{"id":3825,"date":"2026-05-28T10:39:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:39:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/05\/28\/an-ohio-pastor-turned-lawmaker-backs-a-charlie-kirk-american-heritage-act-for-schools\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T10:39:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:39:51","slug":"an-ohio-pastor-turned-lawmaker-backs-a-charlie-kirk-american-heritage-act-for-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=3825","title":{"rendered":"An Ohio pastor-turned-lawmaker backs a Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act for schools"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"storytitle\">\n<h1>An Ohio pastor-turned-lawmaker backs a Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act for schools<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORYTITLE\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"story-meta\" class=\"story-meta has-byline has-org\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one\">\n<div class=\"story-meta__one-inner\">\n<div class=\"dateblock\">\n    <time datetime=\"2026-05-28T06:00:00-04:00\"><br \/>\n            <span class=\"date\">May 28, 2026<\/span><span class=\"time\">6:00 AM ET<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/time>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE-INNER\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"partner\">\n<p><b>From <\/b>The Statehouse News Bureau<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__ONE\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"story-meta__two\">\n<div id=\"storybyline\" class=\"storybyline-wrap linkLocation\">\n<div class=\"bucketwrap byline\">\n<div class=\"byline-container--block\">\n<p class=\"byline__name--block\">By\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"byline byline--block\" aria-label=\"Byline\">\n<p class=\"byline__name byline__name--block\">\n      Sarah Donaldson\n  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP BYLINE\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"STORY-META__TWO\" -->\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"STORY-META\" CLASS=\"STORY-META HAS-BYLINE HAS-ORG\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\" class=\"storytext storylocation linkLocation\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-118686\" class=\"bucketwrap image x-large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 4571;--source-height: 3047\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4571x3047+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc3%2F54%2F60ec03d94d3f8f2216f35e342a67%2F2026-02-garyclick-003-1.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4571x3047+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc3%2F54%2F60ec03d94d3f8f2216f35e342a67%2F2026-02-garyclick-003-1.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"A man in a suit stands in an office next to a U.S. flag.\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Republican state Rep. Gary Click, from northern Ohio, is a Baptist pastor and three-term lawmaker. Here, he poses for a portrait in his office in Columbus, Ohio, in February.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Andrew Spear for NPR<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Andrew Spear for NPR<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Ohio state Rep. Gary Click recalls the comfort he felt going to church as a child and when he declared his faith before a congregation at the age of 12.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I went down and I just told the Lord, I said, if you want me to be a pastor, I&#8217;ll be a pastor,&#8221; Click recounted in an interview.<\/p>\n<p>He did become a Baptist pastor \u2014 and later, a lawmaker. Click, 60, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohiohouse.gov\/members\/gary-click\" target=\"_blank\">is a three-term Ohio legislator.<\/a> God created three institutions, he says: the family, the home and the government.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;As good stewards, we should be involved in all of those, to one extent or the other,&#8221; Click says.<\/p>\n<p>He&#8217;s the architect of the state&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wyso.org\/2024-01-10\/ohio-house-votes-to-override-veto-of-gender-affirming-care-ban\" target=\"_blank\">ban on gender-affirming surgeries<\/a> and hormone treatments for minors. He&#8217;s backed a range of bills, from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statenews.org\/government-politics\/2026-04-09\/ohio-bills-would-end-all-sports-betting-outside-casinos-wagers-on-college-games\" target=\"_blank\">less-controversial ones<\/a> like requiring schools to allow excused absences for religious reasons to hotly debated ones, like restricting abortion and requiring K-12 schools to let students leave during the day for religious study.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-118684\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 4800;--source-height: 3200\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4800x3200+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc1%2F1a%2F7b85aa3b4971bc4ce8bbbac4f0f5%2F2026-02-garyclick-016.JPG\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4800x3200+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc1%2F1a%2F7b85aa3b4971bc4ce8bbbac4f0f5%2F2026-02-garyclick-016.JPG\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Artwork depicting the late conservative Charlie Kirk is seen in the office of Ohio State Rep. Gary Click, a Republican from the 88th District and a Baptist pastor, poses for a portrait in his office at the Riffe Tower in Columbus, Ohio on February, 24, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Artwork depicting the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk is seen in the office of Ohio state Rep. Gary Click.