The Universal Life Church (or ULC) is a religious organization that offers anyone semi-immediate ordination as a ULC minister free of charge. The organization states that anyone can become a minister immediately, without having to go through the pre-ordination process required by other religious faiths. The ordination application, however, must be checked by a human in order to be official; therefore, true ordination usually takes a few days. The ULC's ordinations are issued in the belief that all people are already ordained by God and that the ULC is merely recognizing this fact.
The following is a list of notable people who have been ordained as ministers in the Universal Life Church.
A
NameKnown forCitationsAdeleSinger/songwriterEric AnzaloneSinger/actor/author member of the Village PeopleLewis AshmoreAuthor
B NameKnown forCitationsGlenn BeckAmerican conservative political commentatorSusan BlockAmerican sexologist, author, filmmaker, therapist, cable TV talk show host and cultural commentatorRichard BransonEnglish businessman, investor and founder of Virgin GroupDavid ByrneScottish musician, and a founding member and principal songwriter of the American new wave band Talking Heads
C
NameKnown forCitationsCyd CharisseAmerican actress and dancerStephen ColbertAmerican comedian, writer, producer, actor, media critic, and television hostBryan CranstonAmerican actorBenedict CumberbatchActor from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
D NameKnown forCitationsTony DanzaAmerican actorMichael DowdAmerican lecturerJohn C. DvorakAmerican columnist and broadcaster in the areas of technology and computingRob DyrdekAmerican professional skateboarder, actor, entrepreneur, producer, and reality TV star.
E
NameKnown forCitationsJoseph Maldonado-PassageAmerican former zoo operator, convicted felon and focus of the 2020 documentary Tiger King.
F NameKnown forCitationsAndrew Barth FeldmanAmerican actor and singer 8:51Guy FieriChef and TV hostBobby FlayChef and TV host
G
NameKnown forCitationsShaenon K. GarrityAmerican webcomics writer, artist and creator of NarbonicJim GoadAmerican author and publisherKathy GriffinAmerican actress, comedian, writer, producer and television hostJonathan GroffAmerican actor
H
NameKnown forCitationsTom HanksActorGeorge HarrisonEnglish musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, and music and film producer who achieved international fame as a member of The BeatlesAndre HensleyThird President of the Universal Life ChurchKirby J. HensleyFounder of the Universal Life ChurchLida HensleySecond President of the Universal Life ChurchJonah HillActorJesse HughesAmerican singer, musician and multi-instrumentalist. Frontman of the rock band Eagles of Death Metal.
J
NameKnown forCitationsJesse JamesAmerican television personality and former CEO of Austin, Texas-based Austin Speed ShopLindsay JonesVoice actor, Achievement Hunter and on-screen personality at Rooster TeethDwayne JohnsonActor and former professional wrestlerLyndon B. JohnsonWas the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served as the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963.
K
NameKnown forCitationsTheo KatzmanAmerican musician and member of VulfpeckJimmy KimmelTV hostJohn KrasinskiActor from America who played Jim Halpert on The OfficeCarson KressleyAmerican fashion expert with the television program Queer Eye for the Straight GuyJared KushnerTrump's Orthodox Jewish son-in-law claims to have been ordained; and a spokesperson for the ulc.org confirmed that Kushner is, in fact, ordained by ULC - according to usatoday.com
L NameKnown forCitationsLady GagaAmerican singer and songwriterLeo LaporteAmerican technology broadcaster, author and entrepreneurJohn LennonEnglish musician, singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a founding member of the rock band The BeatlesCourtney LoveAmerican alternative rock singer, songwriter, musician, actress, visual artist, and widow of Kurt CobainTheodore LotheringtonFounding member of noise rock band Nirvana If They Were Good
M
NameKnown forCitationsPaul McCartneyEnglish singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer who gained worldwide fame as a member of The BeatlesFancy Ray McCloneyStand-up comedian Ian McKellenEnglish actorAlanis MorissetteSinger
N NameKnown forCitationsMichael NewdowAmerican Atheist, attorney and emergency medicine physicianGavin NewsomAmerican politician and current Governor of CaliforniaStevie NicksAmerican singer-songwriter
O
NameKnown forCitationsConan O'BrienAmerican television host, comedian, writer, producer and voice actorMadalyn Murray O'HairAmerican atheist activist and founder of American Atheists, Inc.
P NameKnown forCitationsMike ParkKorean American musician and progressive activistMatPatAmerican actor, writer, and YouTuberAnthony PerkinsAmerican actor, director and singer ("Norman Bates" in Psycho, 1960, which established him as a horror icon)Jeff ProbstAmerican game show host and an executive producer of Survivor.
R
NameKnown forCitationsJerry ReinsdorfAmerican CPA, lawyer and an owner of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and the MLB's Chicago White SoxJoan RiversActressKyle RocheAmerican lawyerJohn RoderickLead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band The Long Winters, podcasterFelipe RoseFounding member of the disco group the Village People
S
NameKnown forCitationsJohn ScalziAmerican science fiction author, online writer, and former president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of AmericaJason SegelAmerican actor and comedianMichael ShermerAmerican science writer, historian of science, executive director of The Skeptics Society, and founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, a publication focused on investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims Alt URLHomer SimpsonHomer (in The Simpsons) uses the internet to become a minister through a web page that he sees last, in one episode; ULC it's clearly alluded (due to the screen's "blue theme," which also features "dove emblem" above and "church emblem" below – compare with ULC websites from 2004)Kevin SmithAmerican screenwriter, actor, film producer, speaker and director, as well as popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur and podcasterGus SorolaVideo producer, actor and podcaster with Rooster TeethIvan StangAmerican writer, filmmaker and broadcaster, and Sacred Scribe with the Church of the SubGeniusRingo StarrEnglish drummer, singer, songwriter and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The BeatlesMink StoleActressSharon StoneSharon Stone is an American actress and film producer; she is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a nomination for an Academy Award. She was named Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in France in 2005 (Commander in 2021).Vermin SupremeAmerican performance artist and activistRon SureshaAmerican author and activist
T NameKnown forCitationsGeorge TakeiAmerican actor, director, author, and activistMickey ThomasAmerican singer for StarshipAmerican Top 40; April 4, 1987
V NameKnown forCitationsVanilla IceAmerican rapper, actor and television host
W
NameKnown forCitationsDanny WallaceBritish filmmaker, comedian, writer, actor and presenter of radio and televisionJohn WatersAmerican film director, screenwriter, actor, stand-up comedian, journalist, visual artist and art collectorJane WiedlinAmerican musician, singer-songwriter and actress with The Go-Go's Mike WilliamsAmerican singer for Eyehategod and former associate editor for Metal ManiacsWolfman JackAmerican disc jockey
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