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Religion & Spirituality · Esau McCaulley

The Esau McCaulley Podcast

by Esau McCaulley

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.

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

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 what that r

Sep 17
48 min

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 Cone, and the

Sep 14
57 min

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, Malcolm Foley,

Sep 10
49 min

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 skepticism, bad exp

Sep 3
54 min

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 violence, even

Aug 27
49 min

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 to talk ab

Aug 20
47 min

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 superheroes strugg

Aug 13
45 min

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 why gettin

Aug 6
49 min

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 finding reve

Jul 30
59 min

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 of victory,

Jul 23
52 min

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 challenge o

Jul 16
53 min

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, and Mike d

Jul 9
56 min

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 why Bible

Jul 2
50 min

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 French ask

Jun 25
45 min

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 fight-night spe

Jun 18
44 min

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 Christians say to t

Jun 11
24 min

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 will become

Jun 4
51 min

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 joined by Tish

May 28
45 min

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 political

May 21
40 min

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 Trump sta

May 14
50 min

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

Love the podcast. It is an encouragement and a challenge to my faith every time I listen.

shh_im_reading · Jun 2025

Oh my goodness I love this podcast for so many reasons. Inevitably, at different times in each episode, I am challenged in my thinking, laughing out loud, or strengthened in my faith. (Sometimes all at the same time) Additionally I often become aware of an amazing resource I need to add to my library. Let Mike Cook - he’s earned it. But keep the banter! God bless.

Jennifer Row · Jun 2025

I have loved this podcast so far! I appreciate Esau’s blend of scholarly thought and accessible voice, making his deep insights easy and enjoyable to grasp for us as listeners. The episode on Nicaea and the creed might be my favorite so far! Thank you!

krstg · Mar 2025

Great podcast! Esau is smart, funny, and insightful. He has a fresh way of explaining difficult concepts.

Jill Fifield · Mar 2025

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.

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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Esau McCaulley Podcast, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.

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