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Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination has revived the debate over martyrdom.
At the massive memorial held for Charlie Kirk, he was declared a martyr several times. Notably, Vice President JD Vance called Kirk a “martyr for the Christian faith,” while President Donald Trump spoke of him as a “martyr for America’s freedom.”
Coming just a week after Pope Leo XIV presided at an ecumenical service in commemoration of the 21st-century martyrs in Rome, Kirk’s consideration as a martyr echoes Catholic debates in the 20th century over what constitutes martyrdom, as the traditional category was expanded and the sheer number of martyrs greatly increased.
The classic definition of a martyr is one who is violently killed in hatred of the faith (odium fidei) and willingly accepts that death instead of infidelity. Martyrdom thus includes both the intention of the killer, as well as the disposition of the one killed. For example, assassinated American presidents are not considered religious martyrs, as hatred of the faith was not the motivating factor for their killers.
A critical factor in considering Kirk’s case would be the motivation of his killer. While there has been some reporting on that to date, it is still not entirely known with certainty. While Kirk’s Christian faith was important to him, and he spoke of it openly, it may not have been the reason he was killed. It is possible to be a political martyr who is also a devout Christian without being, strictly speaking, a “martyr for the Christian faith.”
Continued below.
www.ncregister.com
At the massive memorial held for Charlie Kirk, he was declared a martyr several times. Notably, Vice President JD Vance called Kirk a “martyr for the Christian faith,” while President Donald Trump spoke of him as a “martyr for America’s freedom.”
Coming just a week after Pope Leo XIV presided at an ecumenical service in commemoration of the 21st-century martyrs in Rome, Kirk’s consideration as a martyr echoes Catholic debates in the 20th century over what constitutes martyrdom, as the traditional category was expanded and the sheer number of martyrs greatly increased.
The classic definition of a martyr is one who is violently killed in hatred of the faith (odium fidei) and willingly accepts that death instead of infidelity. Martyrdom thus includes both the intention of the killer, as well as the disposition of the one killed. For example, assassinated American presidents are not considered religious martyrs, as hatred of the faith was not the motivating factor for their killers.
A critical factor in considering Kirk’s case would be the motivation of his killer. While there has been some reporting on that to date, it is still not entirely known with certainty. While Kirk’s Christian faith was important to him, and he spoke of it openly, it may not have been the reason he was killed. It is possible to be a political martyr who is also a devout Christian without being, strictly speaking, a “martyr for the Christian faith.”
Continued below.
What Is a Martyr? And Is Charlie Kirk One?
COMMENTARY: Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination has revived the debate over martyrdom.
