Trump/Armenia

A Week In Armenia: Hope Emerges After Trump’s Major Steps Toward Peace

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In a recent episode of the Holy Post podcast, co-host and pastor Skye Jethani criticized the conservative conviction that “policies should favor Christian ideas.” Instead, he proposed that Christians in government should pursue policies that promote “flourishing and goodness for everyone.”
To be a Christian and simultaneously claim that Christian ideas are incapable of producing a flourishing, free, and good society — how small a faith must that require?
What ideas does Jethani prefer to Christian ideas? Secular ideas? Satanic ideas?
Jethani is not the only one with this view. He is among a chorus of evangelical pastors, pundits, and academics who seem more concerned with policing conservative Christians than with confronting the godless, suicidal death cult that is assailing our nation from the Left.
The Left embraces the mockery of God’s created order for marriage between one man and one woman. The Left celebrates aborting unborn babies in the name of “reproductive freedom.” Since 1973, 65 million boys and girls have died by the violence of abortion to the applause of Democrats.
The Left also champions mutilating, sterilizing, and castrating children. Mentally ill, confused, and vulnerable girls and boys are being irreversibly damaged in the name of “gender-affirming care” to the cheers of LGBTQ ideologues.
And on the heels of Leftist rhetoric, mainstream politicians call women “birthing persons” and “chest feeders,” radicalized schoolteachers and administrators force girls into locker rooms with boys, and drag queen strippers throw cash at toddlers.
Faced with all this, some Christians urge silence — worried their churches or platforms might be labeled “too political,” “offensive,” or “unempathetic.”
When I was preparing to be a lifeguard, my training went a little something like this: if someone is drowning, do not jump in the water and drown with them. Throw a life preserver, extend a shepherd’s crook, or make a skilled save while ensuring your own safety. Pull the swimmer out of the water to save their life.
Like the sinking swimmer, the Left does not need affirmation as it drags our country down its suicidal path — it needs firm rejection from the Church and its shepherds. Sinners cannot be saved in their sin, but must be called out of it.
The Church must offend flesh, confront darkness, and model a holier way as a city on a hill and a light in the darkness. The “love of neighbor” is the whole truth spoken in love, an invitation to repentance, and the promise of newness of life in Christ.
The Holy Post and others’ avoidant, “empathetic” approach to political engagement does not offer a broken culture a solid refuge or a light in the darkness. It does not throw a life preserver, but jumps in to drown with the sinner. Willful silence from platforms and pulpits in the face of cultural evil condemns Christian audiences to ignorance, and the fear of man makes a fickle, fruitless flock.
That’s not compassion: it’s apathy cloaked as empathy.
The same fruitless result is reached when evangelical thought leaders obscure simple Biblical truths in mind-numbing “nuances” and an overly “winsome” delivery — believers are left clueless, unequipped, and vulnerable, and cultural evils go unchecked and unchallenged.
A Christian government and a Christian cultural consensus cannot save every soul in our country — only the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration and faith in Jesus Christ can do that in a person. But together, both can create a nation where objective truth, moral order, and God’s good design provide “flourishing and goodness to everyone.”
America needs Christian ideas. Unborn babies, children, marriages, and families need Christian ideas, and unbelievers need the truth, love, joy, compassion, goodness, dignity, charity, freedom, moral order, and righteousness inherent in Christian ideas.
If the belief that Christian ideas should govern society makes us too extreme for the cool kids’ table at the Holy Post, so be it. If proclaiming Biblical truth about the sanctity of life, children’s innocence, godly marriage, and the created dignity of the sexes is deemed “too political,” then again, so be it. The Church is not called to cultural appeasement — it is called to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
The answer to our nation’s cultural schism is not a thoughtless kumbaya with the Left. It is revival — revival in our Churches, revival of a Christian cultural consensus, and revival of governance rooted in Christian ideas.
Hannah Lape is Legislative Assistant for the <a href="https://concernedwomen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee</a>, dedicated to promoting Biblical values and Constitutional principles in public policy.
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The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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One Nation Under God: America Needs Christian Ideas

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The Story of All Stories

First Look: The Catholic Storybook Bible Families Have Been Waiting For

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“Home Improvement” star Tim Allen said Erika Kirk’s emotional eulogy at her late husband’s memorial service moved him so deeply that he found the strength to forgive the man who killed his father.
Erika gave an incredible tribute last weekend to Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, her husband of four years, who was assassinated during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on September 10. She spoke about his deep faith and told the estimated 100 million people watching that she forgave Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing her husband.
“When Erika Kirk spoke the words on the man who killed her husband — ‘That man … that young man … I forgive him’ — that moment deeply affected me,” Allen wrote on X on Thursday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
When Erika Kirk spoke the words on the man who killed her husband: “That man… that young man… I forgive him.” That moment deeply affected me. I have struggled for over 60 years to forgive the man who killed my Dad. I will say those words now as I type: “I forgive the man who…
— Tim Allen (@ofctimallen) <a href="https://twitter.com/ofctimallen/status/1971314119732290017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“I have struggled for over 60 years to forgive the man who killed my Dad. I will say those words now as I type: ‘I forgive the man who killed my father.’ Peace be with you all,” the 72-year-old actor continued.
Allen’s father, Gerald, lost his life in 1964 when a drunk driver veered across the median and struck him. Allen was just 11 years old at the time.
In a 2011 <a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/interviews/a11239/tim-allen-quotes-1111/">interview</a> with Esquire, Allen said he’s “never gotten over” his father’s death. 
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“As children, your world is yours. That day taught me that it’s really not your world. Somebody else is in control — fate, God, whatever it is. It is not your show,” he said at the time. “And the show can be brutal. Brutal in its coldness. Brutal in its love and affection. Sh** can hit you straight between the eyes, and you never saw it coming.”
Allen also said the accident tested his relationship with God. 
“It changed everything forever,” the actor said during an <a href="https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/television/tim-allen-now-last-man-standing/">interview</a> with AARP in 2012. “Part of me still doesn’t trust that things are going to work out all right. I knew my father was dead, but I was never satisfied with why he was dead. I wanted answers that minute from God. ‘Do you think this is funny? Do you think this is necessary?’ And I’ve had a tumultuous relationship with my creator ever since.”
During her eulogy, Erika told the crowd that Charlie “wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life.”
“Our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do.’ That young man … I forgive him,” the grieving widow said. “I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it’s what Charlie would do.”
The comments on Allen’s X post were filled with support and commiseration.
“CS Lewis said, &#8216;To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.&#8217;  It&#8217;s hard! And so worth the struggle to get there,” one person <a href="https://x.com/JoanFakThomp/status/1971438253770461559">wrote</a>.
“Forgiveness is for the forgiver, not the forgiven. You are free Tim,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/MarkDivine/status/1971346420906197269">said</a>.

