Talarico Called Himself a ‘Christian Who Hates Christianity’ in Resurfaced Podcast Texas Scorecard by Brandon Waltens June 23, 2026
The comments surfaced in a 2021 podcast discussion on faith, activism, race, and gender identity.U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico once described himself as a “Christian who hates Christianity” during a podcast appearance with a progressive theologian known for advocating transgender and queer theology.
The comments were highlighted Tuesday in a report by The Federalist, which unearthed a March 2021 appearance by Talarico on the Activist Theology podcast.
Talarico, an Austin Democrat now running against Attorney General Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate, frequently speaks about his Christian faith on the campaign trail and has built a national profile as a progressive Christian voice within the Democrat Party.
During the podcast, however, Talarico offered a striking description of his relationship with Christianity.
“I always think of myself as a Christian who hates Christianity, right?” Talarico said.
The podcast was hosted by Roberto Che Henderson-Espinoza, a theologian who identifies as transgender and nonbinary and whose work focuses on progressive and queer interpretations of Christianity.
According to The Federalist, Talarico expressed admiration for Henderson-Espinoza’s work, saying he was a “BIG fan” and that the author’s book “Activist Theology” had been an inspiration to him.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/decisiontexas/talarico-called-himself-a-christian-who-hates-christianity-in-resurfaced-podcast/