Greetings. It's Monday, March the 9th, 2026, and you've joined us for Denison Forum's Daily Article Podcast.

I'm Chris Elkins' narrator. Today's daily article is authored by cultural theologian, Dr. Jim Denison.

Note, as the founder of a nonpartisan ministry, I do not endorse candidates or political parties.

My focus on the theological issues I will discuss today would be the same if the candidate in question for running as a Republican or a Democrat.

James Talariko has become a national figure after winning the Texas Democratic

Senate primary last week. His theological worldview has especially garnered attention. For example,

today's New York Times headlines that he, quote, hopes to counter what he sees as a conservative

takeover of the American Church.

In quote, a recent Times headline asked if he can, quote,

reclaim Christianity for the left.

Tala Rico has stated that, quote,

Jesus never said anything about abortion, transgenderism, or gay marriage.

In his view, Mary's agreement to become the mother of the Messiah means that creation has to be done with consent, affirming what abortion activists call

reproductive rights for women. Speaking against a bill, restricting transgender student

athletes, he stated that God is not binary. In an interview with New York Times columnist

Ezra Klein, Talariko stated he believes, quote, Christianity points to the truth, but other

religions of love point to the same truth. In quote, he views Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism

as, quote, circling the same truth about the universe,

about the cosmos, and that truth is inherently a mystery, end quote.

Because he is a student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary,

the media often characterizes him as a biblical scholar.

Talarico's positions are consistent with a stream of theology, often called liberalism.

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