Tim Allen Erika Kirk

Erika Kirk’s Eulogy Inspired Tim Allen To Forgive His Father’s Killer

Erika Kirk’s Eulogy Inspired Tim Allen To Forgive His Father's Killer

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Christian Faith Was On Full Display At Charlie Kirk’s Memorial And Leftists Are Confused

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The following is an edited transcript of a speech delivered by Michael Knowles at “This Is The Turning Point with Special Guest Michael Knowles” held at the University of Minnesota on Monday, September 22, 2025.
* * *
This event was originally supposed to be a conversation between Charlie and me. Now it will be a conversation about Charlie — and what his assassination means for our country. The enemies of civilization — the assassin as well as the people who excused and cheered him on — thought that they could stop Charlie Kirk’s movement. In reality, they could not even stop his speaking tour.
I would like to begin with a prayer. Charlie had a great affinity for St. Michael the Archangel. And I think the St. Michael prayer speaks especially to our moment.
<blockquote>St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.</blockquote>
Twelve days ago, a ruined soul assassinated one of the brightest figures of our generation. And when I say “bright,” I don’t just mean Charlie’s rhetorical skills, which surpassed those of just about everyone in public life. I don’t just mean his political genius, which led him, at just 18 years-old, to found the most significant cultural institution on the American Right; which took him to the stage of the Republican National Convention by age 22; and which brought most of the United States government, including the president, vice president, and secretary of state, to his memorial service. I’m not talking about any of his accomplishments — be they in broadcasting, publishing, coalition building, or any of the other things that Charlie mastered.
Charlie’s brightness came, not primarily from his professional accomplishments, but from his character. You didn’t have to be a personal friend of his to know it. You could see it in everything he did. There was simply a light and a levity to the man. And it was constant, even when he was stressed. Even when he was arguing. Even when he suffered setbacks. And that light and that levity stemmed from one fact: Charlie’s Savior lives.
We’re mourning Charlie right now, and it’s right to mourn Charlie. It’s right to grieve. I have no use for the happy-clappy kind of modern religion that tells us we can’t be sad when our friends die simply because we have faith in their salvation.
Death is bad. Murder is evil. People who commit murder need to be punished. People who celebrate murder need to be punished too. Death reminds us that something has gone wrong. Death was not part of the original plan. Jesus wept at the death of his friend just moments before He raised him from the dead.
We can know “that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose,” while still recognizing the difference between good and evil. We can entrust Charlie’s soul to Our Lord Jesus Christ, as Charlie always entrusted himself, while still knowing that his assassin took something from us that he didn’t have to take.
What the assassin took was not even Charlie. Charlie belongs to God, as do we all. What the assassin took from us more precisely was what we imagined Charlie’s future to be. That’s part of what makes death so shocking: the realization that our plans are not in fact guaranteed. “Man plans, and God laughs.”
“But he was going to do this.” “She was going to do that.” “We were going to speak at the University of Minnesota together.” We weren’t, actually. We do not have ultimate control over those things. Everyone who knew Charlie knew he would be president one day. But “would” is a conditional verb; “would” depends upon “ifs” that are out of our control. Charlie would have been president. But he won’t be.
In the wake of Charlie’s death, many people are presuming to declare what he would have believed about this or that issue. Not what he did believe, mind you. But what he would have believed, what he would have said if he had lived just a little bit longer.
This kind of talk is as unseemly as it is absurd. “It is appointed for men to die once, and after that the judgment.” With the exception of his beloved wife and the people very closest to him, those who would chime in for Charlie today are appropriating an authority that does not belong to them. It’s a usurpation. At best, it’s a waste of time. And one thing that Charlie never did was waste time.
He accomplished more in his 31 years than most people could accomplish in many lifetimes. His most public accomplishments were political. His most important were religious. He wanted to be remembered for his faith. He wanted to help as many souls to Heaven as he could. If you want to honor Charlie, go to church. Read the Bible. Pray. And do it now. Don’t wait. Now might be your only chance.
<div id="attachment_975885" style="width: 912px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-975885" class="size-large wp-image-975885" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067-902x576.jpg" alt="MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 22: Attendees hold up posters of Charlie Kirk during the &quot;American Comeback Tour&quot; event at Northrop Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus on September 22, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event was hosted by political commentator Michael Knowles after the assassination of Charlie Kirk earlier this month. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)" width="902" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067-902x576.jpg 902w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067-300x192.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067-768x491.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356067.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 902px) 100vw, 902px" />Stephen Maturen/Getty Images</div>
Many people are doing just that. I saw it myself last Sunday. You will not be surprised to learn that I attend a rather traditional church. Smells and bells and suits and ties. One thing that means is that it’s easy to tell when someone new shows up. Someone who just looked for the nearest church because he felt a sudden desire to be close to God. Someone whose “Sunday best” is usually a t-shirt and jeans.
I saw a lot of t-shirts at church last Sunday. And I was thrilled to see those t-shirts. (Next week, however, they should put on a jacket.) But I was thrilled to see those t-shirts then. Because it meant that people who had left the church were returning. People who perhaps had never been to church were showing up for the first time. And they were showing up because of Charlie.
I was one of the hundreds of thousands of people who attended Charlie’s memorial. When you count those who streamed it, I was one of over one hundred million people who watched it live. It was a remarkable event in many ways. But two things stood out in particular.
First, Charlie’s widow, Erika, gave one of the most powerful speeches I’ve ever heard. I was sitting with some of the toughest politicians in the world. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. In just one of several arresting moments in her speech, Erika forgave the man who murdered her husband. Because Christ on the cross asked his Father to forgive his killers — because we all ask God to forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us. At a time when half the country, it seems, minimizes, excuses, and even celebrates political violence, Erika Kirk gave us a glimpse of Calvary.
But the second most striking part of the memorial was that the leadership of our federal government spent four hours proclaiming the Gospel to the entire world. This should not have been surprising. We’re a country founded by people who called themselves Pilgrims. Our country was settled to be “a model of Christian charity.” Our government was established on the premise that our Creator endows us with rights. Our national anthem declares, “Conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: in God is our trust.” Seeing our national leaders proclaim the Gospel should not have been surprising. But it was. Because we hadn’t seen it in a long time. Many of us had never seen it in our lifetimes.
The memorial was perfectly Charlie: on the one hand, it was about eternity — about the truths that transcend all ages and places; on the other hand, it was eminently political — temporal, local, particular. There is no contradiction between the two. Because we’re both of those things. We’re souls, which are eternal; and we’re bodies, which are temporal.
People tend to fall into one of two errors on this subject today. They either think that politics is everything — more important than family, more important than morality, so important that we murder people over disagreements. Or they think that politics is nothing — that we should ignore policy fights and debates and keep our pure and precious hands from being sullied by the muck of practical politics. Charlie understood that both errors miss the mark. That we need to keep our eyes on eternal things — that we’re never quite at home in this world because we’re pilgrims on our way to the heavenly Jerusalem — but also that we’re political creatures in time and space. Which means that we have to do things. Which means that our faith will give a certain shape to the political community, which exists for the common good.
So what should we do now? We should forgive our enemies’ trespasses, and we should prevent our enemies from trespassing against us in the future.
Some people seem to misunderstand Christian forgiveness. They think it’s somehow contrary to criminal justice — that it means letting criminals off the hook, that it means anarchy. On the contrary, Christian forgiveness is about recognizing that vengeance belongs to the Lord, who will repay, while justice belongs to the civil authority, which does not bear the sword in vain. Erika Kirk forgave her husband’s killer, and the state of Utah will inject poison into that killer’s veins until he’s dead. There is no contradiction between these two things. 
Christian forgiveness does not demand that we allow the cruel to rape the earth. It demands that we love our enemies. And sometimes love is tough. In our personal lives, love means praying for those who persecute us. In politics, love usually means punishing the guilty, for both the protection of the innocent as well as for the betterment of the guilty. No one benefits from crime, decay, and disorder.
<div id="attachment_975889" style="width: 879px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-975889" class="size-large wp-image-975889" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069-869x576.jpg" alt="MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 22: Political commentator Michael Knowles points to an empty chair on stage during the &quot;American Comeback Tour&quot; event at Northrop Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus on September 22, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event was hosted by Knowles after the assassination of Charlie Kirk earlier this month. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)" width="869" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069-869x576.jpg 869w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236356069.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px" />Stephen Maturen/Getty Images</div>
We cherish the marketplace of ideas in America. In the wake of Charlie’s assassination, many are inclined merely to redouble our devotion to the “marketplace of ideas.” But this instinct misses a crucial step. We had a marketplace of ideas. The Left shot it up. If we wish to restore the healthy exchange of ideas, we need to refortify the marketplace.
Marketplaces of all kinds require rules, confidence, and common media of exchange. They require order. Liberty requires order. You can’t be undisciplined and free. You can’t be ignorant and free. That’s why we don&#8217;t let toddlers vote. 
What we must do now is reassert order. We must insist upon the acceptance of basic truths and moral goods, not as the asymptotic goal of endless debate but as the axiomatic foundation without which debate cannot occur. C.S. Lewis called these principles “the Tao.” Others call them the natural law or the first principles of practical reason. If you’ve ever studied algebra, you know that you must begin with certain axioms — premises such as a = a and if a=b then b=a. These axioms are themselves unprovable. But without assuming them, you can’t prove anything else. The same is true of politics and morality. We can’t quite prove that we should live in an ordered society, but without assuming so, we can’t prove anything else.
If our society is to function, we must foreclose certain antisocial behaviors and suicidal ideologies. We must stop, to borrow a phrase from Chesterton, &#8220;the thought that stops thought.&#8221; Practically, this means we must stigmatize certain evil ideas and behaviors, and we must ostracize people who insist upon them. More practically, this means that people who persist in such disorder should lose their social standing. In certain cases, they should lose their jobs. You can’t maintain a hospital if the nurses seek to murder half the patients. You can’t operate a school if the teachers wish death upon their students’ parents. You can’t run a restaurant if the customers expect the kitchen staff to poison them. 
There must be consequences to heal this national trauma and to re-establish a healthy politics. Those consequences require clarity of vision, courage in our convictions, and an extraordinary amount of God’s grace. I believe it can be done. You all who have come out here tonight, despite the threats from the people who would destroy our political community, have shown that you believe it can be done. The man we honor tonight gave his life in the confident hope that it can be done. 
We must never despair. We must never surrender to the forces that seek our destruction. And we must work tirelessly to ensure that this moment truly becomes a turning point for America.
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Turning Point USA’s “American Comeback Tour” Continues In Minnesota After Kirk Assassination

