The Esau McCaulley Podcast

Justin Giboney, an attorney, political strategist, author, and president of the AND Campaign, joins a lively discussion on Christian leaders and the responsibility that comes with public endorsements. They examine Tim Tebow’s ties to a controversial financial seminar and Kirk Franklin’s collaboration with GloRilla. The conversation also challenges grind culture, explores timing and providence in success, and warns against judging whole lives from viral clips.

Malcolm Foley, theologian and Christian public commentator on race, culture, and the church, joins a lively conversation on biblical interpretation and selective outrage. They examine Pete Hegseth’s use of Isaiah 6 as a military recruiting pitch, the tensions behind public and private schooling, parental convictions, and Christian education. They also debate Meryl Streep voicing Aslan and why fictional adaptations can provoke more outrage than distorted Scripture.

Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez, pastor, speaker, and author of False Peace, joins producer Mike Straylow to examine racism, belonging, and who gets to feel American. They explore AI’s promises of transcending human limits, the value of struggle, and technology’s risks. Pricelis also challenges churches to reject assimilation and pursue unity that makes room for genuine cultural difference.

Justin Giboney, attorney, political strategist, author, and Christian public theologian, joins a searching conversation on Black liberation theology and James Cone. They examine the church’s failures on race, the limits of liberation theology, the resurrection, Scripture’s authority, and the danger of reducing Christianity to a political program. The discussion asks what faithful, holistic public witness looks like.

Malcolm Foley, a theologian, writer, and scholar of Christianity, race, and social ethics, joins a wide-ranging conversation on the rising costs and pressures of youth sports. They explore Lanterns, Black excellence, fear, parenting, and the unequal consequences of mistakes. The discussion closes with a sharp look at politics invading superhero culture.

Sharon Hodde Miller, a pastor, author, and speaker focused on Christian community and spiritual formation, joins a candid conversation about broken healthcare, vaccine skepticism, and rebuilding trust. They explore AI-fueled academic cheating, the need for moral formation, and the growing reach of license-plate surveillance. Along the way, they wrestle with truth, privacy, safety, and institutional accountability.

They unpack why pro-gun political spending spikes after school shootings and what that reveals about money and power. They describe Gary, Indiana’s long decline from industry, redlining, and disinvestment. They explore how violence shapes everyday life and whether avoiding conflict actually creates peace. They argue healthy relationships and communities sometimes need hard, honest confrontation.

Charlie Dates, pastor of Salem and Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago and author, speaks on justice and righteousness as inseparable callings. He argues evangelicalism often mirrors American power, highlights how Black churches pair preaching with community action, compares MLK and Billy Graham’s responses to civil rights, and urges pastors to prepare congregations for civic challenges.

Sho Baraka, artist-commentator and Christianity Today leader, and Malcolm Foley, Baylor scholar and cultural theologian, join a wide-ranging conversation. They probe why Spider-Man: Brand New Day resonates, unpack loneliness and the struggle for belonging, debate America's contested story and patriotism, and consider Paul’s critique of empire and how the church might respond.

Ike Miller, co-pastor of Bright City Church and author focused on pastoral theology and healing, talks about why mere diversity is not belonging. He explores how preaching, worship, and practice must reflect racial realities. He introduces a healing-centered theology that frames salvation as lifelong restoration rather than a one-time transaction.