apply for ordination in 1995.{{cite web |title=Universal Life Church: Ordained online |date=12 August 2001 |publisher=The Religion News Blog |url=http://www.religionnewsblog.com/18900/universal-life-church |access-date=December 27, 2014}} Universal Life Church Monastery formally split from the Modesto-based Universal Life Church in 2006 following financial and legal disputes between the two bodies. Universal Life Church Monastery then began ordaining ministers through its own website.
Beliefs
Universal Life Church Monastery's mantra is "We are all children of the same universe."{{cite web |title=About the Universal Life Church |publisher=Universal Life Church Ministries |url=http://www.themonastery.org/aboutUs |access-date=December 27, 2014}} It also has two core tenets:
- Do only that which is right.
- Every individual is free to practice their religion in the manner of their choosing, as mandated by the First Amendment, so long as that expression does not impinge upon the rights or freedoms of others and is in accordance with the government's laws.
The monastery's stated mission is to ordain anyone regardless of their spiritual or religious denomination.{{cite web |title=Controversial online ordination surges in popularity |publisher=Emerald Media Group |url=http://dailyemerald.com/2011/05/11/controversial-online-ordination-surges-in-popularity/ |access-date=December 27, 2014}}{{cite web |title=The Next Same-Sex Marriage Battle: Who Will Officiate? |magazine=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2013/01/03/the-next-same-sex-marriage-battle-who-will-officiate/ |access-date=December 27, 2014}} {{As of|2019}}, the church had stated that it is almost finished renovating a physical building to serve as a house of worship, and conducts ordination through its website.{{Cite web|url=http://salembusinessjournal.com/pdf/2019_07_sbj.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717174653/http://www.salembusinessjournal.com/pdf/2019_07_sbj.pdf|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 17, 2019|title=ULC Monastery Nears Completion|date=July 1, 2019|website=Salem Business Journal|page=10|access-date=July 22, 2019}} According to the church, ordination allows its ministers to perform marriages, funerals, baptisms, and exorcisms. It provides ordination services free of charge.
See also
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.themonastery.org Official website]
- [https://www.ulc.org/ Universal Life Church (ran by ULCM)] - Not to be confused with Universal Life Church.
- [http://ulccaselaw.com/ Universal Life Church Legal Case Law]
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