James Talarico is in Midland today, quoting Scripture as his supporters wave signs that say “Love Thy Neighbor.” The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate is stumping in West Texas in the home stretch of what appears to be a super-tight race. Talarico is an intriguing figure who stands out in stark contrast to almost every other politician in our broken political system and our polarized culture. It’s compelling to hear a powerful politician quote the Bible so effortlessly, so knowledgeably. It’s attractive to us Christians to hear a politician talk about loving all people because they are created in the image of God, standing up for the marginalized in the name and manner of our Lord Jesus, breaking down barriers to bring people together in community, and “flipping tables” against the rampant corruption of our broken system.

But he is misusing the Bible. And Christians should call him out.

Talarico says he is David, Ken Paxton and Elon Musk are Goliath, and he wants Midland to be his slingshot. That’s fine. I get it. It’s okay to use biblical stories to illustrate earthly points. It adds to the overall biblical literacy in our society, and we can use all the help there we can get. It’s fine and good to seek out Scripture for Christian principles and ethics to guide policy points and political decisions. Quoting Scripture in analogies and allegories is fine.

But Talarico uses Scripture as his authority for specific policy positions. He uses the Bible to validate his party’s platform. He says he’s fighting for universal health care “on biblical grounds” because Jesus never asked for a deductible when he healed the sick. When Jesus fed the hungry, he didn’t price gouge to turn a profit, so he’s pushing for price controls “on biblical grounds.”

Wait. Different Christians can study the same Bible stories and come to different policy conclusions. All Christians can agree to love all people, stand up for the marginalized, and work for unity, and come up with very different ways of doing it. You don’t have biblical authority just because you’re quoting Scripture.

Talarico keeps saying that the Bible is silent on abortion. I believe the Bible spells out very clearly many eternal principles that should inform abortion policies. He downplays the issue because, the way he tells it, if the Scriptures don’t address it, we shouldn’t divide over it. Well, the Bible is silent on health care deductibles and price controls, too; yet he constantly and unapologetically makes that leap. But he won’t allow that same move for abortion. That’s a misuse of Scripture.

Pete Hegseth does the same thing. He quotes Isaiah 6, “Here I am, send me,” in reference to making war. Donald Trump ends a social media post calling for war and the destruction of an entire civilization with “Glory to God!” Quoting Scripture does not give you biblical authority.

I’m afraid Talarico is borrowing from Trump’s playbook, using Scripture and biblical language to unify Christians into a predictable and profitable voting bloc. The Republicans have done that to great political success for a platform that increasingly excludes the poor and the marginalized, and harms the minority and the immigrant. Talarico is using the same tactics, appealing to Christians as a voting bloc, to promote a platform that pushes gay marriage and abortion. Single issue voters have seen where that got the Pro-Life movement. Anti-abortion Christians elected Trump, and now there are more abortions performed in the U.S. than before he became President. You need a microscope to even find Pro-Life language today in the Republican platform.

Christians are not a voting bloc and quoting Scripture does not give a politician biblical authority.

Politicians get away with abusing Scripture because we rarely call them out or, worse, cheer them on. And we don’t have any prophetic voice in our culture if we call out one side for abusing Scripture but not the other. In that case, we have a faith formed by party partisanship instead of political views formed by our faith.

Peace,
Allan