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Andrew Spear for NPR<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Andrew Spear for NPR<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>But Click says he&#8217;s not legislating his own religion, because you don&#8217;t have to be a Christian to agree with what he introduces and advances.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\" id=\"A\">A bill named for Charlie Kirk about teaching religion&#8217;s impact on America<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;The Bible says &#8216;Thou shalt not kill.&#8217; Now, am I legislating the Bible if I support laws against murder? No, I&#8217;m not,&#8221; he says. &#8220;Says &#8216;Thou shalt not steal.&#8217; If we have laws against theft, and actually, I have a burglary bill right now, am I legislating my religion?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Since last year, Click&#8217;s been working on passing <a href=\"https:\/\/search-prod.lis.state.oh.us\/api\/v2\/general_assembly_136\/legislation\/hb486\/02_PH\/pdf\/\" target=\"_blank\">the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act<\/a>. It has passed the state House and is in the Senate.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5798726-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5549402\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/09\/22\/nx-s1-5549402\/charlie-kirk-evangelical-christian-worship-martyr\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"recirculation\",\"action\":\"story_recirculation_click\",\"clickType\":\"inset box\",\"clickUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/09\/22\/nx-s1-5549402\/charlie-kirk-evangelical-christian-worship-martyr\"}'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4000x4000+2000+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fba%2Fb5%2Fbcff0f8941b9a7045c2dfcae6571%2Fgettyimages-2236104957.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4000x4000+2000+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fba%2Fb5%2Fbcff0f8941b9a7045c2dfcae6571%2Fgettyimages-2236104957.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4000x4000+2000+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fba%2Fb5%2Fbcff0f8941b9a7045c2dfcae6571%2Fgettyimages-2236104957.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"Items are displayed in the makeshift memorial for Charlie Kirk outside the headquarters of Turning Point USA on Sept. 18, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>         <\/p>\n<div class=\"bucketblock\">\n<h3 class=\"slug\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/religion\/\">Religion <\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/09\/22\/nx-s1-5549402\/charlie-kirk-evangelical-christian-worship-martyr\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"recirculation\",\"action\":\"story_recirculation_click\",\"clickType\":\"inset box\",\"clickUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/09\/22\/nx-s1-5549402\/charlie-kirk-evangelical-christian-worship-martyr\"}'>The evangelical Christian faith on display at Kirk&#8217;s memorial shaped his politics<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5798726-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>The bill says it would permit the teaching of the positive impact of &#8220;Judeo-Christian&#8221; values in U.S. history. It lists two dozen examples, from appeals to divine power in the Declaration of Independence and the religious backgrounds of the signers, to the impact of evangelical Billy Graham.<\/p>\n<p>A couple of other states have similar bills, though they&#8217;re not named after the slain conservative activist and occasional confidante of President Trump. Click says he hopes his will be a model.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-118953\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 4385;--source-height: 2882\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4385x2882+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F06%2Fec%2F4d00dc8b427d922da1221ce4dc70%2F20260311-mcgarvey-columbusprayer-0817-1.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4385x2882+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F06%2Fec%2F4d00dc8b427d922da1221ce4dc70%2F20260311-mcgarvey-columbusprayer-0817-1.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Ohio State Rep. Mark Johnson prays during \u201cPrayer at the Statehouse\u201d, a quarterly event hosted by the Center for Christian Virtue to pray with lawmakers in the middle of the state capitol in Columbus, Ohio in March.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Ohio state Rep. Mark Johnson prays in March during &#8220;Prayer at the Statehouse,&#8221; a quarterly event hosted by the Center for Christian Virtue to pray with lawmakers in the state Capitol in Columbus, Ohio.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Maddie McGarvey for NPR<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Maddie McGarvey for NPR<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Click named the bill after Kirk, whose rhetoric offended some but resonated with others, because he sees a connection.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;One of the reasons that people hated Charlie, I think, is because he was advancing Christian principles. The Christian history of our nation. And people didn&#8217;t like that. They hated that,&#8221; he says. &#8220;They rejected that. And I think that&#8217;s what took his life. And so I think people need a better education.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\" id=\"Opponents\">Opponents say the bill would invite a skewed version of history <\/h3>\n<p>Opponents of the bill say it&#8217;s unnecessary \u2014 or worse.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I have never heard of a single teacher in Ohio that says they&#8217;re afraid to teach any of the content that&#8217;s in this bill,&#8221; says Ohio Council for the Social Studies President Sarah Kaka.<\/p>\n<p>She worries anytime the legislature is dictating the direction of educational content, she says.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is such a skewed perspective on history, right?