The United Church of Christ is a left-of-center mainline Protestant denomination noted for liberal positions on sexuality, abortion, immigration, and climate policy. It engages in national advocacy through resolutions of its General Synod, denominational programs, and occasional litigation, aligning with liberal coalitions on same-sex marriage recognition, abortion access, immigrant “sanctuary” practices, and conventional-energy divestment. ^{1 2 3 4}

Background and History
Formed in 1957 from the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches, the Evangelical and Reformed Church, and the Afro-Christian Convention, the church also subsumed the German Reformed Church, the third-largest Calvinist denomination in the United States. The church has long embraced liberal social stances since its formation. In 1981, the New York Times reported that the group’s national convention, known as the General Synod, embraced “liberal positions on such issues as abortion, civil rights for homosexuals, support for the equal rights amendment, and opposition to the arms race.” ⁵

The Church’s centralized national ministries now operate from Cleveland. As a church, it is exempt from filing nonprofit tax returns with the IRS; however, it publishes audited consolidated statements for the UCC Board and affiliated entities. ^{6 7}

The church’s membership has declined significantly since its founding, outpacing decline among other Protestant denominations, with its numbers cut approximately in half from 1.5 million in 1990 to 770,000 in 2021. ⁸

Activities and Stances
United Church of Christ national ministries include Justice and Witness Ministries, Local Church Ministries, and Wider Church Ministries. Audited notes describe program areas, endowment draws, and offerings such as “Our Church’s Wider Mission,” which functions as the denomination’s primary giving stream. These ministries oversee advocacy, grants, resources, and global work. ⁹

Litigation
In 2014, the United Church of Christ’s General Synod sued North Carolina, arguing that the state’s marriage laws violated clergy’s religious-exercise rights. A federal judge struck down the laws. The case, General Synod of the United Church of Christ v. Cooper, was noted as a rare instance of a religious denomination leading litigation efforts on same-sex marriage issues. ^{10 11}

Climate
In 2013, United Church of Christ’s General Synod became the first U.S. denomination to pass a resolution endorsing fossil-fuel divestment and shareholder activism. UCC climate-justice programming has included Creation Justice Churches, Climate Hope efforts, and periodic “Climate Action Assemblies” coordinated by UCC’s environmental ministries. ¹²

Same-Sex Marriage
The United Church of Christ is explicit about supporting same-sex marriage. In 2005, it became the first mainline Protestant denomination to endorse same-sex marriage. The church further promotes LGBT resources and maintains an “Open and Affirming” coalition. ^{13 3}

Abortion
The United Church of Christ has taken a left-of-center stance on abortion, describing itself as pro-choice in resolutions and urging congregations to protect “abortion as health care” in General Synod deliberations following the Supreme Court overturning the national right to abortion from Roe v. Wade. The denomination publishes “reproductive justice” materials and mobilizes national advocacy networks around federal abortion protections. ⁴

Immigration
On immigration, the United Church of Christ promotes “Immigrant Welcoming” designations and participation in the “Sanctuary Movement,” pressing for legalization pathways and opposing enforcement actions. The church has also specifically opposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity conducted by the second Trump administration and has promoted the use of its churches as sanctuaries for those facing deportation proceedings. ¹⁴

Israel
The United Church of Christ’s 2021 Synod approved a resolution “decrying oppression of Palestinians” and calling to end U.S. military aid to Israel. Several on the committee pushed to name the situation as “apartheid,” or a “sin,” though Synod committee edits softened the language in the final text. ¹⁵

1. “Home.” United Church of Christ. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/
2. “Divesting from Fossil Fuel Companies and Shareholder Activism.” United Church of Christ. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/justice-local-church-ministries/efam/environmental-justice/divesting_from_fossil_fuel_companies_and_shareholder_activism/
3. Lomperis, John. “UCC Shows Mainline Protestantism’s Future: Unrelenting Decline.” Juicy Ecumenism. July 13, 2022. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://juicyecumenism.com/2022/07/13/ucc-shows-mainline-protestantisms-future-unrelenting-decline/
4. “Reproductive Justice.” United Church of Christ. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/reproductive-justice/
5. Austin, Charles. “United Church of Christ Reaffirms Liberalism.” The New York Times. July 2, 1981. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1981/07/02/nyregion/united-church-of-christ-reaffirms-liberalism.html
6. Faith Formation Short Course. United Church of Christ. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/shortcourse.pdf
7. “UCC National Setting Settles in to New Offices in Downtown Cleveland.” United Church of Christ. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/ucc-national-setting-settles-in-to-new-offices-in-downtown-cleveland/
8. “The UCC Is Missing 1.3 Million People.” So What Faith. June 13, 2023. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://sowhatfaith.com/2023/06/13/the-ucc-is-missing-1-3-million-people/
9. United Church of Christ — 2023 Audited Financial Statements. United Church of Christ. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/UCC-2023-Audited-FS.pdf
10. “North Carolina Marriage Equality.” United Church of Christ. October 10, 2014. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/north-carolina-marriageequality-10102014/
11. “Clergy Join the Court Fight Against Same-Sex Marriage, Citing Religious Freedom.” NC Newsline. October 10, 2014. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/clergy-join-the-court-fight-against-same-sex-marriage-citing-religious-freedom/
12. https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/justice-local-church-ministries/efam/environmental-justice/divesting_from_fossil_fuel_companies_and_shareholder_activism/
13. “LGBT Issues & Marriage Equality Index.” United Church of Christ. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/wider-church-ministries/gsjm/lgbtqia/lgbt_issues_marriage-equality_index/
14. “Justice: Immigration.” United Church of Christ. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/justice_immigration-2/
15. “Synod Delegates Approve Resolution Decrying Oppression of Palestinian People.” United Church of Christ. July 18, 2021. Accessed October 29, 2025. https://www.ucc.org/synod-delegates-approve-resolution-decrying-oppression-of-palestinian-people/