Context: The Confederation Report
Host: Steven R. Martins
Language: English
This is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a Biblical worldview.
Excerpt: On the morning of September 10, 2025, a thirty-one-year-old American conservative Christian arrived at the University of Utah to take part in a public debate. He was a husband and father of two young children, known for living unashamed of the Gospel and letting the truth of Christ shape both his public witness and his private life. During the debate, he was assassinated.
Opening Words (00:00-00:35)
Part I: In Memoriam – Charlie Kirk (00:35–10:38)
Kirk’s death was not merely a political assassination; it was an attack on a worldview, on a witness, on a way of life grounded in Scripture and lived out with courage. It was meant as a warning, a silencing, a public spectacle to intimidate others who dare to speak.
Part II: Charlie Kirk’s Memorial (10:38–14:53)
On September 21, 2025, nearly 70,000 people gathered at State Farm Stadium in Arizona to honour Charlie Kirk. Many observers noted that the memorial blended patriotic fervor, evangelical language, and deep political passion. Yet at its core—and throughout the event—Christ and His gospel were proclaimed, just as Kirk would have desired.
Did You Know? (14:53–16:24)
St. Jean de Brébeuf (1593–1649) was a French Jesuit missionary who became one of the patron saints of Canada and a towering figure of early New France.
Recommended Resource (16:24–18:08)
This week’s recommended resource is The Gospel according to Marx: Stripping Political Rhetoric from the Kingship of Jesus by Joe Owen, Institute associate for biblical cosmology and director of World Outreach with Answers in Genesis.
Closing Words (18:08–18:50)
Transcript:
It’s Week 39, and this is The Confederation Report—the flagship weekly podcast of the Cántaro Institute. My name is Steven Martins, and I’ll be your host, bringing you incisive analysis, cultural commentary, and thought-provoking interviews on the issues shaping Canadian life and beyond—all through the lens of a biblical worldview. Because Christ is Lord—over Canada, over culture, over all of life.
In Memoriam: Charlie Kirk (00:35–10:38)
On the morning of September 10, 2025, a thirty-one-year-old American conservative Christian arrived at the University of Utah to take part in a public debate. He was a husband and father of two young children, known for living unashamed of the Gospel and letting the truth of Christ shape both his public witness and his private life. During the debate, he was assassinated.
His killing came less than twenty-four hours after the brutal murder of Iryna Zarutska, a twenty-three-year-old Ukrainian refugee who had escaped the war between Russia and Ukraine. Zarutska’s life was taken by a man who, by any sane standard, should have been in custody but had been repeatedly released. The deepest tragedy, however, was not only the killer’s freedom but the moral vacuum of the bystanders: like the priest and Levite in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, they turned away from a dying woman. In Zarutska’s case there was no Samaritan—at least not before she drew her last breath. The young Christian leader, Charlie Kirk, had tweeted about her murder, warning that America would never be the same. His words, chillingly, proved prophetic.
Though caricatured by Canadian and American media as “divisive,” this man—Charlie Kirk—was exercising his constitutional right to free speech, defending truths increasingly marginalized in the present cultural moment. Critics called him “far right,” yet his convictions were neither extreme nor novel. They were biblical: he upheld the authority of Scripture, spoke for the unborn, defended the family as God designed it, affirmed the dignity of mankind, and championed moral clarity where confusion now reigns. While many Christians retreated into quiet enclaves, Kirk stepped forward. And unlike so many public figures, he practiced what he preached. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, and consistently placed his family before his public platform. Such faithfulness is often what the world finds most offensive, because it points beyond itself to God and His law.
The murders of Iryna Zarutska and Charlie Kirk were committed by different individuals with different motives, yet both stand as indictments of our cultural moment. One was an act of black-on-white violence, a manifestation of racial supremacism that cultural elites dare not name. The other appears to have been driven by explicitly anti-fascist and progressive sentiment—one of the shell casings bore the inscription “Hey fascist, catch,” echoing the rhetoric of militant left-wing movements. Both killings are symptoms of the same progressive, “woke” worldview that has eroded moral boundaries, inverted justice, and weaponized identity. These are not isolated incidents but the bitter fruit of a society that celebrates transgression while despising transcendent truth.
Scott Masson, professor at Tyndale University and associate for Christian pedagogy with the Cántaro Institute, observed the connection clearly:
The problem that Charlie Kirk was confronting was the institutionalized wickedness of a demonically false view of language and human nature that has embedded itself in the university for at least a generation.
According to the left, [the] words [that] they dislike are violence (they don’t incite violence, they ARE violence), which is precisely what permits them (in their minds) to commit actual violence against their opponents.
I saw Charlie Kirk as an ambassador to the radicalized university campuses. And the ambassador has been assassinated.
But the enemy is not flesh and blood (though the shooter needs to be caught and brought to justice), it’s the literary theories that preclude the possibility of the sort of dialogue Charlie Kirk was trying to foster, to no small degree of success.
