Shows / The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Esau McCaulley Podcast unpacks the cultural stories that shape our lives. Pop culture always reveals something about what it means to be human: both our glory and our brokenness. Rather than retreating from the culture, Esau and his friends dive in head-on, bringing theological depth, humor, and a perspective you won't find anywhere else. From movies and music to news and politics, we find what is true, good, and beautiful about the complex world we live in.
Episodes
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Can Pastors Be Disqualified & Trump's Strange New Obsession
Former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz is back in the spotlight with a new book about surviving infidelity, but should some sins permanently disqualify a pastor…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Problem of Power: From Elon Musk to Kelly Clarkson
Power can be dangerous, especially when the people who have it don't realize just how much they wield. Sharon Miller joins Esau and Mike to discuss Kelly…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Art of Having Complicated, Faith-Based Conversations
How can Christians have difficult conversations about faith without turning every disagreement into an argument? Christian hip-hop artist and apologist…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Cornell Case, Multi-Ethnic Churches & Are Kids Getting Dumber?
A sexual assault case at Cornell has sparked intense debate about consent, trauma, and how we talk about victims before all the facts are known. Esau is joined…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Tim Tebow's Bad Endorsement & The Myth of Grind Culture
Tim Tebow is facing criticism after an investigation raised questions about a Christian financial conference where he regularly spoke and encouraged attendees…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Aslan's New (Feminine) Voice & Pete Hegseth Turns Isaiah Into a Recruiting Pitch
Meryl Streep is the new voice of Aslan, and Christians have plenty of opinions about it. Esau, Malcolm, and Producer Mike talk about the outrage over Greta…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
When Racism Ruins Everything
A Texas political candidate sees a crowd of brown students celebrating and assumes they must be foreigners. Esau, Mike, and Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez unpack…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Black Liberation Theology: What It Gets Right and Wrong | with the Church Politics Podcast
Esau joins Justin Giboney and Christopher Butler of the Church Politics Podcast for a special crossover conversation about Black liberation theology, James…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Green Lantern and the Weight of Black Excellence
Youth sports are supposed to be good for kids, but what happens when giving your child every opportunity starts costing your family more than money? Esau…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Broken Healthcare, Mass Surveillance, and What We're Willing to Sacrifice for Safety
What happens when trust begins to break down between people and the institutions meant to serve them? Esau, Mike, and Sharon Miller talk about vaccine…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Why You Should Care About What's Happening in Gary, IN
For the 100th episode of The Esau McCaulley Podcast, Esau, Malcolm Foley, and Mike look at why America seems incapable of making meaningful progress on gun…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Charlie Dates on Justice, Righteousness, and Why the Church Needs Both
Charlie Dates grew up in a Black church tradition where justice and righteousness were never competing ideas. Esau sits down with the Chicago pastor and author…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Spider-Man, Loneliness & the Search for Meaning
Why is Spider-Man: Brand New Day resonating so deeply right now? Esau, Malcolm, and Sho Baraka unpack the loneliness at the heart of the film, why even…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Multi-Ethnic Churches and a Theology That Heals
Churches in America are becoming more racially diverse, but many pastors are talking less about racial reconciliation. Esau, Mike, and guest Ike Miller explore…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Is Trump Keeping Gen Z Out of Church?
Nearly half of Gen Z says Christian support for Donald Trump has made them less likely to attend church. Esau, Mike, and Sharon Hodde Miller discuss what the…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Odyssey, A.I. Death bots, and the Cost of Victory
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey asks what happens when you win the war but destroy the world you hoped to return to. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike discuss the cost…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Making Sense of the Deaths of Lindsey Graham and Nolan Wells
How should Christians respond when a complicated or controversial person dies? Esau, Sho Baraka, and Mike reflect on Lindsey Graham's political legacy and the…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
America's Weird Birthday and Trump's Bad Vibes
America turned 250, but the celebration felt less like a shared national moment and more like another exhausting chapter in the Trump era. Esau, Malcolm Foley…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Texas Wants More Bible, America Wants Fewer Kids
Texas is adding Bible passages to its public school reading standards, continuing the endless debate over the Bible in schools. Esau, Kaitlyn, and Mike discuss…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Is America Better Than We Think?
