Much has been made in the media lately of the rise of the “Nones”, but are Americans really becoming secular as quickly as news outlets suggest? Results of a new survey confirm this view, claiming that religious affiliation is undergoing … Continue reading →

When the papal conclave had concluded and the smoke ran white on Wednesday, 13 March, the Vatican had finally chosen a new Church father—Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 266th pontiff has a reputation that will stir up … Continue reading →

Which books truly belong in the Christian Bible, and how do we identify these? This question has been raised by the discovery in the past few decades of a surprising number of apocryphal texts which were rejected by Church leaders … Continue reading →

We hear a lot in the media about the decline of religion and the rise of the “nones”—people who check the box next to “none” under “religion” in census forms. Despite this trend, a professor of religion recently made the … Continue reading →

Many, if not most, ministers ordained online are familiar with the saga of Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), the Kansas-based religious organization which pickets the funerals of dead soldiers and homosexuals with signs that say things like “God Hates Fags,” “God … Continue reading →

Imagine turning on the television set to watch the news only to hear a group of pundits unleash a scathing salvo of insults directed at your religion. Recently on the Fox News program Fox & Friends Sunday, Tucker Carlson, founder … Continue reading →

In one of the Universal Life Church Monastery’s more star-studded wedding celebrations, veteran comedian Joan Rivers performed a wedding ceremony this past Valentine’s Day for her two friends using her online ordination certificate. The happy couple was celebrity wedding planner … Continue reading →

Universal Life Church weddings have taken place in almost every location imaginable–from ski resorts to rock concerts, dance clubs, and even late night talk shows. They have been tiny and intimate, consisting of a single couple and their closest friends … Continue reading →

Pretend you are a struggling restaurant server scraping by to make ends meet. You get back your customer’s bill and read the following words scrawled all over it: “I give God 10%. Why do you get 18?” This is precisely … Continue reading →

Teaching Bible courses in public schools is already a controversial practice, but when critics launch accusations of bias in Bible course instruction, the issue becomes even more complicated. A number of Texas school districts are now coming under scrutiny for … Continue reading →