An undercover video released by The Daily Wire has brought significant scrutiny to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Austin, Texas—the home church of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico. In the footage, the Rev. Babs Miller, a minister at the church who identifies as nonbinary, explicitly denies central Christian doctrines, including the virgin birth, the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ, and even the historical existence of Jesus. Miller compares Christianity to a customizable 12-step program and dismisses the Old Testament depiction of God as a “vengeful, killing-people kind of God.”
This recording follows earlier undercover footage published by Breitbart featuring both Miller and the church’s lead pastor, the Rev. Jim Rigby. In those clips, Miller stated she does not “have a need for a God,” while Rigby boasted about aligning with the Freedom from Religion Foundation, an atheist nonprofit. Additional scrutiny has highlighted Rigby’s past sermons and social media posts, in which he questions the literal Resurrection, promotes Gnostic doctrines, rejects the existence of the devil and abstract sin, and champions a gender-neutral translation of the Bible.
The revelations have sparked intense political backlash. Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz criticized the church’s leadership, suggesting that a pastor who denies foundational Christian tenets is a “left-wing activist” rather than a Christian. Republican Representative Brandon Gill also condemned the affiliation, accusing Talarico of using his religious background to mask progressive political positions. Furthermore, the undercover footage captured Miller expressing skepticism regarding Talarico’s recent political shifts, predicting he would revert to more progressive stances after winning election.
The controversy comes as Talarico maintains a narrow lead over his Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in the ongoing Senate race.
BABS MILLER
Rev. Babs Miller is an LGBTQ+ Minister to the Parish at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, a congregation attended by Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico. Miller, who identifies as nonbinary and lesbian, was ordained in 2014 in the Presbyterian Church, having entered seminary in her 40s while deciding to live life as a man.
Recent undercover footage has sparked controversy, with Miller making statements that include denying the historicity of Jesus, rejecting the virgin birth as pagan mythology, and describing the Old Testament God as vengeful. Additionally, Miller commented that some congregants wished the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump had been more successful and predicted that Talarico’s recent moderation on transgender issues is a temporary political strategy for his Senate campaign.
Key Biographical Facts:
- Role: Minister to the Parish at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (PCUSA).
- Identity: Openly lesbian and nonbinary, using they/them pronouns.
- Career: Enrolled in Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1987; ordained as an “out” lesbian chaplain in 2014.
- Controversy: Recently cited by conservative media for theological views and political comments regarding the Trump assassination attempt and James Talarico’s campaign strategy.
