The Esau McCaulley Podcast

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 why outsiders may be seeing America more clearly than Americans do, and whether our perception of the country is being warped by news, social media, and political caricatures. Then they consider a new study linking return-to-office mandates with narcissistic leaders. Does liking to work in the office automatically make you an egomaniac? Finally, they wrestle with the ethics of genetic testing for newborns, asking how much truth parents should want to know and whether some knowledge is too heavy to carry. 
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
3:11 - Tourists Discover America
 
7:05 - Americans Pessimistic About America
 
17:36 - Repenting of Nut-Picking
 
21:05 - Remote Work Unpopular with Narcissists
 
31:35 - Genetic Testing on Babies
 
45:11 - End Credits

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 spectacle, and why it's another example of Trump demanding more, and offering even less in return. Then they turn to Britain's proposed social media ban for children under 16 and ask what government, parents, and Christian communities owe kids growing up online. Plus, new research on "hasslers" raises a familiar question: when are difficult people a gift, and when do they become harmful? Also, has Esau become a Youtube troll?

0:00 - Theme Song

0:23 - Mike's Disrespect Addressed

3:45 - UFC Fight at the White House

16:48 - Sponsor - World Challenge - Download a free 30-day devotional about Christ as our sustaining fire at http://www.worldchallenge.org/esau

18:00 - UK Bans Social Media for Teens

31:51 - "Hasslers" and Mental Health

43:56 - End Credit

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 the grieving?" in an episode of Advice-ish, our weekly HP+ advice-column-style show about the ordinary problems people face. Then, you'll hear two episodes from 66 Verses to Explain the Bible, where Esau uses a single verse or short passage to explore the larger theme and message of a biblical book. This week, he takes on Esther and Job.
 
Want to learn more about Holy Post Plus? Check it out at holypost.com/plus
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
2:14 - Advice-ish on Grief
 
9:17 - 66 Verses - Job
 
16:07 - Sponsor - Access Forge - Go to https://www.accessible.faith/ to unlock the first two Belonging by Design lessons and use promo code HOLYPOST to get $200 off the full program
 
17:36 -  66 Verses - Esther
 
24:29 - End Credits

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 more machine-like. Producer Mike takes over while Esau is away, joined by Malcolm Foley and Sharon Hodde Miller to discuss what AI reveals about our broken ideas of work, dignity, limitation. Then they turn to America's happiness crisis, from toxic positivity and the myth of a frictionless life to why boredom, grief, and inconvenience may be essential to becoming fully human. Plus, what the decline of the white picket fence says about safety, boundaries, and our growing fear of neighbors. Also this week, Tottenham narrowly avoids humiliation, Mike had an intimate moment with Stephen Colbert, and everyone definitely proves they are loyal listeners of this podcast.
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
0:33 - Malcolm and Sharon
 
2:23 - Most Mundane Accomplishments
 
7:20 - Pope Leo's A.I. Encyclical
 
24:00 - Sponsor - Access Forge - Go to https://www.accessible.faith/ to unlock the first two Belonging by Design lessons and use promo code HOLYPOST to get $200 off the full program
 
25:12 - Sponsor - World Challenge - Download a free 30-day devotional about Christ as our sustaining fire at http://www.worldchallenge.org/esau
 
26:19 - Unhappy America
 
31:04 - America and Momento Mori
 
41:55 - Boredom and the Meaning of Life
 
54:22 - End Credits

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 Harrison Warren to talk about her new book, What Grows in Weary Lands: On Christian Resilience, and why perseverance is more than just spiritual grit. They discuss burnout, doubt, the exhaustion of public faith, the temptation to start over, and why staying put might be one of the most countercultural Christian practices left.
 
0:00 - Theme Song
 
1:02 - What Grows in Weary Lands
 
5:22 - Leaving the New York Times
 
24:47 - "Middle Stories"
 
49:12 - End Credits
 
What Grows in Wear Lands: On Christian Resilience by Tish Harrison Warren: https://amzn.to/4o0FwqE