- Jun 24, 2025
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James Talarico, a Democrat from Austin running for U.S. Senate in Texas, has leaned heavily on his Christian faith throughout his campaign against Attorney General Ken Paxton. Now, a recording from a 2021 podcast appearance is throwing that carefully crafted image into question. As Trending Views reported, Talarico told the hosts of a show called Activist Theology something that could seriously damage him in a deeply conservative state.
In the recording, Talarico can be heard saying he considers himself "a Christian who hates Christianity." For a candidate competing in Texas, where millions of voters hold strong religious convictions and faith plays a central role in public life, that kind of quote could prove extremely damaging.
The podcast episode featured Talarico speaking with host Roberto Che Henderson-Espinoza and co-host Rev. Anna Golladay. Henderson-Espinoza, who previously went by Robyn Henderson-Espinoza, self-identifies as a nonbinary, transgender, Latinx theologian on the autistic spectrum. An ordained Baptist, Henderson-Espinoza formerly taught classes at Duke Divinity School with titles like Queer Theory and Theology and The Ethics of Liberation. Henderson-Espinoza has also written about what they call "transing religion," advocating for tearing down traditional theological categories. During one sermon while wearing a Black Lives Matter vest, Henderson-Espinoza characterized the Bible as "trans-positive."
Talarico offered enthusiastic praise for Henderson-Espinoza on the episode, telling the hosts their written work had been an inspiration to him and that their ongoing efforts continued to motivate him.
Even while making the inflammatory remark about despising Christianity, Talarico explained that he still felt drawn to the religion. He told the podcast hosts that no political philosophy or economic framework offered anything as radical or revolutionary as what was taught by "that barefoot Rabbi."
During the conversation, Talarico also spoke fondly about Jim Rigby, his longtime pastor at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin. He described Rigby as belonging to a "Christian anarchist tradition" and called him a "true white traitor." Within certain progressive academic spaces, that phrase refers to someone who actively rejects so-called white privilege, rather than serving as a conventional insult.
Golladay, the other co-host on the episode, has her own interesting background. She was removed from an associate pastoral role at United Methodist churches in Chattanooga, Tennessee, back in 2018 because she officiated a same-sex wedding. She is currently mounting what most observers consider a long-shot congressional bid against Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, who represents a district that Donald Trump won by over 35 points in 2024.
Throughout his political career, Talarico has constructed his public identity around a progressive reading of scripture, contending that his faith informs his positions on social policy and the role of government. His opponents argue that this interpretation resembles left-wing ideology wrapped in religious language more than it reflects genuine traditional belief.
The resurfaced podcast gives voters in one of the most devoutly religious states in America a closer look at the theological world Talarico has engaged with, even while he campaigns as a candidate whose values are rooted in Christian conviction.
Continue reading more about it at: Texas Senate Hopeful James Talarico Called Himself a Christian Who Hates Christianity, and the Audio Just Surfaced
In the recording, Talarico can be heard saying he considers himself "a Christian who hates Christianity." For a candidate competing in Texas, where millions of voters hold strong religious convictions and faith plays a central role in public life, that kind of quote could prove extremely damaging.
The podcast episode featured Talarico speaking with host Roberto Che Henderson-Espinoza and co-host Rev. Anna Golladay. Henderson-Espinoza, who previously went by Robyn Henderson-Espinoza, self-identifies as a nonbinary, transgender, Latinx theologian on the autistic spectrum. An ordained Baptist, Henderson-Espinoza formerly taught classes at Duke Divinity School with titles like Queer Theory and Theology and The Ethics of Liberation. Henderson-Espinoza has also written about what they call "transing religion," advocating for tearing down traditional theological categories. During one sermon while wearing a Black Lives Matter vest, Henderson-Espinoza characterized the Bible as "trans-positive."
Talarico offered enthusiastic praise for Henderson-Espinoza on the episode, telling the hosts their written work had been an inspiration to him and that their ongoing efforts continued to motivate him.
Even while making the inflammatory remark about despising Christianity, Talarico explained that he still felt drawn to the religion. He told the podcast hosts that no political philosophy or economic framework offered anything as radical or revolutionary as what was taught by "that barefoot Rabbi."
During the conversation, Talarico also spoke fondly about Jim Rigby, his longtime pastor at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin. He described Rigby as belonging to a "Christian anarchist tradition" and called him a "true white traitor." Within certain progressive academic spaces, that phrase refers to someone who actively rejects so-called white privilege, rather than serving as a conventional insult.
Golladay, the other co-host on the episode, has her own interesting background. She was removed from an associate pastoral role at United Methodist churches in Chattanooga, Tennessee, back in 2018 because she officiated a same-sex wedding. She is currently mounting what most observers consider a long-shot congressional bid against Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, who represents a district that Donald Trump won by over 35 points in 2024.
Throughout his political career, Talarico has constructed his public identity around a progressive reading of scripture, contending that his faith informs his positions on social policy and the role of government. His opponents argue that this interpretation resembles left-wing ideology wrapped in religious language more than it reflects genuine traditional belief.
The resurfaced podcast gives voters in one of the most devoutly religious states in America a closer look at the theological world Talarico has engaged with, even while he campaigns as a candidate whose values are rooted in Christian conviction.
Continue reading more about it at: Texas Senate Hopeful James Talarico Called Himself a Christian Who Hates Christianity, and the Audio Just Surfaced