The Universal Foundation for Better Living, or UFBL, is a New Thought denomination that was founded in 1974 by Johnnie Colemon in Chicago, Illinois. Colemon founded the foundation as an association for African American New Thought ministers after breaking away from the Unity Church for "blatant racism".[1] Rev. Colemon is often referred to as "the First Lady of New Thought".[2]
| Universal Foundation for Better Living | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | UFBL |
| Classification | New Thought Christianity |
| Scripture | Bible (interpreted metaphysically) |
| Theology | New Thought |
| Founder | Reverend Dr. Johnnie Colemon |
| President | Reverend Dr. Sheila McKeithen |
| Past President | Reverend Dr. Mary Tumpkin |
| Associations | International New Thought Alliance |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Miami Gardens, Florida, United States |
| Territory | United States, Canada, Jamaica, Trinidad, The Bahamas, Guyana |
| Origin | June 1974 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Separated from | Unity Church |
| Member Ministries | 17 |
| Seminaries | Johnnie Colemon Theological Seminary |
| Publications | Daily Inspiration for Better Living |
| Official website | https://ufbl.org/ |
| Slogan | "It Works If You Work It" |
History
editAfter founding the first predominantly African American Unity Church in 1954, Colemon broke away in 1974. Named the Universal Foundation for Better Living, the foundation had 22,000 members in the late 1980s, with a 32-acre facility in the Chicago-area.[3] The foundation adheres closely to the principles taught by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore.[4]
Today the denomination has more than 30 churches across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean, with a majority of African American members. Colemon appointed Mary A. Tumpkin as President of the foundation in 1995, where she served until she died in November 2013.[5] In 2015, Sheila R. McKeithen became the foundation's third President.
References
edit- ^ DuPree, S.S. (1996) African-American Holiness Pentecostal movement: an annotated bibliography. Taylor & Francis. p 380.
- ^ Finley, S.C., Alexander, T. (2009) African American religious cultures, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p 280.
- ^ Payne, W.J. (1991) Directory of African American religious bodies: a compendium by the Howard University School of Divinity. Howard University Press. p 125.
- ^ Neusner, J. (2009) World Religions in America: An Introduction. Westminster John Knox Press. p 278.
- ^ Finley, S.C., Alexander, T. (2009) African American religious cultures, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p 281.
External links
edit- Universal Foundation for Better Living official website
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