Bible sales skyrocket in wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination

Bible sales surged following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk on September 10 at the University of Utah.

According to a Wall Street Journal report citing data from the publisher Circana BookScan tracker, sales of the Christian sacred text rose 36% in September compared with the same month in 2024. Before the event, average monthly sales in 2025 hovered around 1.5 million copies, but after Kirk’s death, they climbed to 2.4 million.

Kirk, 31, was a well-known conservative activist, youth leader and devout Christian. In addition to leading Turning Point USA, he championed the TPUSA Faith initiative, which focused on promoting Christianity among young people and college communities.

According to reports from churches and religious organizations, there has been a noticeable increase in church attendance, baptisms and conversions across the country since his murder—a phenomenon some have dubbed "the Charlie Kirk effect."

Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, noted that Kirk’s death “woke up a lot of people.” Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Schoenwald added, “They began to reflect on their beliefs and why.”

The publisher also reported an increase in interest in the bible among 18- to 34-year-olds.

Brenna Connor, an analyst with Circana BookScan, explained that “in times of crisis, more people turn to faith for comfort and support,” citing the context of violence, geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty that characterized September.

During a tribute to Kirk held September 21 in Arizona, his wife Erika Kirk, spoke of a “spiritual revival” and urged Americans to “seek a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” relationship with Jesus Christ."

President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the activist the Presidential Medal of Freedom on October 14, which would have been his 32nd birthday, a date the country also recognized as the National Day in Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.