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The Esau McCaulley Podcast

Project Hail Mary and the Return of Optimism

The Esau McCaulley Podcast

Esau McCaulley

Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

5.01.1K Ratings

🗓️ 2 April 2026

⏱️ 47 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A sci-fi blockbuster about the end of the world is somehow the most hopeful movie in years. What does Project Hail Mary's success say about a culture drowning in cynicism? Esau McCaulley, Malcolm Foley, and Mike Stralow dig into why audiences are craving optimism again and whether the church (and Holy Post Media) has something to learn from it. Then the conversation turns to all the recent talk about "revival." Is something actually happening, or are we just reading the signs we want to see? They unpack why Christians are so fixated on growth, what we might be measuring wrong, and whether real renewal looks less like hype and more like repentance. Plus, Holy Week reflections, what's bringing them joy right now, and a pair of red Air Force Ones.

 

0:00 - Theme

 

0:21 - Holy Week with Esau

 

12:22 - Revival or Not?

 

17:56 - Curiosity Around Religion

 

26:10 - Endurance and the Black Church

 

30:05 - Slavery is a Crime Against Humanity

 

46:55 - End Credits

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome to the Eastside McCauley podcast. I'm your host, Issa McCauley. We're joined today by regular Malcolm Foley, who's in a tie? Looking good. Oh, yeah. I'm back in, I'm back in business. Okay, man. It's Holy Week. I got to show up for the Lord.

0:20.4

Yeah, okay, man, this is Holy Week. This got to show up for the Lord. Yeah, okay.

0:21.0

This is Holy Week. This is true. Now, which one of your services are the favorite in Holy Week? Because, you know, the real Christians, we do Monday, Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigual, and Easter. We're always in the church for the Lord. So which is your favorite service? Look, look. Okay, bro. So here's the thing.

0:37.3

Like we did our, we started doing Good Friday, you know, a few, a few years ago. We've been doing this since the apostles. Okay. As you ought to be, as you ought to be. If I was part of an apostolic church, there we go. Anyway, sorry, besides the word. I want to get us to, I want to get us to do at Easter vigil. That's what I where I want to, I want to, that's, that's the next step. Because we did our first Ash Wednesday service this year. So what I'm doing, so like I said, so I'm bringing it. But this come on home. Just come on home. Just come on home. Just come on home. Just come on home. So let me tell you, this is our church plant. We planted a week before my holy week last year.

1:14.7

So this is our church plant. We planted a week before my Holy Week last year. So this is our second Holy Week. And this year, we're actually adding Easter Virgin for the first time. And I know your church doesn't do most of those services. We do good Friday. Okay, then. We do Easter Sunday, which seems like those are the two important ones. So why don't you come, why don't you come and visit my church? Come on. Yeah, there we go. Who's preaching? Why do you? Wow. I'm going to go to somebody. I'm going to somebody's. I'm preaching. I'm preaching. I'm preaching. Do they, do they, is your church, do like the audio recording? Maybe I can catch it. You're uninvited. You're uninvited. You're uninvited me to church.

2:00.9

You're excommunicating me from your church. Wow. I'm sorry. I didn't understand that in the name of the Lord. I repent. You're invited. All the welcome, including Mike, to all things, church. Okay. Speaking of the invitation, though, because you had invited me earlier that I'd already

2:04.8

seen it, Project Hill Mary.

2:06.5

I want to go see it.

2:07.2

The number one movie in America.

2:08.5

Sounds so good.

2:09.3

And I've actually seen it.

2:10.5

Wow.

2:11.0

And so we're going to do a little.

2:11.9

Are we going to talk about a movie that you've seen?

2:13.8

Yes.

2:14.6

Uh-oh.

2:15.4

We're going to be more professional. Are we allowed to do that?

2:18.5

Let me tell you, we are. We're going to be more professional. People have gotten on to us for reviewing movies that none of us have seen. And albums. And albums that none of us we have listened to. And books, yeah. But this time, at least one of us have seen it. Malcolm? Have you seen it? No, we were supposed to. and it didn't work out.

2:34.1

It's all you saw.

2:35.0

So first of all,

2:36.3

the reason we're talking about

2:37.6

is because AISC, Malcolm? Have you seen it? No, we were supposed to and it didn't work out. Okay.

...

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