“Whose stories matter?” Esau McCaulley, author of How Far to the Promised Land, joins Amy Julia Becker for an honest, hopeful conversation about: being Black in Americahonoring the messiness and complexity of our humanityholding on to hope in the goodness of God“How do the people whom we love, who hurt us, shape the kind of people we become? And how do we make peace with that?”  _ Guest Bio: “Rev. Esau McCaulley, PhD is an author and associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. His writing and speaking focus on New Testament theology, African American Biblical interpretation, and Christian public theology. His new memoir How Far to the Promised Land, questions the narrative of exceptionalism that he, and other Black survivors, are conditioned to give when they “make it” in America. His book Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope won numerous awards, including Christianity Today’s book of the year. Esau is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. His writings have also appeared in places such as The Atlantic, Washington Post, and Christianity Today.” _ Connect Online: Website: esaumccaulley.comInstagram: @esaumccaulleyFacebook: @OfficialEsauMcCaulleyTwitter: @esaumccaulley_ On the Podcast: Previous episode: S3 E11 | The Black Church’s Gift to Christianity with Esau McCaulleyReading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in HopeChildren’s book: Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy SpiritLent: The Season of Repentance and RenewalGenesis 25:19-27:45_ For transcript, go here: amyjuliabecker.com/esau-mccaulley _ Season 7 of the Love Is Stronger Than Fear podcast connects to themes in my latest book, To Be Made Well, which you can order here! Learn more about my writing and speaking at amyjuliabecker.com. _ *A transcript of this episode will be available within one business day on my website, and a video with closed captions will be available on my YouTube Channel. Connect with me: Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Thanks for listening!