Before retiring earlier this year, the Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan compared the late Charlie Kirk to the Paul the Apostle. Dolan called Kirk “a missionary, an evangelist and a hero who understood the freeing power of truth.”
Both Charlie and Saint Paul the Apostle were murdered for their courage and boldness in speaking the Gospel to hostile crowds. Charlie Kirk lost his life one year ago next week.
Paul the Apostle studied to be a rabbi as a teenager, training in Jerusalem. Rabbis were also expected to have a real job. From Acts 16:3 we know Paul was a tent maker.
Charlie Kirk was raised in a conservative household outside Chicago, Illinois. He became an Eagle Scout, read books by economist Milton Friedman and listened to Rush Limbaugh. Kirk became politically active at a young age, making his first national media appearance on FOX Business at age 17.
Paul the Apostle was a Roman citizen who was born about the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. He lived under the rule of five different Roman emperors – Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Paul was born in Tarsus – a bustling Mediterranean city known for its commerce, political viability and university student population.
“Except for the Lord Himself, no other single figure has done so much for the Christian faith. His missionary travels set the tone for the expansion of the church. His letters form the keystone of Christian theology,” wrote Bible scholar Robert E Picirilli in his book ‘Paul the Apostle’.
In ancient times, there was no biography written of Paul. His life plays out in the New Testament of the Bible.
Charlie Kirk’s life played out on cell phones throughout the world. His everyday actions and words were out there for all to see and digest.
Paul was raised a Pharisee, the strictest sect of Judaism. They were also known for their belief in angels, resurrection and the afterlife. Paul was a Pharisaic Jew. Antioch represented more conservative thinking, which is the way Paul’s family thought.
At the age of 21, Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a Christian based political organization that advocated free markets and limited government. He appeared on college campuses throughout the country for debate purposes and to capture video clips that were posted online. Donations began pouring in. Turning Point quickly became a political behemoth.
Paul the Apostle had his own Turning Point. It was called the Road to Damascus. Paul was sent down that road and to that city to preach in temples to Jews but also to search for, call out and publicly mock Christians. Damascus was a large Syrian city about 140 miles from Jerusalem with a large Jewish population. To get there, it would take about a week. Along the way, Jesus happened.
Jesus appeared to Paul, first as a light brighter than the sun. Paul fell to the ground. Jesus said “Saul (Aramic), why are you persecuting me?” Paul replied, “who is this?” Jesus then appeared to Paul in the body. Paul asked “what shall I do?” Jesus, who had Paul in the firm grip of conversion, told him to go to Damascus (as planned) and he would receive instructions.
Paul lost his sight for three days as he made his way to Damascus (Acts 9:9, 11).
Ananias laid his hands on Paul and his sight was restored. He then baptized Paul and delivered to him the Lord’s official commission for his ministry.
“So the one who came to Damascus to seek out in every synagogue those who believed in Jesus and deliver them up for discipline now visited those same synagogues to announce that Jesus, after all, is God’s son,” wrote Picirilli. “We have no trouble understanding the amazement that followed.”
“Faith means believing in something you cannot see,” Vivek Ramaswamy remembers hearing Charlie say. The Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate had a campaign stop at the Ohio State University, hosted by TP USA this past April. Vivek traveled with Kirk quite a bit in 2023 and 2024. Vivek firmly believes Charlie’s efforts and involvement in the 2024 presidential campaign tipped the scales for Trump.
Like Paul the Apostle, Charlie Kirk simply conveyed unpopular truths written in scripture condemning certain behaviors and attitudes. For that, repeated attempts were made to discredit them in private and in front of large crowds.
Charlie Kirk once said that America disperses knowledge at its educational institutions but is lacking in wisdom. Wisdom are truths that do not change over time. Charlie employed the Socratic Method when he debated. Answer by asking questions thereby unveiling underlying inaccurate suppositions.
“Charlie Kirk’s witness reached millions who would never have stepped foot in a church otherwise,” wrote Cardinal Dolan. “His final years were marked by a boldness that came straight from a heart that believed Jesus was worth everything.”
2 Timothy was Saint Paul the Apostle’s final letter, written very near the end of his life (believed to be 66 – 68 AD) while in Roman imprisonment. He had accepted his fate and in a tone of victory delivered a charge to his co-workers and to us to carry on the fight.
“Next to Jesus, of course, the apostle Paul is the most well-known figure of the Christian faith. Intrepid apostle, church planter, theologian, pastor, writer. Paul is our hero. He models the faith for us,” wrote Nijay Gupta on christianitytoday.com.
In his last interview, Charlie Kirk directed us to Romans 8:28 as words to live by: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Both men were extraordinary Christians who courageously and obediently dispersed the truth while sacrificing everything for God’s will.
Well done, good and faithful servant!
Sources: Acts 26: 11; How we win by Charlie Kirk, 2022; Who Canceled the Apostle Paul by Nijay K. Gupta, Oct 21, 2021, www.ChristianityToday.com; Why do some people dislike the Apostle Paul by Margo McKaine, May 31, 2026, www.quora.com; www.biblegateway.com; Bobbyorryt, www.instagram; Paul the Apostle by Robert E. Picirilli, 1986; Matthew 25:23, www.biblehub.com; Mural in Tri-State honoring late activist Charlie Kirk sparks community dialogue by Eli Burgett, WKRC, Sep 19, 2025, https://local12.com; Featured mural is located on the side of a barn along Township Line Road near Route 73, created by muralist Erika Arndts (WKEF/CNN Newsource), Waynesville, Ohio. She also has similar murals in Port Clinton and Lebanon, Ohio.