A Response to My Christian Friends Who Believe That James Talarico is Blaspheming God

Stacy L. Patty, September 16, 2026 

In recent days, I have seen a number of dismissals of Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico as a person who “cannot be trusted,” “does not know where he stands,” “blasphemes God,” and “is a false prophet.”  These statements on social media, often attached to creative memes or snippets of video and audio files, are amazingly strong and confident and sometimes seem dismissive.  Given that Talarico professes to Christian faith, is following in the footsteps of a grandfather who was a minister, and speaks frequently about Jesus in boldly confessional ways (take his recent interview on the Jimmy Kimmel show, for one), these statements of strong condemnation puzzle me.  Since I too am a Christian, have followed similarly a (great-) grandfather who was a minister, and have tried to express my faith publicly and honestly, I write this response.  Some of the major concerns about Talarico are the following.

 1.      “He says that God is non-binary.”  In the current context, this term causes alarm for many people, bringing to their minds thoughts and images of people who identify as neither male nor female.  In this sense, certainly we might disagree that humans can be non-binary.  But with reference to God, the term is actually quite helpful.  Scripture includes language, metaphors, and images that depict God as father, but also as mother, and from the earliest chapters of Genesis, the Divine is identified with Hebrew language that is male (God) and female (Spirit).  Both Jewish and Christian traditions affirm that God is not human and thus neither male nor female, that God is ultimately beyond all human definitions, that mystery remains.  I know that the majority of Scripture uses male imagery for God, and that Jesus comes as the Incarnate God, but I also know and affirm that Christians and Christian theologians throughout the centuries have struggled with the nature of God.  To say that God is non-binary is one way of reminding us that we do not have full truth here, that our perceptions are cloudy at best, and that we honor the God who is larger than any of our confident assertions.

 2.      “He says that there are six genders when God says we are male and female.”  Talarico is being misquoted here.  The statement comes from a 2021 legislative hearing related to a Texas bill restricting children’s sports participation to their sex assigned at birth.  After distinguishing between sex and gender, he stated that according to science “there are six really common biological sexes” (XX, XY, X, XXY, XYY, and XXXY).  His point was that “biologically speaking, scientifically speaking, sex is a spectrum.”  I realize that Talarico’s stand on gender identity differs from that held by many conservative Christians.  But to distort the “six biological sexes” into “six genders” misrepresents both the complexities of the differences between gender and sex, and the point that Talarico was making.  Perhaps my Christian friends will respond that the precise language does not matter, that in reality Talarico’s affirmations elsewhere of homosexuality, e.g., are blasphemous to God and God’s truth.  It is important to add, then, that the matter of gender identity, and the interpretations of related biblical texts, is itself complex; biblical scholars and Christians take varying views here, all while maintaining a love for God and desire to be Christian.  Is Talarico wrong regarding his study of scripture?  If so, are we prepared to dismiss as faithful Christians and label as false prophets the host of others throughout history who have been similarly less certain regarding the traditional interpretations?

3.      “He says there are many pathways to God.”  From the earliest centuries of Christianity, some church fathers and theologians have affirmed similarly.  Some have argued that while some scriptures point to “one way to the Father,” others point to God’s desire that all people be saved.  In modern times, this study lists exclusivism (there is only one way to God), inclusivism (other religions are somehow saved through the one true way), and pluralism (there are many ways to God).  To take the pluralist approach does not imply a disrespect for God but rather a humility before God and a belief in the God of all creation.  Inclusivists and pluralists are often compelled to think these ways after realizing the breadth of human existence and culture and the myriads of populations who cannot have know or do not now have opportunity to know of Jesus.  I personally know of no persons who lean toward a pluralist or inclusivist position who do not also have deeply held love for God and commitment to Jesus the Christ.  We may disagree with Talarico here, but his saying this does not put him in the place of a traitor to the faith or a false prophet.

4.      “He says Mary’s consent affirms abortion.”  Talarico has made known that he supports a woman’s right to choose to have a baby.  He also argues that Jesus nowhere speaks about abortion, which is true, and that Jesus advocates for the protection of all life, especially those who are poor and abused.  The only text that I know about where abortion is more clearly implied is in Exo. 21 and Num. 5, where there is a lesser valuation made with regard to the unborn child than to the mother.  Again, I maintain that Talarico’s take here does not constitute for him the label of blasphemer.  Christian ethicists take varying positions with regard to what is consistently pro-life, a position which I try to maintain.  I personally think that Talarico here was a bit unwise to share his theological reflections.  The Mary account does imply that she is given a choice to consent, and Talarico’s connection here to creation is, in my view, sound theology, but sometimes thinking out loud is not the best thing to do.  Nonetheless, I applaud him for being conversant with scripture and being willing to try to explain his positions.

 There are no doubt many more instances where some Christians may find Talarico challenging or offensive.  I personally am offended by his opponent, who proclaims Christian words but has a history of immoral, fraudulent, and even criminal behavior.  Talarico is no doubt a different kind of Christian candidate than we in Texas are used to seeing.  He quotes Jesus often, insisting again and again that Jesus only gave us two commandments – to love God and to love our neighbor.  He provides theological reflections to questions that can be answered with more simplistic prooftexts or vague generalizations and buzzwords.  And he is unabashedly confessional, not hiding his faith in all of his decisions and speeches.  With Talarico, however, I find a refreshing witness to the heart of Jesus.  During the recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, filmed on YouTube, he responded to the president’s statement that Talarico had insulted Jesus this way:

"The President of the United States just said that I insulted Jesus. You want to know what insults Jesus?  Kicking the sick off their health care while cutting taxes for billionaires. You know what insults Jesus? Deporting the stranger and separating babies from their mothers.  You know what insults Jesus? Bombing innocent school children in Iran and sending our brave men and women off to die in another Forever War. You know what insults Jesus? Covering up the Epstein files and then refusing to prosecute a single person in them.”

"I am not a perfect Christian. I don't claim to be. There's only been one perfect Christian, and he was crucified on a cross 2000 years ago.vJesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Can we imagine war in heaven? Can we imagine bigotry in heaven? Can we imagine poverty in heaven? Then why do we tolerate these things on earth."

 

And in a December 2025 sermon in Chicago, he said this:

“I don’t think Jesus would endorse the Democratic or Republican Party platforms.  I think He would challenge all of us to work toward a radical vision of democracy in this country.  I am trying to love my neighbor through public policy by reducing the cost of prescription drugs, reducing the cost of child care, reducing the cost of housing. I’m trying to make my neighbor’s life a little easier through public policy.”

I was slow to come around to Talarico.  I thought he was perhaps too Christian in his language, too naïve for politics, and certainly too young.  Now I’m convinced he is the real deal – a deeply committed Christian, a thinking theologian, and a brave political candidate.  Whatever readers of this note think, I encourage them not to dismiss him too quickly.