Emma Waters is a Policy Analyst at the Heritage Foundation's Center for Technology and the Human Person, wife, mother of two, and author of the new book Lead Like Jael: 7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith (Regnery Publishing, March 2026).

In this episode of The Aaron Renn Show, Emma joins Aaron to discuss biblical womanhood in a post-pandemic world. Drawing from the story of Jael in Judges 4–5, she outlines a nuanced vision that rejects both "girl boss" feminism (even when dressed in evangelical clothes) and overly romanticized trad-wife ideals. Instead, she advocates prioritizing marriage and motherhood as primary callings while strategically using God-given gifts and modern opportunities like remote work.They cover personal stories (including Emma dumping her now-husband during college), the real trade-offs of career vs. family, research on childcare impacts, the "tent peg strategy" for women fighting evil from the home, and why putting first things first often leads to unexpected blessings.

CHAPTERS:
(00:00 Introduction)
(03:20 The Freak-Out Over Kids & Career in College)
(09:45 Critiquing Girl Boss Feminism & Trad Wife Romanticism)
(17:30 Remote Work, Home Economy, & Childcare Research)
(25:00 The Breakup & Choosing Family Over a Dream Opportunity)
(32:40 The Tent Peg Strategy – Jael's Story & Fighting Evil as Women)
(40:15 The 7 Principles: Discernment, Shrewdness, Motherhood as Warfare & More)
(50:00 Finding Wise Mentors & Counsel in Today)

EMMA WATERS LINKS:
📖 Lead Like Jael: 7 Timeless Principles for Today's Women of Faith: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1510783539/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/emlwaters

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this episode, Aaron Renn interviews T.C. Schmidt, associate professor at Fairfield University and author of the groundbreaking Oxford University Press book Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ. Schmidt, with a PhD from Yale, uses new linguistic analysis, computer databases, and ancient Greek studies to argue that the Testimonium Flavianum—Josephus's famous passage about Jesus—is substantially authentic. This challenges a century of scholarly consensus that it was heavily interpolated by Christians. Schmidt shares his journey as an evangelical scholar, the book's warm reception (including praise from top Josephus expert Steve Mason), and why Christians should pursue excellence in secular academia.

CHAPTERS:
(00:00 - Introduction)
(02:30 - Who Was Josephus? Background & Importance)
(07:45 - The Controversial Testimonium Flavianum)
(12:20 - New Methods: Databases, Style Analysis & Word Studies)
(18:50 - Reinterpreting "Appeared Alive Again" – Resurrection Insight)
(25:10 - Scholarly Reception & Challenges to Consensus)
(32:40 - Evangelical Scholarship in Secular Academia)
(40:15 - Advice for Aspiring Christian Scholars)

TC SCHMIDT LINKS:
📖 Josephus and Jesus: New Evidence for the One Called Christ (free download): https://josephusandjesus.com/
🌐 Institute for Christian Reflection: https://instituteforchristianreflection.org/

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

AI isn't just answering questions anymore—it's doing real work that used to take humans hours, days, or even weeks. In this wide-ranging conversation, returning guest Dean Ball, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, breaks down the massive leaps in AI since mid-2024: smarter models with true reasoning, web-searching research agents, and revolutionary coding agents that control your computer via command line to automate complex tasks.

We cover:

- Why AI has gone from "toy" to essential tool for professionals
- The rise of coding agents (Claude Code, OpenAI tools) and real-world examples
- Why so many skeptics—especially on the American right—are still skeptical (and why they're likely to get left behind)
- Data center backlash, NIMBYism, energy/water concerns, and how AI companies could win more community support
- Dean's experience drafting the Trump administration's AI action plan at the White House OSTP
- Practical tips: Go "AI-first" in your workflow (skip Google, use Claude/Grok, integrate agents)

Whether you're an AI user, skeptic, policymaker, or just curious about where this tech is headed in 2026, this episode is a reality check on what's actually working today.

CHAPTERS
(00:00 Introduction)
(00:44 How Far AI Has Come Since 2024)
(02:35 Smarter Models + Better Reasoning)
(03:14 From Google Search to Real Research Reports)
(03:56 Coding Agents: The New Form Factor Revolution)
(05:49 Aaron's AI-First Workflow (Claude, Grok, Voice Prompting))
(07:46 Real Example: Building a Manosphere Podcast Transcription Tool)
(10:15 AI for Work vs. Chat/Fun – Doing Useful Stuff)
(12:20 Feedback on Writing, Refining Ideas, Not Great at Pure Idea Gen)
(13:45 Addressing AI Skepticism (Right & Left))
(16:40 Ignorance, Cultural Animosity, & Boycotts)
(18:30 Josh Hawley Example & Early Impressions)
(23:00 Data Centers: NIMBY Fights, Energy, Taxes, & Community Buy-In)
(30:00 Trump's AI Action Plan – What It Covers & Why)
(35:00 National Security, Cyber Risks, & Prudent Steps)
(42:00 Dean's White House Experience & Using AI to Help Draft)
(51:00 AI Is Like a Piano – Easy to Start, Hard to Master)

DEAN BALL LINKS:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/deanwball
🌐 Dean Ball's Substack: https://www.hyperdimensional.co/

CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:
🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn
🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/