Elite universities are trying something new, or maybe not so new. To attract more conservative faculty, they’re adopting diversity strategies once used to support marginalized communities. So now that DEI is working for the right, is it still “woke”? Plus, fake Pope quotes are everywhere. Why is everyone trying to make the new Pope say what they want to hear? And in other news: a plantation burns, prom has officially lost its mind, and Producer Mike is in need of some friends.

 

0:00 - Theme Song

 

2:11 - Big Budget Proms

 

14:18 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238

 

15:40 - Fake Pope Quotes

 

25:18 - DEI for Conservatives

 

39:51 - The Plantation Fire

 

47:12 - End Credits

Author and mother of six, Katie Blackburn joins Esau for a conversation around single parenting, disability, and faith. Katie shares her experience raising a son with severe autism, the grief and grace that come with it, and how the church has responded, sometimes with welcome, other times with unintentional exclusion. Together, they explore why single parents and families affected by disability often feel unseen in church spaces, and what communities can do to change that. They also talk about Katie’s new children’s book The Very Best Baseball Game, inspired by a local disability league, and how stories can help us better understand diversity, empathy, and belonging.

0:00 - Show Starts

 

2:15 - Mount Rushmore of Family Films

 

7:55 - Single Motherhood

 

10:42 - Writing as Therapy

 

18:09 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238

 

19:21 - Church with Single People

 

24:28 - The Very Best Baseball Game

 

33:20 - What Can Churches Do for Disabled Children?

 

42:38 - End Credits

 

Why does everything feel like a reboot? In this episode, Esau is joined by producer Mike and historian Malcolm Foley for a wide-ranging conversation on the current state of American pop culture. From promising films like Sinners and Thunderbolts to the creative fatigue behind endless reboots and auto-tuned algorithms, they explore whether we're stuck in a cycle of stagnation and cynicism, and why Beyoncé’s country album might provide a glimmer of hope for the future of the pop culture industry.

 

0:00 - Show Starts

 

0:45 - Theme Song

 

2:55 - Uninformed Takes on Ryan Coogler’s Sinners

 

10:16 - Movies with Anit-Christian Elements?

 

18:16 - Worst Pop Culture Era

 

26:15 - How in-Person Classes Change Things

 

33:55 - Revitalization of Pop Culture

 

47:15 - End Credits

Everyone needs a life coach sometimes and Esau is here to play the role. In today's episode, he answers the internet's questions about friendship, marriage, calling, AI, church, and, yes, the ethics of eating your kid’s leftovers. Joined by Producer Mike and Holy Post Community Coordinator Emerson, the trio tackles everything from existential crises to the proper number of slices you’re allowed to take from a pie. Whether you’re wondering how to make friends as a tired parent or if your marriage is weird because you don’t fight, Esau’s got takes, and lots of them.

 

0:00 - Theme Song

 

2:10 - Are Leftovers Fair Game?

 

5:32 - A.I. and Writing Careers

 

9:50 - Adult Friendships

 

17:35 - A Marriage with No Fights?

 

21:45 - Sponsor - Northern Seminary - Through Taste of Northern, you can experience the richness of a theological education for free, with leading New Testament scholars. Visit https://www.seminary.edu/taste to join a class today!

 

23:08 - Unfulfilling Job

 

35:18 - Is four “a few?”

 

37:45 - Church Disappointment

 

47:00 - End Credits

When most people think of the Apostle Paul, they picture a guy who cares more about doctrine and judgment than love. But what if I told you that the guy who wrote the most famous chapter on love in the Bible actually built his whole theology around it? Esau McCaulley talks with New Testament scholar Nijay Gupta about his new book The Affections of Christ and why Paul might be the Bible’s most misunderstood writer. They explore what Paul really says about love, how emotion theory helps us read the Bible better, and why recovering Paul’s tender side could help the church in a time of outrage, division, and burnout. Also, whatever happened to Ned Flanders?  

0:00 - Theme Song

 

2:03 - Last Time Your Church Made You Feel Loved

 

7:10 - Paul and Love?

 

13:50 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238

 

14:50 - Sponsor - Fabric by Gerber Life - Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at https://www.meetfabric.com/ESAU

 

17:00 - The Bible’s Emotional!

 

27:50 - Covenant vs. Court

 

40:04 - Was He Rehabilitating Paul’s Image?