For many, these sorts of events seem bewildering, even chaotic—but that confusion is intentional. One cannot defeat an enemy that one does not understand. What is unfolding is cultural Marxism: Marx’s war of the classes transposed from economics to identity. It is no longer proletariat versus bourgeoisie; it is black versus white, queer versus heterosexual, liberal versus conservative, woke versus Christian—an endless multiplication of categories labeled “oppressor” and “oppressed.” The aim is not reconciliation but perpetual reversal and endless class warfare.
Ironically, those who accuse conservatives and Christians of being “coercive” for defending God’s creational order wield coercion themselves—using intimidation, public shaming, and even violence to silence opposition. Consider much of the media’s muted response to Iryna Zarutska’s death: silence, because it did not fit the narrative. Had the killer been white and the victim black, the outcry would have matched that of George Floyd. Consider the response to Kirk’s death: videos of people laughing, mocking, celebrating, taunting. This is evil. And only the Gospel can answer it. That is why more Christians—not fewer—are needed in the public square. Culture has sunk this far because too many have retreated from the field. But this is not a game, this is an arena of religious worldviews, and withdrawal from the public square has stunted the church’s witness.
The call, then, is clear. We must first recognize the battle lines. We are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and spiritual darkness. We must call sin by its name, confront false ideologies with truth, and re-enter the public square as salt and light. And we must do so with courage, conviction, and charity—not abandoning the field, but standing firm with the full Gospel that speaks to every sphere of life.
Kirk’s death was not merely a political assassination; it was an attack on a worldview, on a witness, on a way of life grounded in Scripture and lived out with courage. It was meant as a warning, a silencing, a public spectacle to intimidate others who dare to speak. As Masson put it:
Charlie was a martyr to the truth, and he pointed directly to Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
This is not simply about one man or one moment. It is about the collision of two rival visions of reality—one grounded in the sovereignty of God and the dignity of mankind, the other built on power, resentment, and the will to dominate. Masson concluded:
I’m thankful for Charlie’s courageous life and witness. May his death be the “turning point” for many to follow in his Master’s footsteps.
The Christian response to such tragedy must be prayer and resolve: “Thank you, Lord, for the life and witness of Charlie Kirk. May You bring swift justice upon his murderer and upon the murderer of Iryna. Where evil erupts, justice must be quickly administered; righteousness must prevail.”
Now the question becomes how to navigate the road ahead. The answer, if you don’t already know by the life Charlie Kirk lived, is not retreat but resolve. We must imitate Kirk’s courage, pressing forward to engage our fallen culture with truth and grace. We must testify to the truth and be unashamed, knowing that those who are in Christ are called to be salt and light—pushing back decay and rot, preserving what is good in God’s world, and proclaiming the Gospel that alone saves and redeems.
This is no privatized, pietistic, or monastic gospel. It is the whole Gospel of Scripture—comprehensive, transforming, authoritative—addressing every sphere of life and summoning the nations to repentance and faith. The Kingdom of God on earth is not merely a future hope but a present reality unfolding in history, confronting idols, and calling mankind to bow before Christ’s lordship. In such a time as this, Christians must not lose heart. We are stewards of the truth, heralds of the King, and our task is to stand firm, to pray, to speak, to act, and to trust God for the outcome—for the eventual triumph of the Gospel.
Charlie Kirk’s Memorial (10:38–14:53)
On September 21, 2025, nearly 70,000 people gathered at State Farm Stadium in Arizona to honour Charlie Kirk. Many observers noted that the memorial blended patriotic fervor, evangelical language, and deep political passion. Yet at its core—and throughout the event—Christ and His gospel were proclaimed, just as Kirk would have desired.
President Trump called Kirk “our greatest evangelist for American liberty” and “a martyr,” urging a return of the Christian religion to America. Of course, it ought to be well noted that Trump himself is not what you would consider a “true” Christian. For starters, he does not love his enemies, he is personally vengeful, and seems to believe he must perform certain acts—such as helping the state of Israel—to earn God’s favor in order to enter “heaven.” Trump adheres to a works-based righteousness antithetical to Scripture, and he bends the ear to false teachers who flaunt themselves as Christian evangelicals, but who are very much “prosperity” wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing. Admittedly, I do not personally believe that Trump is a Christian. But I do believe that he resembles a modern Nebuchadnezzar, in that he is filled with pride and arrogance, particularly in himself and his country, yet still favorably disposed toward true faith, toward Christianity. As with the ancient king of Babylon, I pray that Trump may forsake mere superficial “civil” religion and come to true faith—the only faith that produces lasting fruit, both individually and societally.
Perhaps the clearest gospel note of the event came from Erika Kirk, wife of Charlie Kirk, who, to the surprise of many, publicly forgave her husband’s alleged killer. “I forgive him because it was what Christ did. And it’s what Charlie would do,” she said. While technically forgiveness presupposes repentance—otherwise grace becomes cheap to worthless—Erika’s words stand as a rebuke to the cycle of vengeance so common throughout human history. Theologically accurate? Certainly not. But to love her enemies and her strength of will can be nothing less than the power of the Spirit of God.