&#8221; she says. &#8220;It&#8217;s not balanced by any means, and our organization as a whole, we are very much proponents of historical inquiry, right? Teaching students not what to think, but how to think.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Groups backing laws that center on conservative views of Christianity go back generations, including the Moral Majority of the 1980s, and have won court backing in recent years with the elimination of the federal right to abortion and the weakening of bans on school prayer.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-118950\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 4500;--source-height: 3000\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4500x3000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F45%2F67%2F35ee07724ab0bb24e78051532c5f%2F20260311-mcgarvey-columbusprayer-0443.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4500x3000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F45%2F67%2F35ee07724ab0bb24e78051532c5f%2F20260311-mcgarvey-columbusprayer-0443.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"People participate in \u201cPrayer at the Statehouse\u201d, a quarterly event hosted by the Center for Christian Virtue to pray with lawmakers in the middle of the state capitol in Columbus, Ohio on March 11, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                People participate in &#8220;Prayer at the Statehouse&#8221; in March.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Maddie McGarvey for NPR<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Maddie McGarvey for NPR<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Indiana University Indianapolis professor Andrew Whitehead is among those who describe the movement as Christian Nationalism.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;[It&#8217;s] the desire to fuse together a very particular expression of Christianity with American civic life, and then having the government at all levels, defend and preserve that connection and fusion,&#8221; Whitehead says. He adds that this specific view sees an America primarily for white Protestant men and leans toward authoritarianism.<\/p>\n<p>Click rejects the term. &#8220;That is a dog whistle,&#8221; he says. &#8220;That&#8217;s a crisis language in order to scare people and take them back to this idea of you&#8217;re forcing your religion on us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Click is a member of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, which shares model legislation against abortion access and transgender rights. He says the group is interested in the Charlie Kirk bill. Their website also includes proposals to ban same-sex marriage and to tie currency to gold and silver.<\/p>\n<p>In Ohio, legislation infused with religion has gained noticeable traction. The decades-old Center for Christian Virtue has notched &#8220;lots&#8221; of recent wins, President Aaron Baer says.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-118933\" class=\"bucketwrap image x-large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 4500;--source-height: 3000\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4500x3000+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F81%2F4e87320443db8103e80fad5f561c%2F20260311-mcgarvey-columbusprayer-1036.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4500x3000+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F81%2F4e87320443db8103e80fad5f561c%2F20260311-mcgarvey-columbusprayer-1036.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Aaron Baer, President of the Center for Christian Virtue, speaks during \u201cPrayer at the Statehouse\u201d, a quarterly event hosted by the Center for Christian Virtue to pray with lawmakers in the middle of the state capitol in Columbus, O on March 11, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Aaron Baer, president of the Center for Christian Virtue, speaks during &#8220;Prayer at the Statehouse&#8221; in March.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Maddie McGarvey for NPR<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Maddie McGarvey for NPR<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s never us,&#8221; Baer says. &#8220;We don&#8217;t have any votes, right? It&#8217;s the lawmakers, but we worked with lawmakers on all of these issues.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>A few years ago, CCV bought a four-story building across the street from the Capitol.<\/p>\n<p>Under Baer, CCV looks at legislation across the board, branching out from standard religious right issues \u2014 against abortion, obscenity, gambling \u2014 into lobbying on a range of legislation, from limiting diversity, equity and inclusion to lowering taxes.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\" id=\"The\">An Ohio Democrat and Catholic worries about mixing Christianity and lawmaking<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;Christians are called to care about every issue, right?&#8221; Baer says. &#8220;It&#8217;s not just like there&#8217;s the social issues and those are the issues God cares about.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>State Rep. Sean Brennan is a Democrat from northeast Ohio. He says he &#8220;struggles&#8221; with the balance as someone who considers himself a good Catholic.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resg-s1-123970\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"--source-width: 2654;--source-height: 2041\">\n<p>            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2654x2041+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa6%2F28%2Ff9d1e5e541f093b4c7beb3249724%2Fbrennan-cropped.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/2654x2041+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa6%2F28%2Ff9d1e5e541f093b4c7beb3249724%2Fbrennan-cropped.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"Ohio Democratic state Rep. Sean Brennan, seen here in April in the capitol talking about a utility reform bill, says he worries that bills that put religion into law could be divisive.