 

49:32 - End Credits

 

The Affections of Christ Jesus: Love at the Heart of Paul’s Theology by NIjay Gupta: https://a.co/d/82LsTS0

 

Paul and the Language of Faith by Nijay Gupta: https://a.co/d/bROX4lx

 

My Hill to Die On - In-N-Out Burger is Overrated:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/my-hill-to-die-n-125861271

 

Why do some successful people inspire us while others ignite our outrage? Esau is joined by John Onwuchekwa to unpack our complicated relationship with wealth, celebrity, and privilege. From Katy Perry and her trip to space, to Deon Sanders' son, Shedeur Sanders' jersey retirement controversy, we explore what our inconsistent reactions reveal about ourselves and what we prioritize. Also, we introduce a brand new segment - Low Stakes Conspiracy Theories. Mike wonders if Stevie Wonder is actually blind and John is just asking if we actually went to the moon...

 

0:00 - End Credits

 

0:34 - Low Stakes Conspiracy Theories

 

9:56 - Going to Space

 

19:56 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238

 

33:35 - Fantastic Four Trailer

 

48:12 - End Credits

 

We Go On by John Onwuchekwa: https://a.co/d/5BRpREP

What if the resurrection isn’t just a matter of faith—but of history? In this special Holy Week episode, Esau McCaulley sits down with New Testament scholar Craig Keener to explore the historical evidence for Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, Rome’s brutal use of the cross, and why the earliest witnesses to the empty tomb were women. They also reflect on the personal and political meaning of the cross, and how the resurrection reshapes our understanding of suffering, hope, and what it means to be human.

 

0:00 - Theme Song

 

11:11 - Crucifixion in the Ancient World

 

20:28 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238

 

25:25 - The Woman and the Empty Tomb

 

35:00 - Romans and Afterworld Belief

 

40:50 - The Importance of the Crown of Thorns

 

44:46 - End Credits

DEI is all over the news right now. The Right hates it and the Left idolizes it, but what if there was a different way to approach the controversial topic? Esau McCaulley is joined by writer and cultural commentator Marie Beecham for a candid conversation about what happens when DEI and antiracism efforts go off the rails—and what it looks like to chart a better path forward. They talk about Marie’s journey through progressive anti-racism, her disillusionment with parts of the movement, and how her faith shaped a more nuanced, hopeful approach.  Want to hear more from Marie? Listen to her podcast, Know Better Do Better. https://mariebeecham.com/podcast

 

0:00 - Theme Song

 

13:00 - Faith and Racial Justice

 

20:06 - Sponsor - Northern Seminary - Through Taste of Northern, you can experience the richness of a theological education for free, with leading New Testament scholars. Visit https://www.seminary.edu/taste to join a class today!

 

22:10 - Ignoring Relevancy

 

39:25 - DEI

 

46:50 - Moment of Cultural Shame

 

52:05 - End Credits

Esau, Justin Giboney, and Tish Harrison Warren explore the recent Target boycott led by Black church leaders during Lent and what it reveals about how Christians think (or don’t think) about money. They unpack the role of ethical spending, the challenges of discipleship in a convenience-driven culture, and whether the Church should be speaking more directly about where and how we spend. Along the way: the Barbie Movie is Christian, nature is good, and Lebron broke Esau's heart.

 

Holy Post Plus:

Esau McCaulley on Podcast on Negative World:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/125787958/

 

0:00 - Theme Song

 

3:13 - Barbie is a Christian Movie?

 

8:35 - The Target boycott

 

17:35 - Sponsor - No Small Endeavor - Award-winning podcast where theologians, philosophers, and best-selling authors talk about faith with Lee C. Camp. Start listening today: https://pod.link/1513178238

 

22:56 - Marvin Sapp and Tithing

 

39:08 - Lebron broke Esau's heart

 

43:35 - End Credits

Sarita Lyons is here to tell us about her book, Church Girl. She and Esau talk about her journey, from how she was pulled from her faith to what brought her back. She explains why she wrote a book specifically about being a Black Christian woman and why that specificity matters. And, this week in Holy Sports, should there be spaces where you can’t discuss race and politics?

0:00 - Sponsor - Fabric by Gerber Life - Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at https://www.meetfabric.com/ESAU

2:00 - Theme Song

3:31 - Are You Washed, Church Girl Edition

10:15 - Can You Separate Accomplishments from Race?

18:52 - Church Girl and Coming Back to Jesus

38:25 - Favorite chapter of Church Girl

47:53 - End Credits

Church Girl: A Gospel Vision to Encourage and Challenge Black Christian Women by Sarita T. Lyons: https://a.co/d/5zt4gfM