Charlie’s Brightness Came From His Character. Because His Savior Lives.

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I started following Charlie Kirk the moment he stepped on the stage of American politics. I watched him mature in his role as founder of Turning Point USA, and I distinctly remember admiring him for shifting its mission with the realization that the battle for America was not just a political battle, but a spiritual one as well. I was so enamored that I used to imagine being on Charlie’s show — but who was I?
And then it happened. God gave me a chance to be courageous. As a teacher in Loudoun County Public Schools, Virginia, one of the most controversial school districts in the country, I realized God’s truth was more important than my job security, and I took a stand. Alliance Defending Freedom represented me in a <a href="https://adflegal.org/case/cross-v-loudoun-county-school-board/?utm_source=dailywire&amp;utm_medium=oped">lawsuit</a> against LCPS’s transgender policy. We sued to protect free speech and religious freedom, and to advocate for the truth of God’s design.
Charlie Kirk was the first major media personality to invite us to share our story.
Charlie used his platform to take someone considered a “nobody” and elevate her. That is the kind of man he was. He looked to elevate others rather than himself. I have no doubt that, though I was represented by a prestigious legal organization, it was talking with Charlie on his show that made my witness visible and opened other opportunities for me to see God’s goodness in the midst of spiritual battle.
I’m a high school government teacher. I knew, even as I cried over the loss of Charlie and grieved for his wife and children, that I had many students who loved him. I needed the courage to go into school and talk with my classes about this tragic moment for our nation.
Here is what I said to all of my classes:
<blockquote>“One of Charlie Kirk’s repeated themes was how important it is to talk to one another. He often said when people stop talking, that’s when bad things happen. In a marriage, when people stop talking, divorce follows. In society, when people stop talking, that’s when violence happens. One of Charlie’s missions was to train a generation—your generation—how to do politics the right way, how to engage in honest, respectful civil discourse, especially with those whom you disagree.
“One of the things we’ll be learning in studying the Constitution is that there are two ways to govern people: by talking or by force. Democracies govern by talking. That means engaging respectfully with each other, arguing to persuade one another, discussing, negotiating, compromising, and deciding together how to move forward knowing not everyone is going to agree on everything but figuring out how to live together well even in our differences.
“Over the last few days we’ve learned about healthy and unhealthy civil society. The assassination of Charlie Kirk is the epitome of unhealthy civil society. Charlie believed in faith, family, and freedom. Because he was so confident in what he believed and spoke boldly about it, he was silenced…. Again, there are only two ways of governing people: by talking or by force. If we stop talking, there is only one other option.”</blockquote>
In 30 years, I’ve taught four generations of youth. In many ways, the kids of each generation have been the same — trying to grow up, find their identity, and navigate teenage angst. But over the last two years, I’ve noticed a shift.
For almost a decade, when it was time to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, almost no students recited it. Some even refused to stand. Now everyone stands and recites the pledge. I’ve noticed a hunger for truth and a desire for more than slogans.
Now, more students courageously express their faith in school. It’s not every kid, but it is enough to inspire hope, and I believe that Charlie Kirk’s mission is part of the reason for it. His movement has had a ripple effect, even on the kids who have not necessarily followed him. His footprint is that big.
Charlie Kirk was hated because he was confident in what he believed, gifted at persuading others, and a man of integrity. Proverbs 29:10 says, “The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright.” Jesus told his followers that “the world hates me, and they will hate you because of me.” Goodness evokes one of two reactions from people: hostility or attraction. Those who are attracted want to embrace and merge with that goodness. Those who are hostile to goodness see it as a threat. Simply living right and being a person of integrity will invite hostility.
To our youth: You have a choice. Now is the moment for courage, the time to decide to do what is right, even knowing that it may cost you greatly. My prayer is that this generation, inspired by Charlie Kirk, will stiffen their spines and stand to fight for the same virtues that he stood for so that we may win back the soul of America.
* * *
Monica Gill is a government teacher at Loudoun County High School.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Charlie Kirk Speaks At The Cambridge Union

A Teacher’s Tribute: What Charlie Kirk Taught Me And My Students

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The issue of religious freedom has become one of the most pressing global challenges of our time. While in Western countries debates often revolve around ensuring that Muslims can freely practice their faith, in many parts of the Islamic world, Christians continue to face harsh restrictions, discrimination, and even persecution. This striking contrast raises fundamental questions about reciprocity, human dignity, and the future of coexistence between different faiths.
Few stories illustrate this brutal reality more vividly than that of Said Mansour Rezk Abdelrazek — known as Saeed Abu Mustafa, a 30-year-old man, who has <a href="https://x.com/DanBurmawy/status/1961379307487437064">been arrested</a>, endured <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@saidabumustafa?_t=ZN-8zg1GnAN5yo&amp;_r=1">torture</a>, isolation, and persecution. During his detention, he was allegedly suspended with his arms tied to a wall in a <a href="https://www.copticsolidarity.org/2025/08/21/egypts-hidden-persecution-the-cost-of-leaving-islam/">crucified position</a> for hours each day, a deliberate mockery of the very faith he embraced. He has been beaten, humiliated, and forced to undergo procedures to burn away a small Christian tattoo. They stripped him of his wife and child. Saeed now sits in a prison cell, together with <a href="https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christian-convert-charged-with-terrorism-in-egypt-after-requesting-new-identification">Islamic terrorists</a>, accused of crimes as absurd as “membership in a banned group” and “contempt of the Islamic religion.” In truth, his only crime is that, in 2018, he converted to Christianity.
