A Marine Biologist Talks Science, Faith, and the Deep Sea
Marine biologist and author Rachel Jordan joins Esau McCaulley in studio to talk about her new book If the Ocean Has a Soul. They dive into the deep waters of science and theology, discussing coral reefs, climate change, and why the ocean might be one of the most overlooked witnesses to God's glory. Rachel shares how a tenth-grade biology class changed her life, how she navigates faith in scientific spaces (and vice versa), and what the church often misses about the natural world. Plus: jellyfish football teams, Titanic conspiracies, and the surprising spirituality of sea creatures. 0:00 - Theme Song 0:52 - Low-Stakes Conspiracy Theory 6:07 - Aquatic Sports Mascots 17:18 - 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 18:35 - Scientists and Faith 26:12 - The Ocean and God’s Glory 32:35 - Can Fish Talk? 46:25 - End Credits If the Ocean Has a Soul: A Marine Biologist’s Pursuit of Truth through Deep Waters of Faith and Science by Rachel G. Jordan: https://a.co/d/f0hLtQZ
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46:50
What Lilo & Stitch Teaches about Healthcare, Family & Social Safety Nets
Pastor and author Sharon Hodde Miller joins Esau McCaulley for a surprising conversation about the live-action Lilo & Stitch and how a children’s film quietly captures the realities of single motherhood, economic pressure, and communal grace. Then, Esau and Sharon talk about the challenges of pastoring in a polarizing time and how their online persona compares to their pastoral persona. Also, we have a Disney movie draft and a winner is declared. 0:00 - Theme Song 1:25 - Disney Movie Draft 13:40 - Lilo and Stitch 15:48 - Why Does Sharon Prefer the Remake? 22:42 - Single Motherhood 25:03 - 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 27:10 - Being a Pastor with a Platform 40:45 - Free of Me 50:36 - End Credits Free of Me: Why Life is Better When It’s Not About You by Sharon Hodde Miller: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0801075238?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_R7GWYC5AW573Y1AZXT64&bestFormat=true
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51:02
Summer Protests, Playlists, and Kirk Franklin
It’s officially summer, and things are heating up. Esau is joined by Justin Giboney and producer Mike to swap summer playlists, celebrate Kirk Franklin’s unexpected honor at the BET Awards, talk about what kids should do during the summer, and unpack the recent protests in Los Angeles following aggressive ICE raids. What does faithful protest look like? How do Christians respond when political theater overshadows human dignity? And can you really call it a cookout without Earth, Wind & Fire? 0:00 - Theme Song 1:17 - Cookout Playlist Mount Rushmore 5:35 - BET Music Awards and Kirk Franklin 11:55 - Kid Rock 18:36 - 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 19:46 - Summer Protests 38:30 - Coco Gauff and Black Accomplishment 46:12 - End Credits
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46:34
The NBA Finals, Trump’s Sledgehammer, and Are We Misreading the Bible on Sex?
NBA Finals. Trump’s sledgehammer policies. A Bible debate over sex. Esau, Justin Giboney, and Producer Mike truly tackle it all this week. First, why do small markets (and small churches) keep getting overlooked? Then, what’s really driving the fight over international students on U.S. campuses? Also, a popular pastor claims the Bible does not say sex before marriage is wrong, but we aren't convinced. Finally, sports heartbreak, Taylor Swift, and Mike (kind of) makes his co-host debut. 1:04 - NBA Finals and Small Markets/Churches 9:22 - The Bible Sexual Immorality Debate 25:11 - Mike's Corner: International Students on Campus and Trump 46:48 - Taylor Swift
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46:49
The Right’s DEI, the Internet’s Pope, and a Plantation in Flames
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
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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