The gospel of MAGA in their own words about Charlie Kirk

Last April — long before Charlie Kirk’s untimely and horrific assassination Sept. 10 — I wrote an article about his rise from college dropout to Trump influencer. Since Kirk’s murder, I’ve watched with fascination the battle over his legacy.

The MAGA elite were quick to label Kirk a martyr in the Christian tradition — claiming he died for his Christian faith. Within days, he was modeled after Jesus Christ himself  appearing to his disciples with the help of AI.

This depiction, of course, stands in stark contrast to Kirk’s own life and words. As journalists, bloggers and the general public dared to counter the narrative of MAGA elites, the battle over how his life should be remembered has reached a fevered pitch.

The words of Black pastor Howard-John Wesley of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va., sum up the sentiment of many:

Charlie Kirk did not deserve to be assassinated. But I am overwhelmed seeing the flags of the United States of America at half-staff calling this nation to honor and venerate a man who was an unapologetic racist and spent all of his life sowing seeds of division and hate into this land. And hearing people with selective rage who are mad about Charlie Kirk but didn’t give a damn about Melissa Hortman and her husband when they were shot down in their home tell me I ought to have compassion for the death of a man who had no respect for my own life. I am sorry, but there’s nowhere in the Bible where we are taught to honor evil. And how you die does not redeem how you live. You do not become a hero in your death when you were a weapon of the enemy in your life. I can abhor the violence to that took your life, but I don’t have to celebrate how you chose to live. I am overwhelmed.

Such expressions of the complicated life and political theology of Kirk enraged MAGA elites and plebians alike who conflate honest debate over Kirk’s legacy with the insensitive and often reprehensible behavior of a few who openly celebrated Kirk’s murder on social media.

“What struck me most about the service was the escalation of efforts to deify Kirk and to articulate a gospel of MAGA.”

This was the backdrop to the much-anticipated memorial service of Kirk on Sunday.

Much has been written this week about that memorial service, which was produced by Turning Point USA. What struck me most about the service was the escalation of efforts to deify Kirk and to articulate a gospel of MAGA as recorded by the disciples of Turning Point USA.

As the disciples of TPUSA articulated their theology, their new religion came into sharp focus. There are several themes.

First, Western civilization — shaped by Christianity and the Enlightenment — is under attack.

Our lineage and our legacy hails back to Athens, to Rome, to Philadelphia, to Monticello. Our ancestors built the cities. They produced the art and architecture. They built the industry. Erika stands on the shoulders of thousands of years of warriors of women who raised up families, raised up city, raised up industry, raised up civilization, who pulled us out of the caves and the darkness into the light. — Steven Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff

He was taken from us by those who despise the virtues that actually made our civilization great to begin with. Dialogue, truth seeking, family and faith. I found myself wishing that I could pick up the phone and talk to my friend and ask him for his advice in his counsel to ask him how to respond to such hate and the souls from which that hate springs. I think he would encourage me to be honest that evil still walks among us. Not to ignore it for the sake of a fake kumbaya moment, but to address it head-on and honestly as the sickness that it is. — Vice President JD Vance

“We will come to find that in the final moment that Western civilization was saved through Charlie’s sacrifice.”

And the question of our time, will Western civilization endure or will it fracture in two like so many predict? Well, I say to you that a century from now when they write of the two or three pivotal moments that led to the saving of Western civilization, they will write that the sacrifice of Charles James Kirk was the turning point. … Our civilization will endure. The United States of America will endure. For Charlie, we will continue the mission. For Charlie, we will end the evil disease that split us and took Charlie from us. And for Charlie, Turning Point USA will last forever. And we will come to find, we will come to find that in the final moment that Western civilization was saved through Charlie’s sacrifice in the only way possible by returning the people to Almighty God. — Jack Posobiec, alt-right political activist, conspiracy theorist and podcaster

We’re building an experience to help save the country. … This is about saving Western civilization. — voiceover of Charlie Kirk during a tribute video

Second, MAGA adherents have cast themselves as the children of light who are in the midst of a spiritual war with anyone not in their movement whom they have cast as the children of darkness.

The light will defeat the dark. We will prevail over the forces of wickedness and evil. They cannot imagine what they have awakened. They cannot conceive of the army that they have arisen in all of us. Because we stand for what is good, what is virtuous, what is noble. And to those trying to incite violence against us, those trying to foment hatred against us, what do you have? You have nothing. You are nothing. You are wickedness. You are jealousy. You are envy. You are hatred. You are nothing. You can build nothing. You can produce nothing. You can create nothing… We built the world that we inhabit now. generation by generation. And we will defend this world. We will defend goodness. We will defend light. We will defend virtue. You cannot terrify us. You cannot frighten us. You cannot threaten us. Because we are on the side of goodness. We are on the side of God. — Steven Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff

Charlie Kirk, a patriot, a conservative, a leader, a builder, an advocate, an author, a lover of freedom, a husband, a father, a Christian and a warrior. … And he pursued that truth with more vigor than anyone I’ve ever met. But over time, he realized, like so many of us have, that this is not a political war. It’s not even a cultural war. It’s a spiritual war. — Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of War

Charlie was more than an activist. Charlie was a modern-day disciple who preached about the greatness of America, not just across our land, but around the globe. Charlie knew that we are in a spiritual war for the heart, soul, and future of America, and he was ultimately killed because of it. — Sergio Gor, director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office

“He was winning. So much winning. So much so that the forces of darkness, hate and evil were threatened by him and tried to silence him.”

