Reverend Babs Miller, the lesbian minister at the Texas church attended by Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, has questioned several central Christian beliefs, including whether Jesus existed historically.
Miller, a minister at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, where Talarico worships, has made a series of controversial remarks about traditional Christian doctrine.
In undercover footage recorded by the Daily Wire, Miller challenged conventional teachings about Jesus’s death and the Virgin Birth.
She rejected the traditional Christian belief that Jesus died to atone for humanity’s sins.
‘Jesus was political. Jesus was put on that cross not to save us, they killed him. He didn’t die to save our sins,’ she said.
Miller also dismissed the idea that God sacrificed Jesus for mankind, saying she struggled to accept that traditional interpretation.
She further questioned the biblical account of the Virgin Birth, suggesting the story may have been shaped by older pagan traditions.
More notably, Miller said she was uncertain whether Jesus existed at all, comparing the issue with historical debates over whether Buddha was a real person.
Talarico’s minister, Reverend Babs Miller at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church refers to herself as an ‘out chaplain lesbian’ in her church website biography. Ordained in 2014, she is pictured wearing an unconventional rainbow pride stole
Talarico has frequently referred to Jesus’s teachings in speeches and sermons, particularly while discussing poverty, immigration, abortion, LGBTQ rights and the separation of church and state
In 2021, while arguing against restrictions on transgender students, he said, ‘Modern science obviously recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes; in fact, there are six’
Miller has said publicly that she has known Talarico since his childhood and played an influential role in his development.
The Texas Tribune reported that Miller was among Talarico’s references when he applied to seminary.
Miller described the question of Jesus’s historical existence as ‘ultimately unimportant.’ She also called the vengeful depiction of God in parts of the Old Testament pure mythology and suggested that Christianity itself may have been created outright.
Ordained in 2014, Miller identifies herself as ‘Minister to the Parish’ on the church’s website and uses the description ‘out chaplain lesbian.’ She is pictured wearing a rainbow pride stole.
The remarks have intensified scrutiny of Talarico, a professed Christian who is studying at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and hopes to become a minister.
Talarico regularly invokes Jesus’s teachings when discussing poverty, immigration, abortion, LGBTQ rights and the separation of church and state. He has also faced criticism from conservatives, particularly after declaring ‘God is nonbinary’ on the House floor in 2021 while opposing restrictions on transgender students.
That year, during a debate over protections for transgender students, he also said, ‘Modern science obviously recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes in fact, there are six.’
Republicans have repeatedly pointed to those shorter remarks as evidence, they argue, that Talarico rejects traditional Christian doctrine.
The comments have now become a central line of attack in Republican criticism of the Texas Democratic Senate candidate.
Talarico’s opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Republicans have repeatedly focused on Talarico’s theology in speeches and campaign advertising, portraying his views as evidence that he is hostile to traditional Christianity.
A spokesperson for Paxton’s campaign told Our News Outlet, ‘His own church has called our Lord and Savior a social justice warrior and can’t even declare He existed. What else would you expect from the man who bills himself as ‘a Christian who hates Christianity’?’
One recent Paxton advertisement went so far as to use AI-generated imagery and stitched-together excerpts of Talarico’s past comments, including his ‘God is nonbinary’ remark.
Miller discussed Talarico’s political evolution in separate footage.
‘I can guarantee you that once he gets elected, he’ll change his tune back to where he was.’
Talarico’s campaign did not respond to Our News Outlet’s request for comment.