In the Roman Empire, Christians were thrown to lions, crucified on wooden beams, and burned alive in public squares. Their crime was simple: they refused to worship Caesar and chose to follow Christ instead. Twenty centuries later, the forms have changed but the substance has not. What the Roman Empire once accomplished with crosses and amphitheaters, Egypt — a nation that receives billions of dollars in aid from the United States — now accomplishes with courtrooms, prisons, and a bureaucracy steeped in Sharia law.
<h3>A Journey From Curiosity To Crucifixion</h3>
Saeed’s path to Christ began with a hunger for knowledge. As a teenager, he immersed himself in comparative religion, asking the questions Islam dared not answer. By 2018, his search ended with baptism into the Russian Orthodox Church. But his conversion would prove costly. His family harassed him. His neighbors denounced him. But above all, Egypt’s National Security marked him as a threat.
Desperate, Saeed fled to Russia in 2019, where he sought asylum. For a time, he breathed free air. But when provoked by Muslims on social media, he responded and lashed out. Russia responded not with tolerance but with jail. Eleven months later, they deported him — despite a UNHCR refugee certificate that should have guaranteed his protection.
Back in Egypt, his persecutors were waiting for him. They detained him, tortured him again, and warned, “If you want to be a Christian, so be it. But you must remain silent.” Silence, however, would prove impossible for this man.
<h3>The Arrest That Sealed His Fate</h3>
In July of 2025, Saeed did the unthinkable. He attempted to exercise his constitutional right to file a lawsuit to <a href="https://www.csw.org.uk/2025/07/24/press/6584/article.htm">update his official identity card</a> to reflect his Christian faith. In Egypt, religion is stamped on every official document: your driver’s license, your job application, even membership to a sports club. It is not merely paperwork; it is a mark of identity and, for converts, a mark of danger.
That step was enough to seal his fate. On July 15, 2025, plainclothes National Security agents stormed his apartment in Cairo’s Matariya district and arrested him. Days later, he appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution, charged with membership in a banned group, disturbing public order and peace, and contempt of the Islamic religion.
It is difficult to overstate the absurdity of these accusations. When asked how he could be accused of joining a banned group, Saeed responded simply: “How can I be? I am Christian.”
<h3>A Legal Farce, A Human Tragedy</h3>
Saeed’s hearings were conducted over video conference. His lawyer was not allowed to see him. He could not review the charges or the investigation files. Even basic rights guaranteed by Egypt’s own constitution were stripped away.
His lawyer, Saeed Fayez, stated:
<blockquote>“I am immensely worried for Saeed’s safety, because he is locked away in Institute Number 6, where Islamic extremist terrorists are held. He is in danger. Recently, Osama — an Islamist terrorist who desecrated Christian faith — posted a video showing Saeed being beaten. This is torture.”</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Saeed’s fiancé, Sophie, is heartbroken:
<blockquote>“This should not be happening in 2025. His treatment is not human. Egyptian interpretation of terrorism is very different from the rest of the world. When Egypt says he has joined a banned group, what do they mean? Are Christians a banned group? Why cannot these people convert and enjoy their freedom like everybody else? It is a matter of freedom.”</blockquote>
<h3>The Pattern Of Persecution</h3>
Saeed’s story is part of a long line of shattered lives. He is not the first, nor will he be the last.
In 2007, Mohammed Hegazy openly demanded recognition of his conversion. For that, he was arrested, tortured. He first stated that he had abandoned Christianity to return to Islam, but once released from prison, he revealed he had remained a Christian all along, explaining that his supposed conversion had been extracted from him under torture.
Decades earlier, Maher El-Gowhary had tried the same. Judges even admitted his case was valid, but they ruled conversion a “threat to public order.” He has lived ever since as a fugitive in his own land.
More recently, the stranglehold on religious expression continues. In early 2025, Abdulbaqi Said Abdo — a Christian convert detained since 2021 for speaking about his faith and aiding fellow converts online — was released after years behind bars on blasphemy charges. His fellow detainee, Nour Gerges, was also freed, yet both men still face pending accusations. Abdo spent months in solitary confinement, suffered deteriorating health, and even declared a partial hunger strike in protest.
Others have suffered in quieter ways, their names whispered in churches and exile communities. A young woman named Naglaa had her head shaved by her brother and her Bible burned before her eyes. Amir Ibrahim, a professor, was fired and charged for daring to declare himself Christian. A teenager called Andrew has changed homes seven times in six months to escape his family’s wrath. Mirna, a mother, lost custody of her daughter the moment she embraced the Cross. Karim Abu El-Kheir, at 19, was jailed for writing on Facebook: “Christ is my salvation.”
These are not isolated incidents.
Egypt’s constitution, however, contains a fatal contradiction. Article 2 enshrines Islamic Sharia as the source of law. Article 46, on the other hand, promises freedom of belief. And whenever they collide, Sharia wins.
That is why Saeed is in prison. That is why converts live as “ghosts,” hiding in basements, carrying fake names, unable to marry, work, or claim their children. Egypt’s notion of religious freedom appears paradoxical: one may hold personal beliefs, provided they never stray from Islam.
<h3>Why The West Must Act</h3>
Every year, America sends billions of dollars in aid to Egypt. Washington calls Cairo a “partner” and a “moderate.” But what moderation is this? A nation that jails a man for following Christ is no partner in freedom.
This is not simply a matter of cultural difference — it is a matter of right and wrong. If America believes in liberty, it must advocate for the release of Saeed and others like him. It must place conditions on aid when it comes to genuine freedom of religion. It must remind Egypt that partnership with the United States comes with moral obligations.
Saeed’s crucifixion may not be on Golgotha, but it is no less real. And it demands a response. If America still believes in the dignity of the human soul, then it must raise its voice. Because the true test of freedom is not how we protect the majority — it is how we defend the lone man in a cell, whose only crime was to whisper the name of Jesus.
In the early centuries of Christianity, martyrs faced lions with hymns on their lips. Today, in Cairo, they face prison walls and torture cells. But the hymn remains the same: Christ is Lord.
* * *
Paolo Gambi is an Italian multimedia artist, poet, and contributor to “Il Giornale,” Italy’s primary conservative newspaper. He is the founder of Poetry Renaissance, one of the main networks of poetry in Italy, present in various countries. He has published more than thirty books.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-13-Sep-2025-03-12-PM-7969

