Episode Overview
Title: Remembering Rush Five Years On + The Shape of Christian Revival
Podcast: The Charlie Kirk Show
Date: February 17, 2026
Hosts: Andrew Colvett, Blake
Special Guest: Riley Gaines
Main Themes:
- Honoring Rush Limbaugh on the fifth anniversary of his passing and reflecting on Charlie Kirk's legacy
- The connection between cultural instability, mental health, gender ideology, and violence
- The surprising revival of faith among Gen Z (with a focus on men and the highly educated)
- Critique of “Christian nationalism” as discussed in mainstream media
- The pivotal role of faith-based activism and the enduring roots of Christianity in American public life
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Remembering Rush Limbaugh and Charlie Kirk (00:00–06:12)
- Tribute to Rush Limbaugh:
Five years after Rush’s passing, Andrew and Blake remember his influence—not only in conservative media, but his direct mentorship and friendship with Charlie Kirk.- Limpbaugh’s role as a private supporter of Turning Point USA is revealed (01:50–02:45).
- Played audio of Rush describing his first meeting with Charlie:
“This is the kind of guy that you can see really becoming big in politics as he gets older.” —Rush Limbaugh [02:50]
- Charlie’s Legacy:
Reflections on how Kirk modeled his public persona and tactics after Rush; Charlie’s unapologetic borrowing of Rush-style nicknames was highlighted.“He had... so many mentors, he had so many models, and he had no shame... attacking so many issues was, ‘okay, well, what does the best person at this do? And I'll just copy them.’” —Blake [05:05]
- Personal Anecdotes:
Discussion of Charlie’s distaste for golf as emblematic of his family-first, time-conscious attitude, contrasting with his passion for college football and events like Amfest [03:42–04:09].
2. Rhode Island Shooting & Transgender Violence (06:12–10:23)
- Recent Tragedy:
Coverage of the Rhode Island youth hockey tournament shooting, where the shooter was a transgender individual with mental illness.“This is a very destructive mental illness disease, as you said, epidemic, social epidemic and contagion that is infecting, plaguing society.” —Riley Gaines [19:18]
- Analysis:
- Distinction made that this incident, a midlife crisis rather than adolescent-onset gender dysphoria, represents another variation of risk.
- The euphemisms used in mainstream reporting (dual names, etc.) discussed.
- Social media posts by the shooter suggested severe mental instability.
- Broader Pattern:
The episode addresses what hosts describe as a “wave” of mass shootings with transgender perpetrators and connects this to broader questions about mental health oversight and medicalization.
3. The Revival of Christian Faith Among Gen Z & The Highly Educated (10:23–15:37)
- Surge in Religious Affiliation:
Hosts cite new studies pointing to increased church attendance among Gen Z men and the highly educated—a reversal of decadal trends in religious decline.“Young men are flocking back to the churches, but they're not flocking back to mainline denominations... They want the high octane.” —Andrew [11:13]
- Orthodox, Catholic, charismatic, and conservative Protestant congregations are reported to be booming, while “watered-down” denominations continue to decline.
- Sociological Data:
- Graduate degree holders now most likely to attend church weekly [13:28].
- Parallels drawn between past elite-driven cultural shifts (away from religion, toward gender fluidity) and today’s educated influencers driving a spiritual revival.
“If this was 20 years ago... the highly educated are bailing on religion and then that percolates downstream... [Now] there's like this revival that young people are joining in, they're showing up.” —Blake [12:35]
- Root Causes:
The waning stability of secular culture is blamed for family and social disintegration—driving people back to faith as a stabilizing “scaffolding” for life.“People took it for granted that the culture was sort of stable and roughly approximately Christian... if you didn't participate in a weekly service... it would still feel approximately Christian because all of society is blessed by the Christian faith.” —Andrew [14:47]
4. Rising Critique of Christian Nationalism & CNN Documentary (15:37–38:34)
- Media Criticism:
The hosts take aim at CNN’s fresh documentary on Christian nationalism and the coverage of the recent Charlie Kirk memorial, calling the narrative a misguided “boogeyman” story.“CNN does a piece... talking about the radicalization of people at Charlie's memorial... Instead of burning down the country like the real radicals did, we held vigils... and people bought Bibles and they got baptized. How is that a bad thing?” —Andrew [30:31]
- Faith in the Public Square:
Christianity, they argue, is inherently radical—transformative for societies—citing historian Tom Holland’s book Dominion as support.“...Because we swim in the ocean of Christianity, even if you're not religious... we don't recognize how fundamentally radical Christianity was from its very beginnings.” —Blake [32:14]
- Clip: Charlie Kirk on Christian Roots of America
“The Constitution was only written for a moral and religious people. It was wholly inadequate for the people of any other... One of the reasons we're living through a constitutional crisis is that we no longer have a Christian nation, but we have a Christian form of government and they're incompatible.” —Charlie Kirk [34:00]
- Defining Christian Nationalism:
Debate over the label—Charlie’s response at a campus event:“I've never described myself as a Christian nationalist. So I'm a Christian and a nationalist... Jeremiah 29:7: demand the welfare of the nation that you are in because your welfare is tied to your nation's welfare.” —Charlie Kirk [37:31]
- Hosts argue media invents and weaponizes the term to stoke fear and marginalize traditional conservatives.
