Republican Ohio state Rep. Gary Click, a Baptist pastor serving his third term in Columbus, is pushing legislation that would require K-12 schools to teach the positive impact of Judeo-Christian values on American history and civic life. The Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act has already passed the state House and awaits action in the Senate.
The bill lists two dozen examples of religious influence on U.S. history, including appeals to divine power in the Declaration of Independence, the religious backgrounds of its signers, and the impact of evangelical figures like Billy Graham. Click named the legislation after Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was killed, describing him as someone who advanced Christian principles and the nation's Christian heritage.
What the Left Is Saying
Ohio Democratic state Rep. Sean Brennan, a Catholic from northeast Ohio, voted against the bill in the House and says he struggles with mixing Christianity and lawmaking. "Just look at the history of our nation," Brennan said. "You didn't hear George Washington invoking Jesus." He argues that proposals like this are divisive rather than unifying. "We don't need to sow more seeds of division in our country," he said. "We've evolved, we're more inclusive, and I think that makes our state and our nation stronger."
Sarah Kaka, president of the Ohio Council for the Social Studies, says she has never heard of a single teacher in Ohio who is afraid to teach any content covered by the bill. She worries whenever the legislature dictates educational content direction. "It is such a skewed perspective on history, right?" Kaka said. "It'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."
Indiana University Indianapolis professor Andrew Whitehead describes the broader movement as Christian Nationalism. "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," Whitehead said. He adds that this specific view sees an America primarily for white Protestant men and leans toward authoritarianism.
What the Right Is Saying
Click rejects the Christian Nationalist label, calling it a dog whistle designed to scare people. "That's crisis language in order to scare people and take them back to this idea of you're forcing your religion on us," he said. Click argues that his legislation does not impose Christianity because non-Christians can agree with its provisions.
The lawmaker draws parallels between biblical principles and existing laws. "The Bible says 'Thou shalt not kill.' Now, am I legislating the Bible if I support laws against murder?" Click asked in an interview. He cited his current burglary bill as another example of principles that align with religious teaching without constituting religious legislation.
Click said he believes people need better education about Christian history's role in America. "One of the reasons that people hated Charlie, I think, is because he was advancing Christian principles," he said. "The Christian history of our nation. And people didn't like that."
Aaron Baer, president of the Center for Christian Virtue, which has worked with Ohio legislators on multiple religious bills and purchased a building across from the Capitol, supports the legislation. "Christians are called to care about every issue, right?" Baer said. "It's not just like there's the social issues and those are the issues God cares about." The organization has expanded its lobbying beyond traditional religious-right issues to include diversity, equity and inclusion limits and tax policy.
What the Numbers Show
The Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act passed the Ohio House with a majority vote and moved to the Senate where it awaits committee assignment. Similar legislation exists in at least two other states, though Click said he hopes Ohio's version will become a model for other legislatures.
Click is a member of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, which shares model legislation on abortion access and transgender rights. The group's website also includes proposals to ban same-sex marriage and tie currency to gold and silver. In recent years, conservative legal victories include the elimination of federal abortion rights and the weakening of bans on school prayer.
The Bottom Line
The bill represents one of several Ohio legislative efforts infused with religious perspective that have gained traction in recent years. Proponents argue it teaches historical fact rather than promoting religion, while opponents contend it presents a skewed curriculum that could exclude other perspectives. The legislation will be watched closely as it moves through the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain. If passed, Ohio would join a small number of states with similar requirements for teaching Judeo-Christian contributions to American history.