James Talarico’s Pastor Rejects Traditional Claims About Jesus’ Death and Virgin Birth
Reverend Babs Miller, James Talarico Pastor and a controversial minister at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, has drawn another renowned attention after reportedly questioning whether Jesus of Nazareth actually existed.
According to the undercover footage reportedly circulating on the media space and posted by FaithChannels on September 23, 2026, Miller said, “We have no way of knowing if Jesus really existed,” while emphasizing on her views about Christianity and the biblical account of Jesus. She also compared the historical question surrounding Jesus to uncertainty about whether the Buddha existed and said that, for her personally, whether Jesus existed did not matter.
Miller also reportedly expressed skepticism about the virgin birth, went ahead to describe it as a belief influenced by ancient pagan traditions. In that same conversation, Miller questioned the traditional Christian understanding of Jesus’ death, stating that Jesus was executed by Rome because authorities felt he was a threat to them rather than saying he died to save humanity from sin.
The comments have attracted attention because mainstream historical scholarship generally accepts that Jesus was a real historical figure, even though scholars debate many details about his life and the reliability of particular sources. The Daily Wire cited historian Eric Meyers of Duke University, who said he did not know of mainstream scholars who doubted Jesus’ historicity.
Miller has been associated with St. Andrew’s for decades and has served in ministry there. Earlier reporting also identified her as part of the church’s leadership.
The controversy highlights differing approaches to Christianity: traditional Christian belief centers on Jesus’ historical life, death and resurrection, while Miller’s reported comments question several of those foundational claims.