He Left Islam For Christianity. Now He’s Being Tortured In A Prison In Cairo.

Egypt

Prison

Religion

Religious Freedom

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Photos have been circulating online of L.A. Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen honoring conservative Charlie Kirk at last night&#8217;s game against the San Francisco Giants.
Treinen wrote the name &#8220;Charlie Kirk,&#8221; sandwiched between two crosses, on the side of his hat.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Blake Treinen with ✝️Charlie Kirk✝️ on his hat tonight 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/ZKApLCDO1m">pic.twitter.com/ZKApLCDO1m</a>
— decoy (@decoyposts) <a href="https://twitter.com/decoyposts/status/1966726435466604785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
Kirk, 31, was assassinated while answering questions at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Kirk had massive influence with young conservatives, founding Turning Point USA at just 18 years old. The conservative was known just as well for speaking openly about his faith in God as he was for talking politics.
As highlighted by The Daily Wire, Kirk was asked before his death about how he wanted to be remembered. Unsurprisingly, he pointed to his faith in Jesus Christ.
“How do you wanna be remembered? … [If] everything just goes away [and] you could be associated with one thing, how would you want to be remembered?” Kirk was asked.
“I want to be remembered for courage for my faith,” Kirk responded. “That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Charlie Kirk on how he wanted to be remembered.
Question: “How would you wanna be remembered?”
Charlie: “I wanna be remembered for courage for my faith. That that would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life.” <a href="https://t.co/fwBV9UVefc">pic.twitter.com/fwBV9UVefc</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1965974414748692572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Treinen, too, has been outspoken about his Christian faith. When the Dodgers won the World Series in 2024, for example, the pitcher <a href="https://churchleaders.com/news/500008-god-is-absolutely-god-says-pitcher-blake-treinen-after-dodgers-win-world-series.html">said</a>, &#8220;God is absolutely good.&#8221;
&#8220;I gotta give a shout out to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for this moment, man. It’s a lot of hard work, what I’ve gone through,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;This moment is such a blessing.”
Taking on questions from the press, Treinen said it was &#8220;God&#8221; on his mind after the final game. &#8220;Everything I’ve been through, it’s just so good to be here and have this platform,&#8221; he said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dodgers-ace-clayton-kershaw-adds-bible-reference-to-rainbow-hat-for-pride-night">Dodgers Ace Clayton Kershaw Adds Bible Reference To Rainbow Hat For Pride Night</a>