World Cup visitors are discovering America, and somehow ranch dressing, air conditioning, Walmart have become ambassadors for the nation. Esau, Mike, and Nancy…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Fight Club at the White House
The President hosted a UFC fight on the White House lawn. Was it a celebration of American pride, or Trump's ego? Esau and Mike discuss President Trump's…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Bonus Episode: Comforting the Grieving and Explaining Esther and Job
With Esau out of town, we're sharing a special bonus episode featuring a few Holy Post Plus exclusives. First, Esau answers the question, "What should…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Pope Leo's AI Warning & America's Happiness Crisis
Pope Leo has issued a major warning about artificial intelligence, arguing that the danger is not merely that machines will become more human, but that humans…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
How to Stay Christian When Everything Seems Awful
Faith can feel easy at the beginning, but what happens when you're stuck in the long middle? Tired, cynical, and wondering why God feels far away? Esau is…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Why the Church Needs Rituals Again
People are searching for rituals, but often in places the church has abandoned. Esau, Mike, and Rochelle Scheuermann talk about whether friendship can survive…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Trump's golden statue and Alien Invasions
A group of pastors prayed over a golden statue of President Trump, but they insist it was not a "golden calf" situation. Esau, Malcolm and Mike discuss what…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Gutting the Voting Rights Act and Why Results Matter as Much as Intent
Preorder Esau's New Children's Book: https://esaumccaulley.com/books/isaiah-johnson-and-the-big-game/ The Supreme Court's latest Voting Rights Act decision has…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Another Assassination Attempt & What We're Missing About DEI
After another assassination attempt on President Trump, Esau McCaulley, Malcolm Foley and Mike Stralow wrestle with what it means that political violence is…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Death of Monoculture and What Comes After
We used to all watch the same thing, but now our entertainment options to our church options are more dived and fragmented than ever. Justin Giboney joins Esau…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Trump as the Good Physician and Bieber's Coachella Performance
It was the AI image heard around the world. Esau and Mike are joined by Christine Jeske to talk about Trump's infamous AI image depicting him as a Christ…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Trump's Crazy Holy Week
A government official claims God teleported him to a Waffle House, and somehow that is not the strangest part of this conversation. Esau is joined by producer…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Project Hail Mary and the Return of Optimism
A sci-fi blockbuster about the end of the world is somehow the most hopeful movie in years. What does Project Hail Mary's success say about a culture drowning…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
When Even War and Death Become Content
War used to be something a nation mourned. Now it's about banger memes. Esau is joined by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson and Producer Mike to talk about why the…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Unqualified MAGA and the Politics of Hate
A new study suggests Americans distrust each other more than almost any other nation, and Esau, Malcolm and Mike wrestle with whether we've crossed a line we…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Iran, End Times, and the McDonald's Bite Seen Around the World
Are the latest headlines about Iran a sign that the end times are near? Esau, producer Mike, and pastor Sharon Miller examine why Christians often interpret…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Making Sense of the Iran War
The United States and Israel have launched strikes against Iran and the world is trying to figure out what happens next. Justin Giboney joins the show to help…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
US Hockey, Ben Sasse, and Jesse Jackson: How We Celebrate, Die, and Remember
The U.S. hockey team wins gold, but the celebration sparked bigger questions. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike discuss if America become the bully to the rest of the…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Lent After Loss: What Christian Hope Really Looks Like
Ash Wednesday forces us to acknowledge that some day we will die. For some, that truth is abstract. For others, it is painfully personal. Esau and Mike are…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Trump's Racist Video and the Refusal to Apologize
A video shared by Donald Trump depicting Barack and Michelle Obama with a racist trope sparked outrage, swift defenses, and eventually, quiet deletion. Esau…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Outsourcing Our Social Lives to AI
Students aren't just using AI to finish assignments. They're using it to manage social interactions, from emails to professors to conversations on dating apps…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Alex Pretti's Killing and Not Letting Rage Win
The killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis has become another moment where violence, misinformation, and political certainty collide. As video…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Greenland, Druski, and Why the Church Keeps Getting Roasted
Greenland is suddenly back on the menu of American foreign policy, raising real questions about conquest, NATO, and whether Christians can ever justify taking…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
ICE, the Fed, and How Power Bends the Truth
New footage and reporting about the Minneapolis ICE shooting of Renée Good have complicated the story. Esau, Mike and Taelor Gray revisit the incident one week…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
A woman is dead in Minneapolis after an encounter with ICE. Esau McCaulley, Justin Giboney, Malcolm Foley, and producer Mike sort through what we know so far…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Oil, Power, and Tyrants: The Real Motive Behind the Venezuela Raid
The fall of a dictator feels like good news, but what if the motive matters as much as the outcome? Esau, Mike, and Sho Baraka dig into the Venezuela raid…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Problems with Medically Assisted Suicide
Medically assisted suicide is on the rise in Canada, and it's no longer limited to those who are terminally ill. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike examine what this…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
66 Verses To Explain the Bible: Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua
No new episode this week, but here are three more episodes of the HP+ exclusive series, 66 Verse to Explain the Bible. We'll be back next week with Malcolm…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Trump's Failure of Empathy & What Knives Out Gets Right About Christianity
In the wake of the tragic murder of Rob and Michele Reiner, Trump's response on Truth Social reveals a striking lack of empathy. Esau, Mike, and Justin Giboney…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Are We in the End Times? Live From Boston!
Esau is live in Boston with producer Mike and Dr. Amy Peeler for a conversation on whether today's chaos means we're living in the end times. Amy and Esau talk…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Trump Attacks Immigrants (again), Myths About Black Violence, and the Purpose of Marriage
Trump's latest comments on immigration turn a single tragic incident into a sweeping indictment of entire communities. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike examine why some…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
BONUS: 66 Verses to Explain the Bible - Genesis-Leviticus
Esau and Mike are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, but we still have a special treat for you all. Enjoy four episodes of Esau's HP+ series, 66 Verses to…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Epstein Files: When Power Protects Predators
Newly released Epstein files raise fresh questions about the moral compromises of the powerful and the willingness of Christians to look away when politics…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
You Can't Rage-Tweet for a Decade: Faithfulness in a Fatigued World
On a recent press tour, Jennifer Lawrence recently said she's done with political outrage. Esau, Sharon Hodde Miller, and producer Mike talk about what happens…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
SNAP Cuts and God's Concern for the Poor
A political fight over food assistance has sparked new debate about who deserves help in America. Esau, Justin Giboney, and Mike take a look at the SNAP…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Anglican Abuse Allegations, NBA Gambling Scandal, & the Admiral Who Resigned over Trump's Military Strikes
Esau, Skye, and Mike explore what happens when vows stop meaning anything. They discuss the Anglican Church's latest abuse allegations, the NBA's betting…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Young Republicans' Racist Chat, No Kings, & How AI Deforms Us
Last week, OpenAI announced it will remove moral limits from ChatGPT and "let adults be adults," opening the door for adult content on the platform. Esau and…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Is the Black Church the Problem?
Critics have recently accused the Black Church of promoting "ethnic idolatry," but is that fair, or even historically accurate? Esau McCaulley is joined by…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
ICE in Chicago: Tear Gas, Helicopters, and the Cost of Dehumanization
Federal immigration raids have swept through Chicago under "Operation Midway Blitz," leaving neighborhoods filled with fear, tear gas, and helicopters…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
The Emergency Taylor Swift Pod: Review and Why Christians Should Care
Taylor Swift just dropped her 12th studio album, and everyone's talking about it—including us. Esau, producer Mike, and our resident Swift correspondent…
- The Esau McCaulley Podcast
Finding Your Purpose Outside of Your Career
Matt Forte is remembered as one of the Chicago Bears' all-time greats, but now he's tackling something different: helping people find purpose that lasts beyond…