Life in America has returned to an all-too-familiar and troubling landscape. The news this past month has been filled with chaos: school shootings, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, he suspicious deaths of Trey Reed and Corey Zukatis, and a constant stream of divisive rhetoric from national leaders. These individual tragedies are alarming, and together, they paint a picture of a nation grappling with a crisis of violence.
The rise of political violence has been a topic of growing concern, and while many seek social and political solutions, a spiritual perspective offers a deeper understanding. The response to Charlie Kirk’s death was particularly telling. Many of his supporters, including the President, referred to him as a “martyr.” Some even went further, elevating him to a messianic figure, a savior for his generation and for conservative America. This reverence, while subtle, resonates with a dangerous undercurrent in the Christian psyche—the idolatry of a person.
This tendency to deify a human leader, which directly violates the biblical commandment to have no other gods before God, stems from a profound and pervasive fear. This fear is a symptom of Identity Idolatry, a sickness that leads people to worship external aspects of their identity. While our identities—our race, gender, and social roles—are important and interconnected, they are not our ultimate, foundational truth. Our deepest identity is as a beloved child of God.
When our external identities feel threatened—by shifting demographics or changing social norms—a deep-seated fear of being erased takes hold. This fear can manifest as violence, as people desperately try to protect what they perceive as their survival. It is a vicious cycle of fear and idolatry that disconnects us from our spiritual source, leading to a breakdown of community and the proliferation of violence. This is not the America we want to live in, and confronting this fear is the first step toward healing.
What can be done?
Jeanné Lewis, CEO of Faith in Public Life, suggested four things:
- Stay grounded.
- Proclaim the discerned truth.
- Choose peace with accountability.
- Lean into solidarity
We will be talking more about these four things as we journey together in 2025 and beyond into 2026.
Shalom, Paul