New Survey Reveals Spiritual Impact of Charlie Kirk’s Death

Charlie Kirk, the right-wing political activist who co-founded the conservative student organization Turning Point USA in 2012, spent more than a decade building influence among young Americans before his life was cut short. As executive director of Turning Point USA, Kirk became a prominent voice in conservative politics, particularly among college students and younger generations seeking to engage with right-leaning ideas. Increasingly, his message centered on the role of faith in public life and the call to live according to Christian principles.

His assassination at an outdoor rally on September 10, 2025, shocked the nation and sparked immediate questions about the intersection of politics, free speech, political violence, and faith in American public life. Now, a new Barna survey shows that Kirk’s death has prompted nearly three in ten Americans to take some form of action—with spiritual responses far outpacing political ones. The results align with broader trends Barna has tracked this year showing growing spiritual openness among Americans, particularly younger generations.

Barna surveyed 5,003 U.S. adults roughly two months after Kirk’s death. While most Americans were familiar with Kirk before his passing, the data reveals his killing has sparked a wave of reflection and action, particularly among the younger generations he had worked to reach and among practicing Christians.

The survey found that more than eight out of ten Americans knew of Charlie Kirk before his death, with 15 percent saying they followed him very closely. Overall, just one-third of Americans said they followed Kirk very or somewhat closely.

Most Americans Were Familiar With Charlie Kirk Before His Death

The survey showed that younger generations were more familiar with Charlie Kirk. Among Gen Z, 40 percent reported following Kirk very or somewhat closely before his death, with Millennials showing similar engagement at 41 percent. Practicing Christians across all age groups also showed the highest engagement, with 47 percent following his work.

Spiritual Actions Outweigh Political Responses

When asked whether they had taken any action since Kirk’s passing, 71 percent of U.S. adults said they had not. However, among those who did act, spiritual responses dominated. Eighteen percent reported taking a spiritual action, while just 5 percent took a political action. Another 6 percent said they had taken both.

One in Four Americans Report Taking Spiritual Action as a Result of Charlie Kirk’s Death

These responses were most pronounced among younger Americans and practicing Christians. Among Gen Z, 28 percent reported taking a spiritual action and 13 percent indicated taking a political action—proportions matched by Millennials. Among practicing Christians, 40 percent took spiritual action and 13 percent chose political action since Kirk’s passing.

Mixed Predictions for Long-Term Impact

The survey explored five potential outcomes of Kirk’s death, asking respondents whether they expected positive or negative impacts. The clearest consensus emerged around Christianity among younger Americans, with 47 percent predicting a positive impact compared to just 19 percent expecting a negative one.

Half of Americans Believe that Charlie Kirk’s Death Will Have a Positive Impact on Christianity Among Younger Americans

Two areas showed nearly even splits between positive and negative expectations for Kirk’s impact: the ability to have civil political conversations (34 percent positive vs. 33 percent negative) and ending gun violence (28 percent positive vs. 24 percent negative).

Americans were more pessimistic about two other dimensions. They expected negative impacts on politics in America generally (39 percent negative vs. 33 percent positive) and cooperation between conservatives and liberals (35 percent negative vs. 28 percent positive). Gen Z respondents were particularly likely to expect negative impacts on political cooperation (45% negative vs. 29% positive), American politics broadly (46% negative vs 33% positive), and civil discourse (43% negative vs 32% positive).

Practicing Christians held markedly different views. Seventy-one percent believed Kirk’s passing would positively impact Christianity among younger Americans, with only 11 percent viewing it negatively. They also expressed more optimism across all other dimensions, including civil conversations (53 percent positive vs. 22 percent negative), politics generally (49 percent vs. 28 percent), ending gun violence (42 percent vs. 18 percent), and cooperation between political groups (44 percent vs. 24 percent).

Adding Momentum to an Ongoing Religious Awakening

David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, cautioned against drawing overly simple conclusions from the data. “There has been some discussion about Charlie Kirk’s passing as directly responsible for a surge in church attendance,” Kinnaman said. “Barna research does not confirm that direct connection, although there had already been positive research showing that Millennials and Gen Z were returning to church well before Kirk’s passing.”

Kinnaman suggested the late Kirk’s impact fits within a larger pattern of renewed interest in Christianity rather than serving as a primary catalyst.

“It is remarkable to see the impact of a widely known public figure, and the fact that tens of millions of Americans were inspired to take action as a result of his death,” Kinnaman noted. “By a more than two-to-one basis, they were more inclined to take spiritual action than political action.” According to Kinnaman, the findings highlight the intertwined nature of spiritual and political life in America, reflecting a shared desire to build a stronger society that is both more spiritually grounded and more collaborative across differences.