An Alexandria pastor’s viral sermon challenges views on Charlie Kirk’s death, igniting conversation.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A passionate sermon delivered by a pastor at an Alexandria church on Sunday is now drawing national attention and sparking a wide range of reactions.
Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley is the senior pastor at Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria.
“I am overwhelmed,” he said repeatedly throughout his sermon. “Find the historical lies of the narrative of white supremacy and a nation that caters to white guilt and forces me to prove the equality of my blackness every day,” he told the room.
He spoke about immigration, the threats made to multiple HBCUs across the country, Medicaid, and the Trump administration.
While referring to the recent death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, he stated clearly, “I do not celebrate the killing of anyone.”
But it was what followed that ignited both conversation and controversy.
“Charlie Kirk did not deserve to be assassinated,” Wesley said before pointing to what he described as a pattern of “selective rage” from some people across the country.
“I’m overwhelmed,” he repeated. “Hearing people with selective rage who are mad about Charlie Kirk but didn’t give a damn about Melissa Hortman and her husband when they were shot down in their home,” he told the congregation, as the room erupted. “Tell me I ought to have compassion for the death of a man who had no respect for my own life,” he said.
“I’m overwhelmed by folks who call themselves Christian, simply because they invoked the name of Jesus and quote scripture from the Old Testament,” he said.
The clip, posted to social media, ends with Wesley saying, “I am sorry, but there’s nowhere in the Bible where we are taught to honor evil. How you die does not redeem how you lived. You do not become a hero in your death when you were a weapon of the enemy in your life.”
On Monday night, a police officer was stationed outside the church, a presence that, according to that officer, is standard protocol. Just a few blocks away in Old Town, WUSA9 spoke with several neighbors.
Most declined to speak on camera, citing fear of backlash. Others, however, shared their thoughts.
“I thought it was powerful, honestly,” one person said. “He was really feeling a certain way, and he has every right to feel what he feels.”
Another echoed that sentiment. “I understand it. I understand how people are feeling. No one deserves to die in that way.”
Some called the issue complex.
“Charlie Kirk said a lot of inflammatory things, and he said a lot of things that people disagree with understandably,” one person said. “But at the core, the message is also that political violence like that is never okay, whether or not you agree or not.”
Several people emphasized the importance of free expression, regardless of the message.
“As adults, you should be able to share an opinion,” said one man. “You have the right. They have a right.”
“There are plenty of people, Charlie Kirk included, who I didn’t agree with,” another added, “but that doesn’t mean they deserved to be silenced.”
WUSA9 reached out to both Rev. Wesley and Alfred Street Baptist Church for comment, but had not received a response as of Monday night.