World Series – Los Angeles Dodgers v New York Yankees – Game 5

Star Dodgers Pitcher Pays Tribute To Charlie Kirk On Mound

General

Los Angeles Dodgers

Major League Baseball

Sports

Avowed leftist author Stephen King was forced to admit his error and apologize after being caught spreading lies about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
As other &#8220;progressives&#8221; on social media tried to justify the brutal assassination of Kirk at a free speech event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, King piled on by sharing a tweet that said, “He advocated stoning gays to death. Just sayin.’”
Multiple accounts swarmed the comments with evidence of Kirk being civil towards gay people while presenting socially conservative viewpoints and maintaining a biblical view of marriage in his personal life. 
Kirk’s fans and friends went after King, sharing clips of the TPUSA founder speaking with gay people and welcoming them to the conservative movement.
“Hey [Stephen King], you are more monstrous than any of the characters you ever came up with. Charlie was never anything but kind to me and my husband,” conservative commentator Dave Rubin <a href="https://x.com/RubinReport/status/1966299918202540515">replied</a> on X.
“We broke bread many times, and he never treated us with anything other than respect. He even came to our house not too long ago and plot twist, didn’t throw rocks at us. Write about that sometime, you hack,” he added.
“Why would Stephen King post something so blatantly false?” X owner Elon Musk wondered.
Others shared screenshots of Kirk’s previous tweets, including one that said, “I believe marriage is one man one woman. Also gay people should be welcome in the conservative movement. As Christians we are called to love everyone. I will always stand against people who wish to establish their own personal values as a reason to kick others out of the movement.”
The backlash and facts became so severe that King backtracked and apologized on Friday morning.
“I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages,” the horror author <a href="https://x.com/StephenKing/status/1966474125616013664">wrote</a>.

Stephen King

Stephen King Walks Back Lie About Charlie Kirk With Half-Hearted Apology

Twitter

An assistant high school football coach who is also a school resource officer (SRO) in Clarksville, Tennessee, was removed from the coaching staff over complaints that he was proselytizing to players.
Trey Campbell, a volunteer assistant coach for Northwest High School, was escorted out of last week&#8217;s game at halftime by the school&#8217;s principal after he was holding a Bible and leading players in prayer, according to local news outlet, <a href="https://clarksvillenow.com/local/northwest-sro-put-on-leave-during-review-of-proselytizing-complaint-while-coaching-football/">Clarksville Now</a>. Campbell, a deputy with the Montgomery County Sheriff&#8217;s Office, was also placed on paid leave from his job as an SRO at the school.
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) said that it had received complaints about Campbell doing more than just leading players in prayer and was attempting to convert players to his faith while in his official capacity as a school employee. The school district said it is currently investigating the incident, WKRN <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/clarksville/northwest-high-school-assistant-football-coach-removed-form-team-after-prayer-sparking-debate-over-faith-in-schools/">reported</a>.
&#8220;It’s my understanding that the concern was not with private prayer, but that the principal received a concern that an employee was proselytizing in their official capacity,&#8221; a CMCSS official added in a statement. &#8220;We will investigate, and I can share more when that investigation has concluded. We are not able to conduct interviews or comment further until after the investigation has concluded.”
According to the school district, &#8220;multiple witnesses observed and video footage corroborated Campbell spending significant time throughout the game on the sidelines with players and other students, quoting scripture, holding a Bible up to spectators, and leading prayers.&#8221;
The school district alleged that Campbell &#8220;became visibly emotional and confrontational&#8221; when he was asked to keep his prayers private. The district added, &#8220;However, multiple witnesses stated that when asked to stop causing a disruption and to put his Bible away, Campbell stated loudly that &#8216;I can’t do it, won’t do it,&#8217; and &#8216;my job is to save these babies.'&#8221;
CMCSS said that witnesses found Campbell&#8217;s behavior last Friday &#8220;uncharacteristic,&#8221; adding, &#8220;Campbell has otherwise been an outstanding SRO, coach, and valued member of the Northwest High School community. He has built positive relationships with students, families, and staff, and has contributed to the safety and well-being of the school.&#8221;
Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson told Clarksville Now that the department &#8220;firmly stands behind any citizen who chooses to lawfully exercise their constitutional rights. This includes our employees.&#8221; Fuson added, “As a man of faith, I was equally concerned about the initial information regarding this and how it appeared to have been handled.&#8221;
The sheriff, however, acknowledged that &#8220;there are always two sides to consider,&#8221; referring to the school district&#8217;s review of the incident involving Campbell. The deputy was placed on leave for &#8220;a couple of paid days off to process all of this,&#8221; according to the sheriff. Fuson added that Campbell&#8217;s position as an SRO at Northwest High School has not changed. When asked to provide further details about the incident and where the sheriff stands on the issue, the Montgomery County Sheriff&#8217;s Office told The Daily Wire that it did not have any further comment at this time.
The issue over Campbell&#8217;s religious practices at the football game comes as President Donald Trump moves to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-promises-fresh-push-to-defend-prayer-in-public-schools">protect prayer</a> in public schools. Trump said on Monday that he has directed the Department of Education to &#8220;issue new guidance protecting the right to prayer in our public schools.&#8221;
&#8220;America has always been a nation that believes in the power of prayer,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/">said</a>. &#8220;Together we will make our Country greater, stronger, more united, and more faithful than ever before!&#8221;
The controversy in Tennessee shares some similarities to a major Supreme Court case that was decided in 2022, when high school football coach Joseph Kennedy was pressured by a public school system in Bremerton, Washington, to stop his practice of praying on the field after each game; a practice that many of his players joined. Kennedy&#8217;s contract was not renewed after the controversy over his post-game prayer, and the coach sued the school board. The case made it all the way up to the Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 in Kennedy&#8217;s favor.
In a phone call with The Daily Wire, Marc Wheat, General Counsel for former Vice President Mike Pence&#8217;s organization, Advancing American Freedom, brought up the Kennedy v. Bremerton School District case. Wheat, however, said that the issue in Tennessee appears to differ from the famous 2022 decision based on what&#8217;s been reported so far.
&#8220;My understanding is that Campbell&#8217;s prayer time was during a game where the football players are there to be coached on strategy, tactics, getting them pumped up to go back on the field,&#8221; Wheat said. &#8220;So that&#8217;s pretty different from the Coach Kennedy case.&#8221;
Wheat added that an important question that must be answered is whether the players were required to be present and listening to their coaches when Campbell was exercising his faith. He said that the arguments for and against Campbell practicing his faith at the game could change as more information comes out about the incident. Another aspect that Wheat pointed out that could add to a legal dilemma is that Campbell was acting as a volunteer football coach, while his employment was with the sheriff&#8217;s department.
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, director of the Conscience Project — a religious liberty advocacy group — told The Daily Wire that &#8220;often what&#8217;s reported isn&#8217;t what&#8217;s really going on&#8221; when it comes to religious liberty cases.
&#8220;Sometimes something becomes very sensational and school administrators often act, throwing the net wider than they should and disciplining people for exercising legitimate rights out of fear and ignorance,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;Obviously, there are elements to what&#8217;s been reported that look like religious activity was possibly going on during the game, during what would normally be the coaching of young people. And I think that&#8217;s where the record has to be developed more,&#8221; Picciotti-Bayer continued, adding, &#8220;There isn&#8217;t a problem unless there&#8217;s a level of coercion.&#8221;
Picciotti-Bayer said that new guidance from Trump&#8217;s Education Department could be vital for further protecting religious liberty. She said that she expects the guidance to allow school employees &#8220;to actually live your faith, say your prayer at lunch time. Maybe not over an intercom, but to let that be a part of your life. You don&#8217;t have to leave your faith at the parking lot of the school or the parking lot of the football stadium.&#8221;
This story has been updated to include additional comment from the school district.