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                Ohio Democratic state Rep. Sean Brennan, seen here in April in the Capitol talking about a utility reform bill, says he worries that bills that put religion into law could be divisive.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n                    Sarah Donaldson\/Statehouse News Bureau<br \/>\n                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><b>toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><br \/>\n        Sarah Donaldson\/Statehouse News Bureau<br \/>\n    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>He&#8217;s opposes the stated mission of the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act, voting against it in the House, as well as other bills with roots in Christianity.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Just look at the history of our nation,&#8221; Brennan says. &#8220;You didn&#8217;t hear George Washington invoking Jesus.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>And he sees proposals like that, at worst, as divisive.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We don&#8217;t need to sow more seeds of division in our country,&#8221; Brennan says. &#8220;We&#8217;ve evolved, we&#8217;re more inclusive, and I think that makes our state and our nation stronger.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"hr\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statenews.org\/people\/sarah-donaldson\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Sarah Donaldson<\/em><\/a><em> covers politics and government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/g-s1-88052\/charlie-kirk\">Charlie Kirk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/626712729\/religion-and-politics\">religion and politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tag tag--story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/tags\/425905031\/states\">states<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"TAGS\" --><\/p>\n<div class=\"share-tools share-tools--secondary\" aria-label=\"Share tools\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--facebook\"><button class=\"fbStorynx-s1-5798726\" data-share-facebook='{\"storyId\": \"nx-s1-5798726\" }' data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"facebook\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Facebook<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--flipboard\"><button class=\"storynx-s1-5798726\" data-share-flipboard='{\"storyId\": \"nx-s1-5798726\" }' data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"flipboard\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Flipboard<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-tools__service share-tools__service--email\"><button class=\"share-tools__email-link\" data-story-id=\"nx-s1-5798726\" data-metrics-ga4='{\"category\":\"share\",\"action\":\"share\",\"clickName\":\"email\"}'><b class=\"share-tools__service-name\">Email<\/b><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"SHARE-TOOLS SHARE-TOOLS-SECONDARY\" ARIA-LABEL=\"SHARE TOOLS\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"NEWSLETTER-ACQUISITION-CALLOUT-DATA\" DATA-NEWSLETTER=\"{&amp;QUOT;NEWSLETTERID&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;NEWS&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;TITLE&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;UP FIRST&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;MARKETINGHEADER&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;SIGN UP FOR NPR&#039;S UP FIRST NEWSLETTER&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;FREQUENCY&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;EVERY DAY&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;SHORTDESCRIPTION&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;THE STORIES YOU NEED TO START YOUR DAY, HAND-PICKED FOR YOU EVERY WEEKDAY. PLUS, THE BEST OF NPR EVERY SUNDAY.&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;STICKYDESCRIPTION&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;SIGN UP FOR THE NPR&#039;S UP FIRST NEWSLETTER FOR THE LATEST HEADLINES AND UNIQUE STORIES FROM THE NPR NETWORK.&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;CONTENTIMAGE&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/NPR.BRIGHTSPOTCDN.COM\/E1\/16\/E7434747460F8691603795B6FF1C\/SCREEN-SHOT-2025-08-20-AT-1-47-26-PM.PNG&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;STATICMARKUPDIR&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;\/BUCKETS\/TOPICS\/HEADER1001.HTML&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;BRANDINGDIR&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;\/BRANDING\/SECTIONS\/NEWS\/&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;BRANDINGLINK&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;HTTPS:\/\/WWW.NPR.ORG\/SECTIONS\/NEWS\/&amp;QUOT;,&amp;QUOT;RECAPTCHASITEKEY&amp;QUOT;:&amp;QUOT;6LCDN9IZAAAAAOHT985BJJBZJKBJKSXDXK3GEKST&amp;QUOT;}\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT\" --><\/p>\n<div id=\"callout-end-of-story-mount-piano-wrap\" class=\"callout-end-of-story-mount-piano-wrap\">\n<!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO\" -->\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO-WRAP\" CLASS=\"CALLOUT-END-OF-STORY-MOUNT-PIANO-WRAP\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"END-OF-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"RECOMMENDED-STORIES RECOMMENDED-STORIES-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><br \/>\n<!-- END ID=\"END-OF-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT\" CLASS=\"RECOMMENDED-STORIES\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Ohio pastor-turned-lawmaker backs a Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act for schools May 28, 20266:00 AM ET From<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3827,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3825"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3825\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}