Pastors urged to carry on Charlie Kirk's 'torch' and preach against abortion

A new coalition letter backed by notable Christian conservatives is urging pastors to speak clearly on abortion and the sacredness of unborn lives, especially at a time when churches are experiencing a reported uptick in attendance following Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

The letter, published last week by Human Coalition — a national pro-life collective that helps connect abortion-minded women to life-affirming resources — presses faith leaders to embrace what it contends is their responsibility to proclaim the Word of God “without fear or compromise.” 

“Among the great moral crises of our time, none is more urgent or devastating than abortion — the destruction of countless innocent lives created in the image of God,” the letter warned, citing Jeremiah 1:5 and Proverbs 24:11 as evidence of the Bible’s opposition to abortion.

The letter is signed by Christian leaders from various denominations and organizations, including Human Coalition President Jeff Bradford, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, Christians Engaged CEO Bunni Pounds and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Daniel Akin. 

The document notes “a renewed hunger for truth” among Americans in the aftermath of Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination. 

Following the fatal shooting of the conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University, several pastors at churches throughout the country reported seeing a spike in church attendance in the month that followed, particularly among young adults.

Other reports found that Kirk’s death appeared to have "sparked a wave" of spiritual actions, once again most notably among younger generations.

The letter asserts that Kirk, who frequently spoke about abortion and advocated for the protection of unborn lives, passed on a “torch," saying that public figures are not the only ones meant to carry said torch.

“It belongs to the shepherds of God’s flock," they assert. 

“Every child is a gift from the Creator, and every mother and father deserve the compassion and hope found in the Gospel,” the letter continued. “Yet in too many pulpits, this truth is absent. Silence on abortion has become one of the Church’s greatest failings.”

Earlier this year, Family Research Council, in conjunction with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, released a survey examining the views of American churchgoers based on 1,003 responses collected in July.

Nineteen percent of respondents answered in the affirmative when asked if they had paid for, encouraged or chosen to have an abortion.

Less than half (41%) of churchgoers stated that their churches talked about abortion multiple times throughout the year. Thirteen percent reported that abortion comes up at their church once a year, while 12% maintained that the topic is discussed once every year, and 23% said their churches never discuss abortion.

Human Coalition’s letter acknowledges that some faith leaders may not see abortion as an issue within their congregation and that some may still carry wounds from a past abortion, making them reluctant to speak on the issue. 

The letter suggests that some church leaders are afraid of causing offense and losing church members. Even if they personally acknowledge the sacredness of life, some may feel that abortion is “one issue among many.”

“But our silence has deadly consequences. Abortion is not an abstract political debate; it is the leading cause of death in America,” the letter declared. “And every week, men and women in our churches are directly touched by it. When we fail to speak, they are left vulnerable to the lies of a culture that denies the humanity of the unborn and the hope of forgiveness in Christ.” 

The letter implores faith leaders to preach “the Gospel of Life with clarity and compassion,” and proclaim the truth about the sacredness of human life in the womb. In addition, the letter calls on faith leaders to offer “the hope of Christ” to post-abortive men and women in the congregation, and to equip their members to be “defenders of the vulnerable.” 

“Abortion is not merely one issue among many. It is a Gospel issue. It is the defining moral crisis of our day. And it is a moment in history when the Church must rise and speak with one voice,” the coalition letter declared. “We call on you, fellow leaders, to join us in this sacred task. Let it not be said of our generation that the Church was silent while children perished and parents suffered.”

“Let it be said that we were faithful to preach the whole counsel of God, to defend the least of these, and to shepherd our people with courage and compassion."