5. The Role of Faith as Solution: Riley Gaines’ Perspective (18:31–28:32)
- Mental Health and Faith:
Riley Gaines speaks on why affirming gender ideology fails at its root, exacerbating instead of addressing underlying mental illness.“We are really only deepening the eventual damage that is lurking underneath the surface.” —Riley Gaines [19:18]
- Critiques the affirmation model (pronouns, medicalization) as damaging for fragile individuals, especially youth.
- Raises alarm at over-prescription of SSRIs and the unknown effects of hormone therapy on instability.
- Spiritual Perspective:
Riley identifies faith—rootedness in Christ—as the only genuine identity and source of fulfillment:“The only place you will ever find satisfaction is in placing your identity in Christ. And I think a lot more young people are... realizing this.” —Riley Gaines [26:16]
- She credits Charlie Kirk’s legacy and martyrdom for triggering a visible surge in church attendance and piqued curiosity about Christianity among young people.
6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Rush on Charlie’s Future:
“This is the kind of guy that you can see really becoming big in politics as he gets older.” —Rush Limbaugh [02:50]
- Charlie on Affluence vs. Purpose:
“If the most important thing for you is just feeling good, you're gonna end up miserable. But if the most important thing is doing good, you will end up purposeful.” —Charlie Kirk [00:03]
- On Revival:
“Young men are flocking back to the churches, but they're not flocking back to mainline denominations... They want the high octane.” —Andrew [11:13]
- Defending Christian Nationalism:
“I've never described myself as a Christian nationalist. So I'm a Christian and a nationalist.” —Charlie Kirk [37:31] “Western civilization is defined by one through line—Christianity. You are blessed by Christianity, CNN.” —Andrew [36:51]
- Riley on Charlie’s Legacy:
“It was... the kind of life that Charlie Kirk lived. So we're seeing a lot of inspiration in that, I think, especially in my generation.” —Riley Gaines [27:18]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00–06:12 – Tribute to Rush Limbaugh, legacy of Charlie Kirk
- 06:12–10:23 – Rhode Island shooting, mental health, media euphemisms
- 10:23–15:37 – Gen Z/higher education religious revival, sociological causes
- 15:37–18:31 – Rethinking “Christian nationalism,” media narratives
- 18:31–28:32 – Riley Gaines: Gender ideology, SSRIs, faith as solution, Charlie’s influence
- 28:32–38:34 – Further critique of media coverage, Christian roots of America, resurgence in faith, Kirk Q&A on “Christian nationalism”
Tone & Style
The conversation is direct, emotionally charged, unapologetically conservative, and laced with deep nostalgia for both Rush Limbaugh and Charlie Kirk. The tone is at times mournful (reflection on assassinations and tragedies) and at times defiant (in response to mainstream criticism and celebration of Christian resurgence).
Summary
This episode of The Charlie Kirk Show was a heartfelt remembrance of conservative giant Rush Limbaugh and the late Charlie Kirk, blending personal anecdotes and clips with an analysis of their legacies on the conservative and Christian movements. The hosts then confront recent tragedies linked to transgender individuals, diagnosing them as symptoms of failed affirmation models and untreated mental illness, while Riley Gaines adds perspective on the dangers of overmedicalization and the spiritual void among youth.
The episode pivots to surprising new data revealing a resurgence of robust, high-commitment Christianity among Gen Z men and educated Millennials, with hosts arguing that cultural decay has driven young people to seek purpose and stability in traditional faith. The latter segments are a vigorous rebuttal to the “Christian nationalism” label, embracing faith’s public urgency and role in American history, and featuring powerful quotes from Charlie Kirk himself on the indispensability of a Christian moral core for American liberty. Throughout, the discussion remains spirited, self-aware, and fiercely proud of the Christian roots they see energizing modern revival.