The murder of Charlie Kirk has shocked me – not just in the cruel finality of it, but in how quickly his death has become another cause for division between evangelicals. Grief ought to draw us together; instead, the rifts among evangelical Christians are plain to see. We are witnessing a split, not merely in politics, but in how Christians understand their faith and their witness in the world. It is time for serious reflection – and for faithful courage. But is that possible? Is it possible for us to be even bolder without being more divided?
In the immediate aftermath of Kirk’s death, I wrote two articles and posted them online on the Evangelical Times website. One was a straight factual report of what had happened and some quotes from prominent figures. The other was published a day later, expressing horror at the way some people were gleefully rejoicing at his death. But immediately after those two articles were published, evangelicals were jumping on me, criticising me for either ‘aligning’ with a ‘white supremacist’, or for being ‘lily-livered’ in daring to suggest Kirk didn’t always get everything right.
First, let’s be clear. Charlie Kirk was a complex figure. Admirable in many respects: a young man with conviction, unafraid to enter the public square, unashamed of speaking out about what he believed was right. He was a voice for unborn life, for traditional marriage, and for religious liberty. He stirred many to see their faith as integrally tied to culture and society, not something boxed off to private devotion.
Pastors and Christian leaders have a responsibility in this moment. A responsibility to name sin, to lament injustice (including violence), to teach rightly, to model sacrifice.
