Critics have recently accused the Black Church of promoting “ethnic idolatry,” but is that fair, or even historically accurate? Esau McCaulley is joined by Kaitlyn Schiess and producer Mike to unpack where the Black Church came from, why it exists, and what these critiques reveal about American Christianity. Then, is it ok to have joy in the midst of so much suffering and why did we talk about the Taylor Swift album when it is full of explicit material? Also, we break down the latest culture-war controversy over the Super Bowl halftime show. 0:00 - Theme Song 3:45 - Contract Demands for Holy Post 6:54 - Why is there a Black Church? 11:43 - Virality vs Conversation 16:25 - Kaitlyn Left Out of the Taylor Swift Episode? 20:30 - Is it Wrong to Be Happy? 28:16 - Talking About Secular Art 35:00 - Bad Bunny’s American Half-Time 44:25 - End Credits
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44:26
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44:26
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 overhead. Esau McCaulley, producer Mike, and pastor Pricelis Perreaux-Domínguez ask how Christians should respond when law enforcement tactics strip away human dignity, what it means to defend the image of God in our neighbors, and how the cruelty of the Trump administration cannot be ignored. Then, what does the NFL’s choice of Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl Halftime Performer say about belonging, hospitality, and who America welcomes to the stage? Also, social media usage is down everywhere but one country. Can you guess which one? And is The Princess Bride a perfect movie? 0:00 - Theme Song 0:15 - Producer Mike’s Car Wreck 3:55 - What Movies Shouldn’t Be Remade? 8:25 - Chicago’s ICE Raids 16:37 - Apartment Raids 24:10 - Bad Bunny SuperBowl Controversy 36:13 - Social Media Use is Going Down? Being a Sanctuary: The Radical Way for the Body of Christ to Be Sacred, Soft, and Safe by Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez: https://a.co/d/gLSFArw
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44:13
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44:13
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 Lindsey Goetz break down their first impressions, favorite tracks, and the themes that make the album worth more than just pop-culture buzz. What does it mean to stay tender in a world that hardens us? How do we rebuild trust after disappointment? And how can art, even from outside the church, help us recognize the beauty of grace in the rubble of our failures? Whether or not you’re a Swifty, this conversation offers insight into why music matters for faith and why the questions in her songs are also questions for the people of God. 0:00 - Theme Song 1:45 - Esau’s New Shirt 2:17 - Initial Impressions 8:42 - The Eras 18:53 - What’s Taylor’s Music About? 22:03 - Why Engage with Secular Art? 25:30 - Pushing Back on Taylor 29:57 - End Credits
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30:22
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 their career. Esau McCaulley and producer Mike sit down with Forte to talk about his new book Staying in the Game: Making the Most of Every Season. Forte opens up about walking away from the NFL, redefining success, and why our identity can’t be built on stats, fame, or jersey numbers. 0:00 - Theme Song 0:15 - Are Esau and Mike athletes? 6:15 - Why’d He Get Into Writing? 10:56 - Matt’s Spiritual Development 18:20 - Sponsor - God’s Colorful Kingdom Storybook Bible - Available now, a kid’s storybook Bible from Esau McCaulley: https://a.co/d/hVy8aUl 19:15 - Resisting Vanity 25:17 - Ministering to Athletes 37:12 - End Credits Stay in the Game: Making the Most of Every Season by Matt Forte: https://a.co/d/3AYKev7
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37:36
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37:36
Vaccines, Parental Rights, and the Public Good
A foul ball at a Phillies game turns into a viral outrage story. Esau, Malcolm Foley, and producer Mike unpack why the internet can’t tell the difference between minor annoyances and real injustice. Then, Florida decided to end the vaccine requirements for kids. What’s really at stake in the parental rights debate? Also, the crew looks at how Disney has gone from a family vacation destination to now overly catering to the wealthy, and what that reveals about greed, inequality, and the middle class. And, Esau channels his inner Michael Jordan and pulls off his own flu game. 0:00 - Theme Song 6:20 - Woman Labeled, “Philly Karen” 15:56 - Sponsor - God’s Colorful Kingdom Storybook Bible - Available now, a kid’s storybook Bible from Esau McCaulley: https://a.co/d/hVy8aUl 18:40 - Mandated Vaccines and Regulation 26:32 - Invoking Slavery in Public Discourse 31:17 - Disney and the Middle Class 46:23 - End Credits
The Esau McCaulley Podcast looks to find God in the midst of culture. Each week, Esau will bring together friends, scholars, artists, and writers to unpack the cultural stories that shape our lives and discuss how these stories point us back to God’s presence in the world. Whether it's literature, sports, movies, music, or politics, Esau and his guests will explore how culture reflects both human creativity and our deepest longings. They’ll also challenge the notion that spirituality and culture are at odds by showing how faith can inform our engagement with the world around us. The Esau McCaulley Podcast wants to help the church move beyond the walls of the sanctuary to meet real people where they are, in this beautiful, complex world God has made, and find the space where truth and goodness meet.
New Zealand