North Dakota no longer has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the United States. In April, Federal Judge Daniel Hovland overturned a stringent anti-abortion measure signed last July by Republican Gov. Jack Darymple calling it “invalid and unconstitutional.” Reproductive rights groups cheered the ruling. The law had prohibited a North Dakota abortion after Read More

Same-sex marriage is an issue that has recently gained considerable momentum. While the US federal government only recognizes heterosexual marriages, nine states allow marriages between homosexual couples. Most states, however, prohibit marriage between same-sex couples.  We at the Universal Life Church support equal rights and feel that the following legal case is worth while to blog about. Read More

The number of people turning away from traditional churches has never been higher in our society. However, interest in spirituality itself is continuing to increase, and many people are seeking a more personal spiritual path. Following a flock just doesn’t have the same depth of meaning that most people today are searching for in their Read More

British Prime Minister Announces Plans to Allow Gay Weddings in Churches British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to announce plans to allow gay marriage inside British churches within the next week. This development shows that Cameron, who began his first term as Prime Minister in 2010, has made a 180 degree turn on his Read More

Freedom From Religion Foundation Sues the Internal Revenue Service The Freedom From Religion Foundation, an atheist group from Madison, Wisc., filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service last week for not cracking down on churches who endorse political candidates. Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor cited concerns about churches receiving preferential treatment over other non Read More

The solemnization of marriages by Universal Life Church ministers has generated disagreement among many in the legal community in recent decades. Each state in the union has a slightly different set of rules about who has the authority to perform marriages. Few states’ statutes on marriages have been as hotly contested, however, as the state Read More

Universal Life Church minister closer to receiving land use permit for his Chico, Calif. temple Robert Seals, a Universal Life Church minister and owner of the Chico Goddess Temple, has forced the Butte County Board of Supervisors to renege their 3-2 ruling that the religious center should not be allowed to host weddings, retreats, concerts, Read More

Introduction: Legal Precedent Important for Universal Life Church Ministers Laws that govern who are able to perform legally-recognized marriages are highly subjective and difficult to interpret; even government officials within the same county clerk’s office can have many interpretations of the implications of a single law. In situations where laws are hard to interpret, like Read More

Judge rules Christian-only plan fails to meet Department of Insurance regulations A Kentucky judge has ruled that a health insurance plan available only to Christians does not meet Department of Insurance regulations. Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate said the health insurance program will no longer be allowed to provide coverage for its 800 Kentuckian Read More

Case Background In 2001, the State of Utah passed legislation known as the Internet Statute that voided any ministerial certification or ordination that was obtained by an individual through the mail or internet. The legislation supported the Marriage Solemnization Statute which stated that the only individuals legally allowed to solemnize marriages were rabbis, priests or Read More