Evangelical Leaders Declare Charlie Kirk a Martyr, Sparking Deep Divisions Within Faith Communities
Evangelical Leaders Declare Charlie Kirk a Martyr, Sparking Deep Divisions Within Faith Communities
The fatal shooting of conservative podcaster and activist Charlie Kirk last Wednesday at Utah Valley University has ignited a fervent response among evangelical leaders, many of whom are now hailing him as a Christian martyr. Services across the country this past Sunday, September 14, 2025, saw prominent figures like Pastor Rob McCoy and Jackson Lahmeyer eulogizing Kirk, a staunch ally of Donald Trump, as a “God-fearing Christian man” and a victim of a “spiritual attack.”
These leaders, including McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Chapel and Lahmeyer of Sheridan Church, framed Kirk’s assassination—which occurred while he was debating culture war topics—as an assault on the Christian church itself, echoing former President Trump’s earlier statement calling Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom.” Comparisons were drawn to the biblical figure Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and the event has reportedly spurred increased interest in Turning Point USA Faith, Kirk’s religious outreach arm.
However, this narrative of martyrdom has met significant pushback, particularly from Black pastors. The Rev. Howard-John Wesley of Alfred Street Baptist Church and Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church vehemently rejected efforts to sanitize Kirk’s legacy. Wesley criticized the national outpouring of grief for a man he described as an “unapologetic racist” who “sowed seeds of division and hate,” highlighting Kirk’s past controversial statements on the Civil Rights Act, Martin Luther King Jr., and racial minorities. Bryant echoed this sentiment, expressing concern over attempts to “remix a life of racism and white supremacy” into heroism.
Amidst the strong declarations, some religious leaders, including Lahmeyer and Pastor Luke Barnett of Dream City Church, also called for peace and civil dialogue, urging followers not to let the violence further divide the nation. Yet, the deep division over how to interpret Kirk’s life and death underscores a broader ideological chasm within American faith communities following a tragedy that authorities are still investigating for motive.
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