Why the Assassination of Charlie Kirk is a Watershed Moment for the Soul of America

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah event on 9/10/2025.

Whether you agreed or disagreed with his political views, Charlie Kirk’s violent death has impacted the entire country. The immediate response would seem to set the stage for even more division. But I think this is actually a moment for Christians to set an example with our response, by rejecting the extremism that perpetuates such acts of violence and instead, embrace compassion...perhaps especially for those with whom we disagree.

Kirk was a controversial figure, to be sure, and the conversations surrounding his death are as polarizing as he was. And so the reactions go from one extreme to the other. Some thought he was an American patriot who gave voice to the complaints of those on the political Right in compelling and creative ways. Some thought his rhetoric was harmful, racist, misogynistic and was generally aimed at taking our country backwards.

To be clear about where I stand, my own personal views are at total odds with his; I am appalled by nearly everything he ever said. But I can still respect a person's right to express their opinions, although I hold vastly different opinions. And I admire the way Kirk mobilized voters and how gifted he was at speaking with clarity and conviction, despite his convictions being the total opposite of my own. My point is that whatever your personal opinion, Charlie Kirk was a force to be reckoned with; his clever approach of reaching America’s Conservative youth and connecting with nonvoters was extremely effective.

But his political activism aside, Charlie Kirk was also a father and a husband. And I just think today, the day after his wife and children witnessed his horrifying assassination, is not the time to say derogatory and hateful things about him. As Christians, there is never a time for this. 

And as human beings, there is never a time where we ought to celebrate someone’s death. I have no doubt that Jesus is mourning this death, not celebrating it. But this is a new trend I’ve been noticing, where we celebrate the death of people we disagree with, as if they were terrorists. And not only is it shocking and sickening, it saddens and scares me. What does this say about our hearts? What does it communicate about how little we value a human life?

Especially when political violence is on the rise, what lesson can Christian leaders and public theologians take from this tragedy?

For me, one thing I am learning from this is that our language matters. In his tribute to Charlie Kirk, President Trump placed the blame for increasing political violence in our country solely on the Left. In my view, this response does nothing to unify the American people in the face of such heinous violence, but rather, serves to reinforce the growing divide. It was also patently false. But, listing all of the cases of political violence perpetuated by those on the Right won’t make any difference for those who agree with the president, and most of his (Christian nationalist) supporters still refuse to see January 6th for what it was - an attack on democracy and the largest example of political violence in America this generation has seen. Arguing about the problem doesn't solve it.

If both sides were being honest, we would acknowledge that the rise in political violence in our country coincides directly with the rise in political extremism, which is perpetuated by the intentionally inflammatory rhetoric espoused by leaders - political and religious alike - that serves only to fan the flames. Both sides are guilty, and neither side tries to deescalate. It’s either defend or deflect. We either love or we hate; we blindly support without question or we vehemently denigrate without humility. Such dualistic and binary thinking gets us nowhere good. We all know this, but we’ve become so dogmatic in our own thinking that our minds and hearts are set in stone, causing us to lose not only our ability to see clearly, but also our humanity. 

And so another thing I am learning from this tragedy is that compassion is not weakness; it's strength. Compassion matters at all times, not just some times. And it matters for all people, not just the ones we agree with. Our enemies are not excluded from the list of those we are called to love; in fact, they’re explicitly mentioned several times, probably because Jesus knew we’d struggle mightily with this command.

Hate is so very easy; love is much harder.

I am begging my Christian sisters and brothers to choose love here. I pray this will prompt us to work to extinguish the flames of extremism, not fan them. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can.

And what should love look like here, in the aftermath of this tragic event? I think it has to start with remembering that we are all made in the image of God, and it is our calling to reflect that image back out into the world, through word and deed.

And so we can be mindful of the language we use in our conversations in the coming days and weeks, and we can pay close attention to how we treat those we disagree with moving forward. Just because there is hate being spewed does not mean it gets to have the final word. What if the impact of Charlie Kirk’s death was not more division and violence, but more compassion and grace? What if love could actually win this one?

Wouldn't that be a response all sides could benefit from?