History Archives - Universal Life Church Monastery Blog

The Creepy History of Halloween Costumes

October 20th, 2026

Why do we dress up for Halloween? From ancient beliefs about wandering spirits to terrifying homemade masks and modern pop culture costumes, discover the surprisingly spooky history behind this beloved October tradition.

Pagan & Wiccan 61 Comments

The Secret Religious History of Halloween's Top Monsters

October 20th, 2026

Creatures like skeletons, witches, and zombies have become so closely tied to the Halloween holiday that we don’t think twice about them. But did you know many of these creepy figures have hidden religious connections?

ULC Minister Training & Education 79 Comments

The Dark History Behind Pope Leo's Diagnosis

October 16th, 2026

The Vatican once hid papal illnesses, fed rumors of murder, and faced claims of a "shadow pope." With Pope Leo recovering from cancer surgery, one question about papal power remains unresolved.

Christian 13 Comments

Forget the Alamo: The Rewriting of History in Texas

September 24th, 2026

A Muslim teenager asks Texas why a student should have to defend her faith in history class. A Baptist pastor warns that privileging one religion puts all at risk. Inside the state's curriculum rewrite.

Political & Religious Controversy 82 Comments

Jesus Wasn't Jesus

September 10th, 2026

Jesus, Mary, Peter and James weren’t the names these biblical figures would have known. Recovering Yeshua and his world may change how we picture Christianity’s origins, and whom we see as foreign.

Christian 75 Comments

When Did Church Start Looking Like a Nightclub?

August 31st, 2026

From medieval bells and incense to megachurch haze machines, worship has always been produced to move people. So what really separates a sacred experience from a night out, and does the difference matter?

ULC Minister Training & Education 19 Comments

Adam and Eve and Everyone in Between

August 28th, 2026

Long before the word "transgender" existed, religious traditions told stories of people who crossed, combined, or complicated the boundaries between male and female. What should believers make of them today?

LGBTQ & Human Rights 86 Comments

ICE Agents Caught Spying in Church

August 21st, 2026

A hidden recorder fell from an undercover ICE agent inside a Minneapolis church gym already covered by a federal court order. Now faith groups are asking a judge whether DHS crossed a legal line.

Political & Religious Controversy 100 Comments

The Sky is Falling!

August 13th, 2026

This week's Perseid meteor shower isn't just a summer sky show. From Mecca's Black Stone to a goddess Rome imported by ship, several faiths may have turned real space debris into their holiest objects.

Science & Technology 22 Comments

Gay Marriage is Much Older Than You Think

August 7th, 2026

A controversial book claimed the Church once blessed same-sex unions. The ceremony, the couples behind it, and the evidence for historical same-sex marriage beyond one book are stranger and older than most people expect.

LGBTQ & Human Rights 48 Comments

Previous 1 of 9 Next

The Universal Life Church proudly welcomes all who feel called to get ordained, regardless of creed. We enable all faiths; Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Pagan, Wiccan, Atheist – and more – to join our growing non-denominational congregation. Underlying everything we do is a simple core belief: that we are all children of the same universe.

Ready to share your thoughts? Click here to log in to your account. Not yet ordained? You can sign up in just minutes by filling out a free ordination application.