Dancing on the Knife’s Edge: Violence in the Christian Nationalist Rhetoric of Turning Point Faith’s Founder Charlie Kirk

This paper explores how Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk harnessed Christian Nationalist rhetoric to motivate evangelicals toward reactionary neoliberal political engagement. Analysis of the first 10 Freedom Square nights that Kirk launched in May 2021 out of Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, illustrates how Kirk danced on the knife’s edge of promoting violence. Kirk promoted “spiritual warfare” against the “dehumanizing” and “Satanic” tactics of the “woke left,” public educators, and marginalized identities that he believes threaten American society. He urged attendees to “demand the welfare” of their cities and “reclaim the country for Christ” by proscription and “political extinction.” Contrastingly, Kirk reminded listeners to seek “fruits of the spirit,” proclaim truth, and expose darkness. The freedom nights launched Turning Point Faith to embolden pastors to fight what Kirk called “the great reset,” a conspiracy-and-apocalyptic-laden narrative that COVID-19 was a smokescreen to usher in an authoritarian communist state.