The Esau McCaulley Podcast

It was the AI image heard around the world. Esau and Mike are joined by Christine Jeske to talk about Trump's infamous AI image depicting him as a Christ figure, and whether it signals a real shift in his evangelical support or just a passing blip. They also dig into Justin Bieber's Coachella performance, asking whether it tapped into something deeper about longing, vulnerability, and public faith...

A government official claims God teleported him to a Waffle House, and somehow that is not the strangest part of this conversation. Esau is joined by producer Mike and Stephen Harris to discuss Holy Week at the White House, where the language of resurrection, sacrifice, and salvation was tangled up with politics, power, and some very questionable comparisons. They also wrestle with how Christians...

A sci-fi blockbuster about the end of the world is somehow the most hopeful movie in years. What does Project Hail Mary's success say about a culture drowning in cynicism? Esau McCaulley, Malcolm Foley, and Mike Stralow dig into why audiences are craving optimism again and whether the church (and Holy Post Media) has something to learn from it. Then the conversation turns to all the recent talk ab...

War used to be something a nation mourned. Now it's about banger memes. Esau is joined by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson and Producer Mike to talk about why the Trump Administration seems to prioritize its social media strategy over its war strategy. They also talk about Trump's response to Robert Mueller's death and reflect on new allegations about Cesar Chavez and what they reveal about leadership, a...

A new study suggests Americans distrust each other more than almost any other nation, and Esau, Malcolm and Mike wrestle with whether we've crossed a line we can't come back from. They dig into the deeper spiritual roots of our outrage, asking what it actually means to love your enemies in an age of constant political combat. Then the conversation turns to Hollywood's obsession with youth and what...

Are the latest headlines about Iran a sign that the end times are near? Esau, producer Mike, and pastor Sharon Miller examine why Christians often interpret global conflict through the lens of biblical prophecy and why the book of Revelation may challenge that instinct. Then, the group talks about a viral cultural moment involving a McDonald's CEO whose awkward burger bite sparked debate about aut...

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 l...

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 rem...

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 wrestli...

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 Pray...

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...

The killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis has become another moment where violence, misinformation, and political certainty collide. As video evidence contradicts official narratives, Esau, Malcolm Foley, and Mike wrestle with what this death reveals about power, propaganda, and the erosion of public trust. Then the three discuss Esau's recent article for the New York Times to as...

Greenland is suddenly back on the menu of American foreign policy, raising real questions about conquest, NATO, and whether Christians can ever justify taking land that isn't theirs. Then, J. Cole's fear of "the fall off" becomes a window into ambition, calling, and the strange psychology of decline. And when Druski lampoons megachurch culture, it forces an uncomfortable look at why the church kee...

New footage and reporting about the Minneapolis ICE shooting of Renée Good have complicated the story. Esau, Mike and Taelor Gray revisit the incident one week later and ask how political power shapes the narratives we're given, and what it means for Christians to tell the truth when the truth is inconvenient. Then, they turn to the surprising posthumous "ordination" of DMX and consider what it re...

A woman is dead in Minneapolis after an encounter with ICE.  Esau McCaulley, Justin Giboney, Malcolm Foley, and producer Mike sort through what we know so far, what the law actually says about deadly force and compliance, and how Christians should think about state power and the value of a human life. The conversation wrestles with fear, responsibility, split second decisions, and the narratives f...

The fall of a dictator feels like good news, but what if the motive matters as much as the outcome? Esau, Mike, and Sho Baraka dig into the Venezuela raid through the lens of just war theory, Trump's own comments, and the broader unseriousness of the administration. Then Sho reflects on his recent writing about AI and efficiency, asking where the line is between using new technology wisely and set...

Medically assisted suicide is on the rise in Canada, and it's no longer limited to those who are terminally ill. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike examine what this shift reveals about modern assumptions around autonomy, dignity, and choice, and how Christian convictions about suffering and care for the vulnerable complicate the logic behind assisted dying policies. Also, after Travis Kelce recently claimed...

No new episode this week, but here are three more episodes of the HP+ exclusive series, 66 Verse to Explain the Bible. We'll be back next week with Malcolm Foley for a brand new episode. Merry Christmas!   0:00 - Producer Mike's Discount Code Challenge   2:40 - Theme Song   2:45 - Numbers   7:05 - Deuteronomy   14:30 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - For a quality mattress, go to https://www.brooklyn...

In the wake of the tragic murder of Rob and Michele Reiner, Trump's response on Truth Social reveals a striking lack of empathy. Esau, Mike, and Justin Giboney reflect on how his reaction once again exposes a failure of compassion at the highest level of leadership.   Then the conversation turns to  Wake Up Dead Man , the latest film in the  Knives Out  franchise, which unexpectedly offers a sharp...

Esau is live in Boston with producer Mike and Dr. Amy Peeler for a conversation on whether today's chaos means we're living in the end times. Amy and Esau talk about how Christians should think about apocalyptic anxiety, why every generation believes it's  the  generation, and what Scripture actually gives us—hope, perseverance, and a call to faithfulness. Then, Amy and Esau talk about how they ma...

Trump's latest comments on immigration turn a single tragic incident into a sweeping indictment of entire communities. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike examine why some crimes are framed as isolated events while others are weaponized to justify exclusion. They then dig into new research on crime shows that consistently misrepresent Black communities as dangerous, exploring how entertainment shapes public f...

Esau and Mike are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, but we still have a special treat for you all. Enjoy four episodes of Esau's HP+ series, 66 Verses to Explain the Bible. If you want to hear the all the episodes in the series, sign up for Holy Post Plus today! New and returning subscribers can get 50% off their subscription! Deal ends December 2nd

Newly released Epstein files raise fresh questions about the moral compromises of the powerful and the willingness of Christians to look away when politics makes clarity inconvenient. Esau, Malcolm, and Producer Mike examine what the emails do and don't reveal and how the church's credibility erodes when it excuses the inexcusable. Plus, a viral SNL sketch about AI-animated photos and the reveal o...

On a recent press tour, Jennifer Lawrence recently said she's done with political outrage. Esau, Sharon Hodde Miller, and producer Mike talk about what happens when the adrenaline of activism runs out and the fatigue sets in. What does faithfulness look like after the hashtags stop trending? Then, we all know the dangers of the purity culture craze, but have overcorrected in trying not to repeat o...

A political fight over food assistance has sparked new debate about who deserves help in America. Esau, Justin Giboney, and Mike take a look at the SNAP situation and why Scripture consistently places God on the side of the poor and challenges us to do the same. Plus, Trump is posting about defending persecuted Christians in Nigeria, but is there more he should be doing to help? Then, Tucker Carls...