Kemi Badenoch has suggested that generous welfare policies funded by high tax rates go against Christian teachings and traditions.
The Conservative leader was on Nick Robinson's Political Thinking podcast to discuss Rachel Reeve's Budget when she pointed out that there was "no state or welfare" in early Christian times.
Being charitable to others was not the same thing as imposing "compulsory taxation in order to pay welfare", she argued.
Reeves announced on Wednesday that the two-child benefit cap will be scrapped in April at an estimated cost of £3bn a year by 2029-30. At the same time, the Chancellor unveiled tax rises of £26bn, saying she was "asking ordinary people to pay a little bit more".
Discussing the Budget on the podcast, Badenoch argued that welfare spending should be reined in, not increased, and that the onus of government policy should be on incentivising people to work.
She suggested that using high tax rates to fund welfare was a contradiction of the Bible and Christian tradition.
She quoted 1 Timothy 5:8, which says, "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
“My message is let’s get people off welfare into work," she said.
“Let us not leave debt for our children and grandchildren. That is the worst unfairness.”
Asked if she thought welfare spending was unbiblical, she said: “In early Christian times there was no state or welfare so I think that you can argue that, actually.
“The Christian tradition is about communities and families and charity, not about compulsory taxation in order to pay welfare.
“We need a party that still talks about personal responsibility. We are the only party that is talking about limiting welfare.”
Christian groups have largely been positive about the end of the two-child benefit cap, which they argue will lift more children out of poverty.
Right to Life UK argued that it would save more unborn babies from being aborted as evidence suggests that the cap was a factor in some women's decision to have an abortion.
