Universal Church of the Kingdom of God

== Beliefs ==
The UCKG has a [[Charismatic Christianity|charismatic]] [[confession of faith]].<ref>Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus, [https://www.universal.org/a-universal/home/ Em que Cremos], universal.org, Brésil, retrieved February 18, 2020</ref><ref>FANCELLO Sandra et MARY André, ''Chrétiens africains en Europe'', KARTHALA Editions, France, 2011, p. 383</ref>

* That the [[Baptism with the Holy Spirit|baptism of the Holy Spirit]]<!--source says "of", not "with"--> empowers believers for service and endows them with [[Gifts of the Spirit|supernatural gifts]].
* That ministries of [[apostle]], [[prophet]], [[Evangelism|evangelist]], [[pastor]], and [[teacher]] are divinely ordained.
* That [[Jesus Christ]] appointed two ordinances to be observed as acts of obedience:
**immersion of the believer in water ([[baptism]])
**the [[Eucharist|Lord's Supper]], symbolic of consuming the body and blood of Jesus, in remembrance of his sacrifice and in the expectation that he will return.
* In [[divine healing]] as described in the Christian Bible. The translation recommended by the UCKG is the 1982 [[New King James Version]] (NKJV), which, according to the Church, "is the most true to the original we've found so far". The UCKG also urges its followers not to read the [[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures|New World Translation]] (NWT), which is used by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uckgtanzania.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1157:how-to-read-the-bible-&catid=96:sample-news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315215838/http://www.uckg.org.za/frequently-asked-questions/how-to-read-the-bible/|date=2016<!--copyright date-->|archive-date=15 March 2016|url-status=dead|website=UCKG|title=How to Read the Bible}}</ref>
* That people can be [[Sanctification in Christianity|sanctified]] (become holy)<ref>Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed.Sanctify: to make (a person) holy, to purify or free from sin</ref> during their lifetime.
*The UCKG does not believe that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is sufficient enough to work in the congregant's life today; it teaches that a member of the church has to make a "total and complete"<ref name=7steps>{{cite web |url=http://uckg.ca/7-steps-to-being-blessed-in-the-campaign-of-israel/ |title=7 Steps to Being Blessed in the Campaign of Israel |newspaper=Uckg.ca |access-date= 18 December 2015}}</ref> sacrifice of what they depend on to God through the church (for example, a month's pay, or savings) twice a year without telling anybody;<ref name=7steps/> they commonly refer this as the "Campaign of Israel".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.universal.org/bispomacedo/en/2011/10/30/campaign-of-israel/ |title=Campaign of Israel - Articles, Messages |newspaper=Blogs.universal.org |access-date= 18 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=bastidores/>

The UCKG also considers that "hard work, perseverance and faithfulness to God" will produce earnings for people, a doctrine called [[prosperity theology]], and that a tithe (10%) of earnings should be given to God through the church.<ref name=tithe>{{cite web|url=http://www.uckg.org/uk/?p=53350|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402160413/http://www.uckg.org/uk/?p=53350|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=usurped|website=UCKG|title=Tithers must be like eagles|date=July 2013}} "We are encouraging you to put God to the test and, during this month of July, give the tithe of what you can 'see yourself' earning, as through your hard work, perseverance and faithfulness to God, you believe you deserve."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uckg.org/uk/?p=47617|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110545/http://www.uckg.org/uk/?p=47617|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=usurped|website=UKCG Web|title=Yellow rose- for prosperity}}</ref> They offer the "promise of the psalm" ([[Psalm 23]], ''The Lord is my shepherd''): peace, healing, protection, prosperity and favour.<ref name=holyoil>{{cite web|url=http://www.uckg.org/news/?p=35679UCKG|title=Could one drop of oil really make a difference?|date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402173525/http://www.uckg.org/news/?p=35679UCKG|access-date=13 September 2018|archive-date=2015-04-02}}</ref>

A 2015 [[academic paper]] by Ilana van Wyk, author of the 2014 book ''The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in South Africa'' analyses the UCKG's prosperity teachings in South Africa, where the church has a very significant presence. She found, based on long-term fieldwork, that the traditional [[Protestantism|Protestant]] doctrine of frugality and hard work had been largely replaced by the prosperity gospel, with the pursuit of "blessings" superseding older concerns over secular vocations and hard work. She found that in churches such as the UCKG, members were urged to demand "miracle jobs" and reject humble vocations and low pay, regardless of qualifications, skills or experience. Complementing her book, the paper examines the role of good and bad luck in the lives of believers, how the UCKG attempts to regulate the flow of money, and its relationship to older notions of prosperity, fate and good fortune.<ref name="van Wyk2015">{{cite journal|last1=van Wyk|first1=Ilana|title=Prosperity and the work of luck in the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, South Africa|journal=Critical African Studies |volume=7|issue=3|year=2015|pages=262–279|issn=2168-1392|doi=10.1080/21681392.2015.1050216|s2cid=220330340 }}</ref>

The UCKG has been accused of intolerance and demonisation of African-Brazilian religions such as [[Candomblé]] and [[Umbanda]], with aggressive speech and attacks on temples.<ref name=vida>{{cite web |url=http://vida-estilo.estadao.com.br/noticias/geral,aos-cem-anos-umbanda-ainda-sofre-preconceito,278344 |title=Aos cem anos, umbanda ainda sofre preconceito - Vida & Estilo - Estadão |newspaper=Vida-estilo.estadao.com |date=15 November 2008  |author=Emilio Sant Anna & Ricardo Muniz, State of S.Paulo|language=pt|access-date= 28 December 2015}}</ref> In 2005, a Brazilian court ordered that Macedo's book ''Orixás, Caboclos e Guias: Deuses ou Demônios?'' be removed from stores as prejudiced and attacking the religious freedom of members of religions of African origin;<ref name="OESP-2005-NOV-10/UNIVERSAL">{{cite web |url=http://cultura.estadao.com.br/noticias/geral,teor-preconceituoso-faz-justica-proibir-livro-de-edir-macedo,20051110p3581 |title=Teor preconceituoso faz Justiça proibir livro de Edir Macedo - Cultura - Estadão |newspaper=Cultura.estadao.com |date=10 November 2005  |author=State Agency |language=pt|access-date= 28 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="CONJUR-2006/RECORD-IURD">{{cite web |url=https://www.conjur.com.br/2006-fev-14/edir_macedo_processado_descaminho |title=Dono e diretores da Record são processados por descaminho |language=pt|trans-title=Owner and directors of Record tried for misdemeanor|website=Consultor Jurídico|date=16 February 2006|author=Maria Fernanda Erdelyi |access-date= 14 September 2018}}</ref> the judgement was reversed on [[freedom of expression]] grounds after a year of litigation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://expresso-noticia.jusbrasil.com.br/noticias/136368/trf-libera-circulacao-do-livro-de-edir-macedo|title=TRF libera circulação do livro de Edir Macedo|website=Expresso-noticia.jusbrasil.com.br|access-date=13 September 2018}}</ref>