Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico once described himself as a “Christian who hates Christianity.”
Talarico made the comments during an appearance on the Activist Theology podcast, hosted by the leftist theologian Roberto Che Henderson-Espinoza.
“I always think of myself as a Christian who hates Christianity, right?” Talarico said during the discussion.
The comments resurfaced as Talarico campaigns against Attorney General Ken Paxton in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate races.
Talarico, an Austin Democrat and former state representative, has frequently highlighted his supposed Christian faith on the campaign trail.
During the interview, Talarico praised Henderson-Espinoza’s work, calling himself a “BIG fan” and describing the book Activist Theology as an inspiration.
The conversation focused on topics including Christianity, political activism, race, and gender identity.
At one point, Talarico argued that Christianity could be an effective tool for advancing political causes because many Americans already identify with the faith.
“The reason I think Christianity can be powerful in our context in this country is because so many of our political opponents share that kind of, that tradition,” Talarico said.