Religious Expert Accuses Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico of Distorting Biblical Teachings to Justify Progressive Agenda

A prominent religious expert is accusing Texas Senate nominee James Talarico of distorting biblical teachings to justify his progressive policy agenda, intensifying a debate over the role of faith in American politics as a high-stakes general election approaches.

Jim Agresti, president and co-founder of the nonprofit research group Just Facts, told Fox News Digital that Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, is promoting what he called a «perverted version» of Christianity. Agresti, who preaches monthly at his church in Texas and has written a book on the veracity of the Bible, said the candidate is «butchering the Bible» and misrepresenting the U.S. Constitution.

The controversy erupted after Talarico posted on X that his support for universal healthcare and his opposition to «this corrupt system» are rooted in «biblical grounds.» The post, viewed more than 2 million times, argued that Jesus healed the sick without asking for a deductible and fed the hungry without price gouging, and that the Hebrew prophets spoke truth to power.

Agresti said he examined more than 50 Bible passages about giving to people in need and found that none described government handouts. «In every single instance, it's about self-sacrificing generosity,» he said. He pointed to the parable of the Good Samaritan, describing it as a story about an individual who voluntarily sacrificed his own time and money to help someone in desperate need. «There was no role for government,» Agresti said.

He argued that Talarico's support for taxpayer-funded universal healthcare is fundamentally at odds with biblical teachings. «He's not even offering to give away his own money,» Agresti said. «He's offering to take money from others and then give it to other people.»

Agresti said his concerns extend beyond theology. He argued that both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are rooted in biblical principles, with the Declaration stating that government exists to secure God-given rights and the Constitution limiting the government's role. He added that government welfare programs have contributed to a large national debt, leaving less money for other priorities.

Agresti also highlighted what he described as a biblical responsibility of government to «stop crime, stop murder, stop theft,» saying that people on the left are often «very soft» on those issues. He compared Talarico to Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, who he said similarly «misled the public» by pushing for a larger government role after the Constitution was ratified.

This is not the first time Talarico has faced controversy over his religious remarks. He previously said «God is non-binary» on the Texas House floor in 2021 while objecting to a bill that would ban transgender athletes from women's sports. He has also called Jesus a «radical feminist» and described the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 as «unchristian.»

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis defended the candidate, saying, «James is a Christian seminarian who's dedicated his life to the teachings of Jesus Christ — fighting corruption when he sees it because there's nothing Christ-like about powerful people using scripture to justify hate and greed and score political points.» Ennis added that Talarico will continue encouraging Texans to come together by loving their neighbors as themselves, while «billionaire-bought politicians like Ken Paxton attack James for his faith.»

Talarico is set to face Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a high-stakes Senate race in November. Agresti invoked Jesus' warning about «false prophets» when discussing Talarico, saying «they're dressed like sheep, but inwardly they're ferocious wolves.» He added, «I don't know what's in his heart. He might be deluded. I just don't know. That's for God to determine.»

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Caroline Mercer

World News Correspondent

Caroline Mercer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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