The Biggest Stories of 2024
- Esau McCaulley
- Jan 2
- 1 min read
Esau is joined by Justin Giboney and Tish Harrison Warren to look back at the major religious, cultural, and political stories of 2024. From the impact of the election and the rise of AI in churches to surprising shifts in church demographics and the ongoing challenges of political polarization, the conversation dives deep into what shaped the church this year.
There is a distinct difference between using AI for fact-gathering (OK) and using AI to script a sermon (sin). A pastor who doesn't understand the role of the Holy Spirit in ministering through that pastor to his people is COMPLETELY ignorant of his calling; and I am willing to stand behind Justin's original statement that "it is sin." Preaching is not a task to plow through - it is forthtelling the message of God to the people of God. Justin and Tish were dead-on in their original assessments, but I feel that Esau backed away from their message. I don't believe that the God who was so specific about roles and practice in Levitical ministry, the authority of the priesth…
Have you experimented with AI for any purpose? I understood your conversation about AI for sermon prep - and agree that a pastor probably shouldn't use AI to write their sermons for them. But AI is extremely helpful for wording. I am a high school teacher, and I have some upper level math classes. Sometimes I will use AI just to help me narrow down the definition of a term or to summarize something that I have written, but know that it could be worded better. I also use AI to help me walk through thought experiments. I will ask it a larger philosophical question and say "what am I missing?" or "what are all of the facets t…
I think you are right to say we need to talk about what we are for, not just what we are against.
But I do think you under estimate how many do think that there is only one type of Chrsitianity. and there is a need to reframe. I do think that you are right that pushing toward what we are for is necessary.
I pay attention to the desconstruction community quite a bit. And I hear all the time that many are rejeting all of Christianity because they think that the only part that exists is the MAGA part. Trish is right that we also need to love our MAGA neighbor. But the discourse around "well of course President…