Talarico sees government as a force of love, while scripture sees it as God’s instrument of justice. Talarico looks to the law to coerce “love.” The Bible, however, presents the church as the noncoercive vehicle that reveals God’s love in the world.

Pop star Haddaway asked “What is love?” in a 1993 hit song. While not a theologian, Haddaway poses a question that has long occupied Bible scholars. What is love, and how God relates to it, are foundational issues for Christian living.

Christian life includes carefully considering our responsibility as citizens. Political involvement requires a clear, proper, and biblical understanding of both God and love. Deviation from scripture is dangerous and must be refuted, especially when engaging with influential “Christian” politicians.

One such politician is Texas’ U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico. His campaign website includes a section titled “Why I’m Running,” which states, “My grandad was a Baptist preacher in South Texas. He taught me that we follow a barefoot rabbi who gave us two commandments: love God and love neighbor.” Talarico claims this perspective motivates his economic and political policies. But he misunderstands both God and love.

Who is God?

Talarico’s charming, soft-spoken nature attracts Christians in an age of political vitriol. His winsome communication style conveys his public policy goals and religious views. Sadly, these beliefs contradict God’s word.

Talarico, a current seminarian studying at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, part of the progressive Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination, fails to properly recognize the gospel’s exclusivity. His worldview rejects Christ as the only way to God.

In an interview with Ezra Klein, Talarico answered the question “Do you believe Christianity to be more true than other religions?” He declared, “I believe Christianity points to the truth. I also think other religions of love point to the same truth … and so I see these beautiful faith traditions as circling the same truth about the universe.”

This hardly comports with Christ’s words, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), or the Apostle John’s inspired declaration, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

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