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 scandal, and the U.S. admiral who resigned rather than follow Trump's unlawful orders. What does integrity look like in an age when everyone's breaking their promises? When should one try to reform from within, and when is it time to leave? Also, Esau reveals his recurring nightmare as a kid and it involves...a pickup basketball game with the Hulk?  0:00 - Theme Song  1:30 - Skye's Scary Movies  7:05 - Anglican Church Sexual Abuse Scandal  21:08 - Sponsor - Hello! My Name is Emmanuel - A Heartwarming children's book about a Haitian child learning to trust God by Emmanuel Jean Russell  https://a.co/d/8fPoRCL  22:15 - US Attacks Boats in Caribbean Sea  34:52 - Sports Betting Scandal  50:12 - End Credits
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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 Mike are joined by Malcolm Foley to talk about how AI is reshaping our view of relationships and making it easier to chase selfish desires resulting in destructive consequences. Then, they turn to the leaked racist group chat among young Republicans. Does it reveal anything new, or just prove that racism never disappeared—it just went underground? Finally, the "No Kings" protests drew millions last weekend, but what did they actually accomplish? Malcolm walks through Martin Luther King Jr.'s four-step process for nonviolent action and whether the No Kings protest measured up.
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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 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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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-DomÃnguez 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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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
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.
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