There were other highlights worth mentioning. Longtime Turning Point USA donor Rebecca Dunn spoke of Kirk as a “son,” recalling the millions she and her late husband gave to his efforts. Her testimony highlighted Kirk’s energy and ambition but also reminded us how easily movements can center on personalities rather than principles.
The memorial also featured gospel proclamations from apologist Dr. Frank Turk, popular spokesperson Tucker Carlson, public official Marco Rubio, and a bold declaration from Vice President J.D. Vance, who vowed to speak more openly about his faith in the public square. To everyone’s surprise, the gospel was proclaimed, and it was front and center. It’s no understatement to say that Kirk’s martyrdom has sparked a movement. This is why people are flocking to churches for the first time and public officials are calling for the promotion of true religion.
Though it should not have come as a surprise to me, I was still taken aback by the fact that some Christians did not like what they saw, perhaps because they prefer a privatized or even persecuted faith. Yet I agree with the words of Allie Beth Stuckey, who wrote:
If you are a Christian and you are disturbed by—rather than thankful for—our government leaders exalting the name of Christ, you’ve been brainwashed. Christian leaders are God’s great mercy to us. Praise Him for it.
I now hope, as I pray over our nation, that we see a similar movement here in Canada, a broad Canadian consensus proclaiming Christ as Lord, for there is no other, and outside of Him, there is no hope for restoration and renewal.
Did You Know? (14:53–16:24)
St. Jean de Brébeuf (1593–1649) was a French Jesuit missionary who became one of the patron saints of Canada and a towering figure of early New France. Renowned for his linguistic mastery, Brébeuf learned the complex Huron language and even produced a grammar and catechism to assist future missionaries. In 1639, alongside fellow Jesuit Jérôme Lalemant, he founded Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons—the first European settlement in what is now Ontario—where he laboured for fifteen years preaching the Gospel in harsh and dangerous conditions. In March 1649, during an Iroquois raid on the mission of Saint-Louis, Brébeuf and fellow missionary Gabriel Lalemant were captured, subjected to hours of ritual torture, and finally killed. According to eyewitness accounts, Brébeuf’s extraordinary composure under pain so impressed his captors that they ate his heart, believing they could claim his courage. Canonized by the Catholic Church in 1930 along with seven other Jesuits (the Canadian Martyrs), Brébeuf stands as a symbol of missionary zeal, linguistic scholarship, and steadfast faith under persecution. While as protestants we stand at odds with the Roman Catholic church, its theology, we nonetheless recognize Brébeuf’s missional spirit and zeal, and his desire for the gospel to reach those who were hard to reach.
Recommended Resource (16:24–18:08)
This week’s recommended resource is The Gospel according to Marx: Stripping Political Rhetoric from the Kingship of Jesus by Joe Owen, Institute associate for biblical cosmology and director of World Outreach with Answers in Genesis.
Uncover the truth in a world blinded by confusion disguised as progress. From gender debates to the cultural revolution of “woke” ideologies, today’s society is experiencing a seismic shift in how identity, morality, and purpose are defined. This compelling and rigorous work dives into the historical and philosophical foundations of Marxist thought, postmodernism, and their enduring impact on society, culture, and theology. With clarity and conviction, Joe Owen—Institute associate for biblical cosmology—traces the influence of ideologies that seek to redefine mankind, dismantle divine order, and cast aside biblical truths. Issues such as social justice, gender ideology, the sexual revolution, and identity are contrasted with the enduring principles of Scripture that offer hope and direction.
Unveiling the layers of centuries-old dialogues repackaged for a new audience, The Gospel According to Marx not only provides a critique of modern ideologies but also offers a practical guide to living out biblical truth amid political propaganda. Whether you are a theologian, cultural critic, or simply a seeker of truth in chaotic times, this profound analysis challenges the world’s attempts to deconstruct and reconstruct meaning without the Creator at the center. Published by Cántaro Publications and set for a December 1 release date, pre-order your copy today at cantaroinstitute.store
Closing Words (18:08–18:50)
Thanks for listening to The Confederation Report, this podcast is brought to you by the Cántaro Institute. Visit our website at cantaroinstitute.org for more information. For books to read on worldview, philosophy, and theology, visit our store at cantaroinstitute.store
We’ll meet again next week.
Documentation & Additional Reading:
USA Today (BrieAnna J. Frank)
‘He gave his life for that freedom.’ Religious Liberty Commission hails Charlie Kirk
CBC News (Mark Gollom)
Charlie Kirk memorial delivers heavy mix of politics and religion. He likely would have approved
Facebook (Scott Masson)
The problem that Charlie Kirk was confronting was the institutionalized wickedness of a demonically false view of language and human nature that has embedded itself in the university for at least a generation