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Many on the evangelical right see Kirk as a martyr, while other nonwhite and non-evangelical faith groups view his legacy more critically. All condemned further violence.
Leigh-Allyn Baker, an actress and speaker with Turning Point USA (Kirk’s advocacy group), rallied her fellow parishioners at Conduit Church in Nashville during a Sept. 14 service to speak more boldly for their conservative values than ever before. She encouraged the audience not to let Kirk’s death be in vain.
In the video, Baker said, “I know there’s an ember of courage in all of you. And I want you to let Charlie’s legacy fan that flame.” Conduit congregants welcomed this message with whoops, shouts, and tears.
While some were angry over Kirk’s death, faith leaders pushed back against retaliation. Darren Tyler, a pastor at Conduit Church, said in his sermon, “Some of you are angry, some of you want revenge. The Bible speaks very clearly, ‘vengeance is mine,’ says the Lord.” He urged congregants not to make Jesus King by force.
Nathan Empsall, an Episcopal priest in New Haven, Connecticut, also condemned political violence. In a Sept. 12 post on Substack, he said, “Political violence is wrong. It might not be un-American, given our history, but it should be.”
Other faith leaders echoed similar sentiments. Dwight McKissic, a Texas pastor, called the Southern Baptist Convention’s statement endorsing Kirk’s polarizing politics “unwise.” He argued that it would set race relations back to the 1950s.
Virginia pastor Howard John-Wesley condemned Kirk’s murder but warned against casting him as an American hero. John-Wesley described Kirk as “an unapologetic racist” whose followers had “selective outrage.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints also condemned violence and called for greater kindness, compassion, and goodness.
These diverse responses reflect the emotionally charged nature of Charlie Kirk’s death and its impact on various faith communities.