And those who speak of God, those who speak the truth, simple objective truths like there are only two genders in these schools, they are told, “You have no voice.” Charlie chose this arena to take these people head-on to challenge these institutions, these students and faculty, encouraging them to come to speak honestly, bring your ideas, debate loudly and think critically. And Charlie did this so well. He was winning. So much winning. So much so that the forces of darkness, hate and evil were threatened by him and tried to silence him. …They kill and terrorize their opponents hoping to silence them. But in this evil that we have experienced that Charlie faced, their flawed ideology is exposed. Because by trying to silence Charlie, his voice is now louder than ever. — Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence

Are you ready to fight back? And are you ready to put on the full armor of God and face the evil in high places and the spiritual warfare before us? Then put on the full armor of God. Do it now. Now is the time. This is the place. This is the turning point for Charlie. — Jack Posobiec, alt-right political activist, conspiracy theorist and podcaster

Third, Charlie Kirk was a prophet, a disciple, a martyr like Stephen in the Book of Acts, the new Moses and even the new Christ, himself who, rather than being murdered, willingly sacrificed his own life to give America life ever after.

You see, it’s only now that I’m beginning to realize what was going on all these years that I spent with Charlie. We called them campus tours. Now I know they were really tent revivals complete with a tent. Amen. We called it the Charlie Kirk show, but it was really just Charlie confronting the lies in the culture and pointing to the truth day in and day out. And millions of you tuned in. You see, I see it now clearly that Charlie Kirk was a prophet. Not the fortune-telling kind that could predict the future, but the biblical kind. He confronted evil and proclaimed the truth and called us to repent and be saved. Amen. —  Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of the Charlie Kirk Show

This is how he wanted to be remembered in the mold of Stephen the first martyr. Stephen was killed for speaking the truth about Christ. Much like Charlie Kirk, the martyr Stephen was the same age as Charlie Kirk when he was martyred. At that time, Christianity was just a few very scared Christians in Jerusalem. And after Stephen’s martyrdom, Christianity sped spread throughout the known world. The power of martyrdom. This is how God and Christ always advances his kingdom. And he’s doing it right now with Charlie Kirk. It is a wonderful thing to see. Someone who was there that day when Stephen was martyred was Saul. Saul was the one who was taking the garments so that Stephen could be killed. And through Stephen’s martyrdom, the Apostle Paul was reached by Christ to go out and write the majority of the New Testament. There was no one who was irredeemable. And that is what Charlie would have wanted us to know about his faith in Jesus Christ. The power of Christ’s blood and the power of martyrdom speak through Charlie. — Benny Johnson, alt-right political activist, conspiracy theorist and podcaster

And if you think a martyrdom is going to stop this movement, well, we all know Charlie was inspirational. But Erika Kirk is a force of nature. You’re going to see her later today. In fact, I know what’s going on in the spiritual realm right now. Every morning Erika gets up, the devil shrieks, “Oh no, she’s awake again.” And ladies and gentlemen, let’s honor Jesus. Let’s honor Charlie. Let’s honor Erika. So that when we wake up every morning, the devil shrieks, “Oh no, they’re awake again. They’re born again.” — Frank Turek, Christian radio host

“I’m betting Charlie saw the Son of God standing tall to welcome him home.”

According to the book of Acts, the first martyr in the early Christian church was Stephen who was stoned to death. And as Stephen was being killed, he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing, standing at the right hand of God.” Now, there are many times in the Bible where Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, but this is the only time he’s seen standing. And while the Bible isn’t explicit about this, I like to think Jesus was standing to welcome Stephen, the courageous martyr, into heaven. And today, today that gives me great comfort because 11 days ago, as a cowardly assassin crawled on his stomach to end Charlie’s life on earth, I’m betting Charlie saw the Son of God standing tall to welcome him home.
— Donald Trump, Jr., son of the president

The Bible tells us that on his last day, Moses climbed to the top of the mountain and he looked across the river Jordan and he saw the promised land. He led the people there, but he did not cross himself, for he was taken and he died on that mountain and he was brought to God’s kingdom. On his last day, Charlie Kirk was on the top of a mountain and Charlie Kirk led us there and Charlie Kirk has brought us to the promised land. — Jack Posobiec, alt-right political activist, conspiracy theorist and podcaster

He died the way he lived, speaking the truth. Charlie waged war not with a weapon, but with a tent, a microphone, his mind and the truth. And the gates of hell could not prevail against him. He went into the darkest of places like Paul in the book of Acts. He went into college campuses where they said we couldn’t go. And he was the light. — Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of War

