The War on Reality: Recovering Truth in a World That Celebrates Lies

“The War on Reality accomplishes a difficult feat: offering a truly fresh take on fundamental truths. Turek and Hayes persuasively distill deep logical and theological principles with an urgency befitting this seminal moment in Western civilization. Christians in America must take up the mantle in the battle between good and evil–before it’s too late.”

–Allie Beth Stuckey, host of Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey podcast, New York Times bestselling author of Toxic Empathy

FOREWORD BY ERIKA KIRK
The following foreword appears in later printings of The War on Reality.

I’ll never forget the moment, several years ago, when Charlie told me that he had reached out to Frank Turek via email. He was so excited, but realistic in his expectations, and said with a smile on his face, “I’m not sure if he’ll respond, but it’s worth a try!” I hugged him and said, “I’m so glad you did. If it’s God’s will, he’ll respond. If not, at least you tried.”

Sure enough, Frank responded, and our friendship grew from there.

As time went on, what I realized vicariously through Frank and Charlie’s conversations was their unrelenting desire for the truth. What they found was that some truths people embraced willingly, and other truths people attempted to either ignore or redefine.

Reality has a way of exposing this notion. It does not bend itself to our preferences. No matter our wishes, fears, arguments, or even our grief, reality is simply unmoved and remains what it is…waiting for us to either acknowledge it or collide with it.

We live in a moment when much of our culture seems convinced that reality is negotiable. We are told that truth can be, in some instances, personalized and self-created. This also has produced within our culture a distorted understanding that feelings can determine what is real and what is not.

Since September 10, 2025, I have been faced with my own “new” reality. One that I still wrestle with as I attempt to grasp its earthly permanence. Quite honestly, it’ll probably be like that for the rest of my life. Yet, what I’ve realized is that redefining my reality isn’t what gives me peace; surrendering to it does.

And as I sit here reflecting on that, I think in some ways that has always been the great struggle of humanity: finding humility within the act of surrender.

For example, in the garden of Eden, the question wasn’t whether God existed; it was whether man would trust what God had said about reality or attempt to redefine it. Every generation since has been confronted with this same temptation in moments when we ask questions like: “Did God really say that?” or “Shouldn’t we decide for ourselves?”

Questions often have a way of revealing the heart behind someone’s interpretation of reality.

My husband deeply understood this.

To the world, he was the host of The Charlie Kirk Show, the founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, a leader within the conservative political landscape, and an advocate for debate and dialogue. Yet, what people sometimes might not realize is that beneath all the labels, the reason Charlie was able to be so effective was because he believed that truth is real because God is real. It’s why he could confidently say, while sitting at a folding table underneath a tent in the middle of a college quad with a microphone in his hand, “Those who disagree, come to the front of the line.”

The pages of this book make it drastically clear: The battle over reality isn’t merely intellectual; it’s spiritual. Wrestling against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places began the moment humanity first entertained the possibility that God’s definition of reality could, in some way, be improved upon.

A society can survive disagreement. We’ve been disagreeing with each other since the beginning of time. What it cannot survive is the abandonment of reality itself.

There are very few people in life that you walk through quite literal earthly hell with. Frank Turek is one of those individuals who has walked through the fire of grief and pain alongside me, carrying water instead of matches. His prayers and guidance have helped give me perspective in ways and in moments when it was hard to even catch my breath.

There are realities in life we would never choose for ourselves. But they’re ours. It’s the cross we are called to carry. And so, we carry it. And through it all, reality remains a gift because it comes from the outstretched hand of a sovereign God.

Although my husband is now absent from this world but present with the Lord he loved, he lived his life in such an inspiring way, knowing that his faith rested on the confidence that reality belonged to no one and nothing else but God. And I pray you can find freedom in that as well.

Count it all joy,
Erika Kirk