Episode 48: Is Charlie Kirk a Christian Martyr? Interview with Rev. Will Weedon
1. Is Charlie Kirk a Christian Martyr? (I would appreciate a definition of a Christian Martyr, if you have a definitive one).
2. Should the LCMS publicly recognize Charlie Kirk as a Christian Martyr? (Does a person need to be Lutheran to be recognized as a Christian martyr by the Lutheran Church? What purpose would be served in the LCMS recognizing him as a Christian Martyr? How has the Lutheran church/Christian Church historically recognized martyrs?)
3. Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, on September 12, 2025, urged those mourning Charlie’s death, if they do not belong to a church already, to join a church, a Bible-believing church. Why do LCMS congregations fit the description of a Bible-believing church? Can you give a defense for why the spiritually homeless who want to find a Bible-believing church should try a LCMS congregation?
Overture to Recognize Charlie Kirk as a Christian Martyr
Preamble
Charles James Kirk was publicly murdered on September 10, 2025, moments after giving a defense for the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ and confessing the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Charlie Kirk, one of the most outspoken Christians of his generation, encouraged young people to go to a Bible-believing church, and frequently gave a defense for the reason for the hope that was in him with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15b) Many young people were led to go to church and confess their Christian faith on account of Charlie Kirk’s confession.
Whereas, Charlie Kirk frequently and vocally confessed his Christian faith around the country, through public events, podcasts, and interviews; and
WHEREAS, Charlie Kirk went to college campuses where so many young people abandon the Christian faith, and encouraged them to go to a Bible-believing church; and
WHEREAS, Charlie Kirk encouraged young people to lead a chaste and decent life (cf. The Sixth Commandment of the Luther’s Small Catechism), to get married and have children according to God’s holy will (Genesis 1:28; Genesis 2:24; Genesis 9:1; Psalm 127:3; Matthew 19:5; Ephesians 5:31), and to raise children to be Christians (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:1-4); and
WHEREAS, Charlie Kirk, in faithfulness to God’s Word spoke truthfully in defense of the unborn against the murder of abortion, against transgender ideology as an affront to God’s Word and Truth; and defended biblical marriage as the lifelong union between one man and one woman; and
WHEREAS, Charlie Kirk set a Christian example of defending the reason for the hope that is in him with gentleness and respect, confessing Jesus as our risen Lord who grants salvation to all who believe in Him (1 Peter 3:15b); and
WHEREAS, Charlie Kirk was murdered publicly before the world because of his Christian witness; and
WHEREAS, the murder of Charlie Kirk resulted in his defense of the Christian faith being shared in numerous videos across the internet, resulting in many being encouraged to seek out a Bible-believing church; and
Whereas, Charlie Kirk’s widow, in her September 12, 2025 address to the nation, used her platform to confess Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners, and urged everyone who was moved by Charlie’s death to join a Bible-believing church; and
WHEREAS, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a Bible-believing church body; and
WHEREAS, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod receives and embraces the Prophetic and Apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the pure, clear fountain of Israel, which is the only true standard by which all teachers and doctrines are to be judged (FC, SD, Rule & Norm, 1); and
WHEREAS, a Christian martyr is a Christian who bears witness for Christ through His confession and life and dies on account of that witness; and
Whereas, The Evangelical Lutheran Church acknowledges Christian martyrs who were murdered for their confession of Christ; therefore, be it
Resolved,That the Synod in convention give thanks to God for Charlie Kirk’s public confession of Christ Jesus as the only Savior of sinners; and be it finally
Resolved,That Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod recognize Charles James Kirk as a Christian Martyr.