The Esau McCaulley Podcast

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 unpack the politics, the constitutional questions, and the potential fallout both overseas and at home. Also, Esau looks at how America's relationship with Israel shaped the conflict and why some Christians see events like this through the lens of biblical prophecy. Plus: we give marriage advice to Tom Holland and Zendaya.
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
1:02 - Does Justin Know Zendaya?
 
6:40 - At War with Iran
 
11:47 - Are We Liberating Iran?
 
18:12 - Sponsor - With & For: Psychology and Spirituality for Thriving Podcast. Check it out now! https://pod.link/1712333330
 
19:21 - Sponsor - Public Good Generation - In high school and looking to lead in faith? Check out this Summer Civics Program in Washington DC: https://ccpubliclife.org/holypost
 
21:03 - Israel's Influence on Trump
 
26:19 - Prophecy ad Abraham's Sin
 
31:20 - Trump's Broken Promises
 
42:42 - End Credits

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 world? Also, Ben Sasse's public reflections on his terminal cancer diagnosis bring a different kind of clarity about faith, family, and what actually matters when time runs short. Then, with the passing of Jesse Jackson, we consider how to remember leaders who shaped history by honoring real progress without pretending perfection.
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
2:10 - Parking Spot
 
5:36 - Canada Vs US Hockey
 
9:07 - Did David Become Goliath?
 
17:21 - Ben Sass and Facing Mortality
 
21:10 - Sponsor - Nazarene Theological Seminary - Looking for a program grounded in black theology? Check out the Doctor of Ministry in Black Leadership and Ministry at https://nts.edu/podcast
 
22:24 - Sponsor - With & For: Psychology and Spirituality for Thriving Podcast. Check it out now! https://pod.link/1712333330
 
25:44 - What's Worth Our Time?
 
35:42 - Jesse Jackson
 
50:34 - End Credits

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 joined by Hannah Miller King, author of Feasting on Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness, to talk about what happens to faith when prayers for healing go unanswered. After losing her father to cancer as a teenager, Hannah began wrestling with a question many believers quietly carry: What does hope look like when God doesn't do what you asked? They explore the difference between a "transaction of goods" gospel and the communion of persons, the role of the Lord's Supper in shaping Christian imagination, and how Lent invites us to hold suffering and resurrection together. Also, can Hannah and Esau convince Mike to become anglican?
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
1:19 - Making Mike Anglican
 
7:21 - King's New Book on Ash Wednesday
 
14:40 - The Book's Thesis
 
18:10 - Grief
 
26:07 - Community and Grief
 
39:22 - End Credits
 
Feasting on Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness by Hannah Miller King: https://amzn.to/4aHAvgh

A video shared by Donald Trump depicting Barack and Michelle Obama with a racist trope sparked outrage, swift defenses, and eventually, quiet deletion. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike explore the long history of dehumanizing imagery, the theological weight of the image of God, and why the refusal to repent may matter more than the original post. Then the conversation turns to rhetoric at the National Prayer Breakfast and the danger of blending national power with the language of the gospel. What does it mean to follow a crucified king in an age that prizes dominance?
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
2:00 - Can You Beat Middle Schoolers at Basketball?
 
6:56 - Trump's Racist Obama Video
 
24:23 - Sponsor - With & For: Psychology and Spirituality for Thriving Podcast. Check it out now! https://pod.link/1712333330
 
25:26 - The Military and Religion
 
35:27 - What's Part of the Gospel?
 
46:00 - End Credits

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. Esau, Justin, and Mike explore how that might spare a little awkwardness, but also skips the stage of failure where real growth usually happens. Then, are small liberal arts colleges actually better at forming students, and are universities still teaching people how to think rather than what to think? Also, sports gambling continues to cause problems and why Y2K culture, including the return of CDs, is making a surprising comeback.
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
0:18 - Black History Month Present
 
2:23 - CDs Are Coming Back?
 
9:23 - Physical Media in a Digital World
 
13:29 - A.I. Keeps Us from Failing
 
22:12 - Sponsor - Glorify - Get full access all year for $29.00 at https://www.glorify-app.com/esau
 
23:33 - Sponsor - With & For: Psychology and Spirituality for Thriving Podcast. Check it out now! https://pod.link/1712333330
 
24:50 - Avoiding A.I. Entirely?
 
34:09 - Liberal Art's Inefficiency is Its Strength
 
40:54 - Sports Betting's Return
 
51:50 - End Credits
 
Resources:
God's Colorful Easter: The Good News Is for Everyone by Esau McCaulley:
https://www.tyndale.com/p/gods-colorful-easter/9798400501029?srsltid=AfmBOopFr6DDhzFFW4jVivkDhEgT3FNiuzM1cc8xmhgBCDtMuXLNVBSZ