Hello, everyone, and welcome to Speaking with Joy, a podcast to fill your soul, challenge your mind, and make you brave.

I'm your host, Joy Clarkson, and an evangelist for all things good, true, and beautiful.

So make yourself a cup of tea, find somewhere comfortable, and let's dive in to this week's episode. Hi everybody, and welcome back to my series

of good conversations. This week, I'm excited to share my conversation with Dr. Esau McCauley,

a professor of New Testament at Wheaton University, a contributing author at the New York Times,

and a canon theologian at the Anglican Church of North America. In this episode, we covered

many topics, his new book, Reading While Black, his desire to give his children the gift of joy in a fearful

world, and our mutual passion for and delight in gospel music. Issa speaks with conviction and hope

about what it means to be a black Christian in America. I really enjoyed our conversation,

and I hope you will as well.

Well, I'm so excited to have you on the show today, Dr. McCauley.

Why don't you just give us a little introduction to who you are, what you do, and what you're passionate about?

Well, I'm an assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College.

I'm beginning my second year here.

I also write some popular things that you've seen in places like Christianity today.

In Washington Post, I just started a new job where I'm a contributing writer for the New York Times.

So you should see Lord willing a monthly column for me there.

I studied at St. Andrews where you're currently studying under the direction of Tom Wright, where I did my dissertation on Galatians.

I'm married with four wonderful children, a 12, a 10, a 6, and a 4-year-old.

I really enjoy biblical interpretation in African-American culture and the African-American

church and liturgy.

So I think I like a little bit of everything.

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