Football Field, Bible

High School Football Coach Loses Gig, Placed On Leave After Carrying Bible, Praying With Players

School Resource Officer Loses Coaching Gig, Placed On Leave After Carrying Bible, Praying With Playe

High school sports

Public Schools

Religious Liberty

Tennessee

This summer marked the end of an era in American Christianity. Within weeks of each other, pastor John MacArthur and psychologist James Dobson, two of the most influential evangelical leaders of the past half-century, passed away. MacArthur died on July 14 at the age of 86, followed by his friend Dobson on August 21 at 89. Their distinct but complementary approaches to faith and culture reshaped churches, families, and politics in profound ways.
Both men launched their ministries into the national spotlight in 1977, debuting radio programs at a time when evangelical broadcasting was entering a golden age. MacArthur’s verse-by-verse exposition of Scripture with &#8220;Grace to You&#8221; and Dobson’s biblical counsel on marriage and parenting with &#8220;Focus on the Family&#8221; would eventually reach tens of millions of households across the globe.
Troy Miller, president of the National Religious Broadcasters, told The Daily Wire that both men not only mastered radio but also foresaw the digital transition. “They were pioneers in adopting MP3s, moving into podcasts, and building digital platforms,” Miller said. “Grace to You and Focus on the Family became models for how to keep Christian teaching at the center of new technologies. And part of the legacy that these two men are going to leave was their insistence on being quality communicators, whatever the medium. Both of them worked very hard at their communication skills, whether it be preaching, speaking at conferences, or on the radio. They set the bar.”
<h3>Two Vocations, One Foundation</h3>
Although their ministries often intersected, MacArthur and Dobson took distinct paths to engaging culture. While the two men held the same positions on life, marriage, and sexuality, MacArthur avoided joining political coalitions, famously declining to sign the Manhattan Declaration, a 2009 statement that affirmed the sanctity of life and traditional marriage, because of his doctrinal differences with some of the statement’s authors.
Dobson, in contrast, leaned into politics. Not only was he one of the Manhattan Declaration’s most prominent signatories, in 1995, he also founded the Family Research Council, a Washington-based policy group that quickly became a central voice in the religious right.
Miller said the difference came down to vocation, not conviction. “John MacArthur understood he was a pastor,” he said. “That was his primary calling in life. And as a shepherd, his deepest desire was for people to understand the Word of God better. His expository preaching and teaching, his commentaries, his books were all meant to bring people closer to God. Dr. Dobson understood he was a psychologist. So he was concerned about culture and where culture was headed as a psychologist. They took these two different approaches, but behind both of them was a biblical foundation.”
Grace to You executive director Phil Johnson, who worked closely with MacArthur for more than 40 years, echoed that assessment. “John was always clear that he wasn’t opposed to political involvement by Christians and that there are Christians who are called to all sorts of vocations, including politics.” 
Dobson used his political vocation to tremendous effect.
Political science professor Hunter Baker, who first met Dobson while working as a religious liberty lobbyist, pointed out that by the late 1990s, the radio host had begun to eclipse the influence of the Moral Majority’s Jerry Falwell and the Christian Coalition’s Pat Robertson, in part, due to his academic credentials.
“Robertson and Falwell were essentially televangelists, and they had their influence. But then comes James Dobson. And a lot of people don&#8217;t remember this, but Dobson had an appointment at the USC Medical School as a child psychologist. He was there for 14 years in a very prestigious sort of position.” That credibility allowed Dobson to gain a hearing with audiences that would be less likely to tune into Robertson’s 700 Club or Falwell’s Old-Time Gospel Hour.
After he grew Focus on the Family into a cultural juggernaut, his mobilization of his Christian listeners helped secure the Republican Party’s transformation into a staunchly pro-life party.
“People want to think the Republican Party has always been this great pro-life party,” Baker said, “but Ronald Reagan was really the first one to decisively move in that direction. Yet his advisors were constantly wanting him to take pro-life rhetoric out of his speeches. And so that&#8217;s the Republican Party that Dobson was dealing with in the 90s. And in the late 1990s, Dobson, in his frustration, said, ‘I&#8217;m going to leave this party and I&#8217;m going to take as many people with me as I can.’ That was a threat that could not be ignored.”
<div id="attachment_969125" style="width: 898px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969125" class="size-large wp-image-969125" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-74058688-888x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON - MAY 03: Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family (L), shakes hands with U.S. President George W. Bush (R) as Dobson's wife, Shirley Dobson, looks on during the National Day of Prayer ceremony at the White House May 3, 2007 in Washington, DC. The program included prayers and meditations from Christian and Jewish leaders and a performance by the US Army Chorus. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)" width="888" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-74058688-888x576.jpg 888w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-74058688-300x195.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-74058688-768x498.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-74058688.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 888px) 100vw, 888px" />Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</div>
After Dobson took his stand, Baker said, the GOP was forced to commit to the sanctity of life as a key issue. “I would argue that was really decisive. In 2008, even though he was the tremendously popular former mayor of New York City and viewed as a hero of 9/11, Rudy Giuliani got nowhere in that Republican primary process. Why? Because he would not become pro-life in order to run. Then, in 2012, Mitt Romney, who had previously been pro-choice, ran as a pro-life Republican. And I really put all of that at the feet of James Dobson more than anybody else.”
In 2016, Dobson would endorse Donald Trump at a time when few Christian leaders were willing to, helping to shore up Trump’s evangelical support that was vital to winning the election.
<h3>Standing Firm in Cultural Storms</h3>
Though MacArthur resisted joining formal political movements, when politics encroached on the church, he, too, did not hesitate to take a stand.
