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The Russell Moore Show

Esau McCaulley Makes Grace Plausible

The Russell Moore Show

Russell Moore

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 3 May 2023

⏱️ 56 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What is the most racist thing you’ve ever experienced?  That’s the question that was posed to Esau McCaulley, an author, assistant professor, and contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, as he sat on a panel in front of a mostly white audience. He didn’t answer the question. On a new episode of The Russell Moore Show, he explains why.  Tune in for a rich conversation on suffering, how we tell our stories, and the meaning of empathy. Moore and McCaulley cover systemic injustice, the function of society, and how our personal backgrounds inform everything from our political engagement to the way we read Scripture. Reflecting on the wounds and grace of fatherhood, they discuss how they work to make God’s love plausible. They talk about McCaulley’s forthcoming book, a memoir titled How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South. And they talk about addiction, pastoring, and what McCaulley has learned as a military spouse. Resources discussed during this episode include: How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family’s Story of Hope and Survival in the American South by Esau McCaulley Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope by Esau McCaulley All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore The works of James Baldwin The works of Martin Luther King, Jr. The works of Zora Neale Hurston The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley Confessions by Saint Augustine The Seven Storey Mountain: An Autobiography of Faith by Thomas Merton Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life by C.S. Lewis The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage by Paul Elie Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Pre-order: Russell Moore's Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America Esau McCaulley's How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family’s Story of Hope and Survival in the American South Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper  Host: Russell Moore  Producer: Ashley Hales  Associate Producers: Abby Perry and Azurae Phelps  CT Administration: Christine Kolb  Social Media: Kate Lucky  Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens  Production Assistance: coreMEDIA Audio Engineer: Kevin Duthu  Coordinator: Beth Grabenkort  Video Producer: John Roland  Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you by our daily bread ministries, a global media

0:09.5

organization that makes the life-changing wisdom of the Bible,

0:13.0

understandable, and accessible to all.

0:15.0

Visit where you're from.org

0:17.0

for more information.

0:18.0

That's where YA from.org.

0:21.0

O.G. from dot o'r g Hello, this is Russell Moore, and you're listening to the Russell Moore show brought

0:47.0

to you by Christianity today.

0:49.2

Every week we explore here conversations and questions from a Christian perspective to

0:54.7

help you sort out how to live as a follower of Jesus in confusing times.

0:59.6

This week we have a conversation to seek to do just that.

1:04.0

E. saw Macaulay is contributing opinion writer to the New York Times and an assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, author of a lot of books.

1:22.0

I'll talk about at least two of them here in just a minute.

1:25.6

I read, E saw everything that he puts in the Times.

1:30.1

It's always both beautifully written and really gripping and compelling in argument.

1:39.6

And the same thing is true.

1:41.7

I was reading an early copy of a book that you all will be able to

1:47.0

see later on this year. I believe in September, but it's called How Far to the

1:52.4

Promise Land,

1:53.7

One Black Family Story of Hope and Survival

1:56.5

in the American South, and Man.

1:59.6

It is the best thing he's written.

...

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