Charlie would have loved this, not just because he loved large groups of people, but because ultimately he was a Christian evangelist. And it actually reminds me of my favorite story ever. So, it’s about 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem and Jesus shows up and he starts talking about the people in power and he starts doing the worst thing that you can do, which is telling the truth about people and they hate it and they just go bonkers. They hate it and they become obsessed with making him stop. This guy’s got to stop talking. We’ve got to shut this guy up. But the main thing about Charlie and his message, he was bringing the gospel to the country. He was doing the thing that the people in charge hate most, which is calling for them to repent. Politics at its core is a process of critiquing other people and getting them to change. Christianity, the gospel message, the message of Jesus begins with repentance. Christianity calls upon you to change. … So, as we as we proceed into whatever comes next, and clearly something’s coming next, remember this moment. Remember being in a room with the Holy Spirit humming like a tuning fork. This is the way right here. This is the way. And that is what Charlie Kirk was saying underneath it all. — Tucker Carlson, former Fox News host

“Charlie Kirk died for all of you.”

Charlie’s death was not just a murder. The true word for what Charlie did is sacrifice. You see, the difference between murder and sacrifice is that sacrifice is a gift. Sacrifice is that last full measure of devotion for God, for country and for his people and for his family. Charlie Kirk died for all of you. And Charlie Kirk’s gift of his sacrifice means that Charlie Kirk will live forever. Not just for all of us, not just for his family and Erika and for his children, but for all future generations of Americans. — Jack Posobiec, alt-right political activist, conspiracy theorist and podcaster

Fourth, now the MAGA faithful who follow Charlie Kirk, the anointed on, are to bring about God’s kingdom on earth by submitting to President Trump and his administration.

I’d just like to close with this. In Romans 13, the Apostle Paul talks about a godly government instituted by our Lord and Savior. And what does he describe? The Apostle Paul describes how God establishes the rulers of the nations. In the audience right now, there are rulers of our land. Represented right here is the State Department, the Department of War, the Department of Justice, the chief executive. God has instituted them. God has given them power over our nation and our land. God saved our president, President Trump, from an assassin’s bullet. for this moment.

And what does the Apostle Paul in Romans say about a godly leadership? He says that rulers wield the sword for the protection of good men and for the terror of evil men. May we pray that our rulers here, rightfully instituted and given power by our God, wield the sword for the terror of evil men in our nation in Charlie’s memory. I want to live in a country where the evil are terrified and where the good and the faithful and the moral people of our nation can live in peace, debate in peace, disagree in peace, and start families in peace. And so we want to thank the administration for being here and carrying out that godly mission of wielding the sword against evil. — Benny Johnson, alt-right political activist, conspiracy theorist and podcaster

He was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose. He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent. And I don’t want the best for them. — Donald J. Trump, president of the United States

Conclusion: MAGA theology is blasphemous and a threat to Christians everywhere

This gospel of MAGA — a gross perversion of the Christian witness — has been on display time and again in the past decade. Previously, the most notable example was on January 6, when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempted insurrection cloaked in the language and rhetoric of Christianity.

“Charlie Kirk’s memorial event leaves no question about the theology of MAGA.”

But Charlie Kirk’s memorial event leaves no question about the theology of MAGA as transmitted by the disciples of Turning Point USA.

It is blasphemous. It is un-Christlike. It turns the biblical teachings of Christ on its head. It celebrates hate. It uses Holy Scripture to terrorize, demonize and persecute.

I am presently reading the insightful book The Civil War as a Theological Crisis by noted historian of Christianity, recipient of the National Medal of Humanities and professor emeritus of Notre Dame, Mark A. Noll. Noll’s argument is that the Civil War was not only a military and political crisis for our country, but also a theological one. And that theological divide and crisis was not recognized or addressed during that period by the theological minds of the time.

I believe we are again in the midst of a theological crisis.

Christianity is not simply one more thing that divides our nation today; rather, we are in the midst of a battle over the pioneer and perfector of our faith himself: Jesus Christ.

The disciples of TPUSA are preaching a false gospel and, in doing so, have declared war on Christians and anyone else who does not support their worldview of domination. We are in disagreement about the very nature of God, Christ and what it means to be a Christian witness.

We desperately need the theologians and faithful of our day to publicly and fearlessly wade into these theological waters to combat the heresies of the gospel of MAGA.

 

Mara Richards Bim serves as a Clemons Fellow with BNG and is the first Justice and Advocacy Fellow at Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas. She is a spiritual director and a recent Master of Divinity degree graduate from Perkins School of Theology at SMU. She also is an award-winning theater artist and founder of the nationally acclaimed Cry Havoc Theater Company, which operated in Dallas from 2014 to 2023.

 

Related articles:

How Charlie Kirk went from college dropout to Trump influencer | Analysis by Mara Richards Bim

Here’s the real context for understanding Charlie Kirk | Analysis by Rodney Kennedy

Charlie Kirk in his own words