In 2018, when social justice and critical theory were infiltrating churches and ministries, MacArthur, just as he’d done when he publicly opposed segregation in the 1960s, spoke out. At the time, many nationally known pastors were <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/black-lives-matter-southern-baptist">promoting</a> Black Lives Matter and its <a href="https://x.com/JonathanLeeman/status/1269646035095375874">mission</a>. MacArthur, in contrast, <a href="https://statementonsocialjustice.com/">joined a statement</a> against the Marxist ideology the movement is based on, explicitly rejecting “any teaching that encourages racial groups to view themselves as privileged oppressors or entitled victims of oppression.”
<div id="attachment_138416" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-138416" class="size-full wp-image-138416" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/IMG_1038.jpg" alt="John MacArthur" width="640" height="480" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/IMG_1038.jpg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/IMG_1038-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />Courtesy John MacArthur</div>
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he <a href="https://www.gracechurch.org/news/posts/2254">openly defied</a> California’s restrictions on in-person worship, telling his congregation, “Whatever this virus is, it does not overpower First Amendment rights.” One of his final public acts came in 2022 when he sent a <a href="https://www.gty.org/blogs/B220928/an-open-letter-to-governor-newsom">scathing letter</a> to Governor Gavin Newsom addressing his use of Scripture to promote abortion:
<blockquote>[Y]ou revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 45:9–12). You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants. You used the name and the words of Christ to promote the credo of Molech (Leviticus 20:1–5). It would be hard to imagine a greater sacrilege… My concern, Governor Newsom, is that your own soul lies in grave, eternal peril.</blockquote>
Johnson said both stances were consistent with MacArthur’s lifelong approach. “He believed the church must keep its focus on the gospel. And the letter to Newsom is a classic example of that because though he&#8217;s addressing a political leader, like John the Baptist did, with a very strong &#8230; gospel appeal.”
<h3>Generational Impact</h3>
Perhaps the clearest measure of MacArthur and Dobson’s legacies lies in the generations they shaped.
MacArthur’s influence can be seen in pulpits across the country. Thousands of pastors trained at the school he founded, The Master’s Seminary, or influenced by his preaching, now carry forward his model of expository preaching. Johnson shared that in his hometown of Tulsa, he once struggled to identify churches that offered sound, biblical preaching. Today, he said, he can point to many who trace their roots to MacArthur’s ministry. “All of them are connected somehow to John MacArthur. And that&#8217;s just one city. I think the whole country has benefited from the men who&#8217;ve been sent out from Master’s Seminary and men who&#8217;ve been influenced by people who&#8217;ve been influenced by John MacArthur.”
Thirty-two-year-old Nashville pastor, Jonny Ardavanis, is one such man. He recalled MacArthur’s advice when asked how to “pick your battles.” MacArthur’s answer was simple: “I pick every battle where gospel clarity and biblical authority are at stake.” Ardavanis said that principle continues to guide his ministry, and he believes the many comparisons to Charles Spurgeon that poured out on social media at news of MacArthur’s death were apt.
“Spurgeon is known as the prince of preachers, and John MacArthur is known for championing the authority and the sufficiency and the inerrancy of God&#8217;s word. That&#8217;s one of the things that John MacArthur really pushed on to the next generation of preachers—open up the Word of God and let it speak. It&#8217;s living and active…Both fought off the liberal drift of their day. Spurgeon was known for the downgrade controversy, where, at the time, the union was drifting in regards to the inerrancy and authority of God&#8217;s word. He stood staunch against that. MacArthur was known for the lordship debate, saying ‘Hey, you can&#8217;t call Jesus your savior without calling him your Lord,’ meaning that it was a rejection of cheap grace. And so both were known for preaching, but for standing firm on issues of doctrinal clarity.”
For Dobson, too, controversy was the cost of conviction, with critics frequently accusing him of turning from family counseling to the culture war. But Baker rejects that assessment. “People say Dobson spoiled his legacy by getting political,” he said, “but what if the issue had been slavery or segregation? We wouldn’t fault someone for standing up against those. Dobson saw abortion in that same category—a fundamental issue of justice.”
As Phil Johnson put it, “[MacArthur and Dobson] were both trying to stand astride the progress of history and say, ‘Wait a minute.’ They saw that a lot of what passed for progress was actually destructive, and they weren’t afraid to fight it.”
<div id="attachment_969131" style="width: 833px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969131" class="size-large wp-image-969131" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-56542928-823x576.jpg" alt="PHILADELPHIA - JANUARY 8: Dr. James C. Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the Family, gestures while speaking at the Justice Sunday III rally on January 8, 2006 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by the Family Research Council, the rally was held one day before the start of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. (Photo by Jeff Fusco/Getty Images)" width="823" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-56542928-823x576.jpg 823w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-56542928-300x210.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-56542928-768x538.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-56542928.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 823px) 100vw, 823px" />Jeff Fusco/Getty Images</div>
<h3>A Shared Legacy</h3>
Since their deaths, many of MacArthur and Dobson’s listeners have expressed a measure of fear over what will happen to American Christianity now that the men they viewed as lions of the faith have gone. But Johnson feels that’s a failure to remember what both men taught.
“I understand,” he said, “because it seems like a string of men who we respect and trust, whose voices we want to hear have died. Yet I comfort myself with Christ&#8217;s words that he&#8217;s going to build his church and the gates of hell are not going to prevail against it. So he&#8217;ll raise up new voices and new people with new courage, people who actually are standing on the shoulders of these men. We lament the loss of their voices, but we also understand that all of them believed in the sovereignty of God, that they didn&#8217;t die by mistake, and that their time is in God&#8217;s hands and their shoes will be filled by someone who maybe we don&#8217;t even know yet that the Lord will raise up.”
Their voices may now be silent, but the pastors filling pulpits trained under MacArthur and the activists inspired by Dobson testify that their influence endures.

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Lions Of The Faith: The Legacies Of John MacArthur And James Dobson

The Legacies Of John MacArthur And James Dobson: Giants Of The Faith

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