Top 6 theological takes from Senate candidate James Talarico: 'Dumb and blasphemous'

Democratic Texas state Rep. James Talarico has prompted a flurry of controversy and scorn in recent days as footage of his past sermons and social media posts have resurfaced since his decisive win in the U.S. Senate primary in Texas on Tuesday.

Talarico, a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who is working toward a Master of Divinity degree at the denomination's Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, was first elected in 2018, at 29 years old, to represent the liberal Austin area in the Texas House of Representatives.

Now 36, Talarico has since become a rising star in the Democratic Party as he has railed against "Christian nationalists" while positioning himself to "flip the tables of injustice" in the halls of power like Jesus Christ.

Despite making his Christian faith a key pillar of his political platform, some of Talarico's theological assertions have raised eyebrows and prompted widespread accusations of heresy. Some have suggested the worldview of the young lawmaker, who has attended a PCUSA church since he was a child, is symptomatic of a deeper, long-festering spiritual rot in the mainline Protestant churches and seminaries.

Here are six controversial theological takes Talarico has expressed in recent years.