Universal Church of the Kingdom of God

Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Temple of Solomon, headquarter of UCKG.
Classification	Protestant
Theology	Neopentecostal with prosperity gospel
Leader	Edir Macedo
Region	200 countries approx. in 2012
Headquarters	São Paulo, Brazil
Founder	Edir Macedo and R. R. Soares
Origin	July 9, 1977
Official website	http://www.universal.org

The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG, from Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus [iˈɡɾeʒɐ univeʁˈsaw du ˈʁejnu dʒi ˈdews] (IURD) is a Pentecostal Christian denomination with headquarters in the Temple of Solomon, in São Paulo, Brazil. It was founded on July 9, 1977 in Rio de Janeiro by Edir Macedo.

In 1999 it had 8 million members in Brazil, and had established temples in the United Kingdom and, since 1992, set up temples in Africa and in India, with a 1999 total of more than 12 million members worldwide. By 2013 UCKG had congregations in Brooklyn, New York City and other US locations.

The Church has frequently been accused of illegal activities and corruption, including money laundering, charlatanism, and witchcraft, and intolerance towards other religions. It has been subject to bans in several African countries. A London UCKG pastor in 2000 merely arranged a service to cast out the devil when his help was sought for an ill and badly injured child whose guardians thought her possessed; she died and her guardians were convicted of murder. There have been accusations that the Church extracts money from poor members for the benefit of its leaders.

Edir Macedo's 2012 book Nada a Perder (Nothing to Lose) covers the early history of the Church. It was founded in 1977 by Macedo and his brother-in-law R. R. Soares in Rio de Janeiro.

Macedo converted to Evangelism at Igreja Cristã de Nova Vida, a Pentecostal church founded by the Canadian bishop Walter Robert McAlister. In 1968 he met Soares, who also joined. Macedo wanted to become a minister of that church, but was not accepted by its leaders, and decided to change to another denomination. Soares became interested in another church, called Casa da Bênção, and invited Macedo. In that church they considered that they saw possession by and deliverance from demons for the first time, but only Soares was consecrated as a pastor.