Jonathan (Cat) Tran is a Christian ethicist whose research and teaching focus on the theological and philosophical implications of language and time, with specific emphases in linguistic philosophy, critical theory, bioethics, political theory and ecclesiology. He is currently writing a book on race (with Vincent Lloyd), a book on politics (with Stanley Hauerwas) and a book on the church tentatively titled “Church Time!” A graduate of Duke’s M.Div. (’02) and Ph.D. (’06) programs, he previously held the George W. Baines Chair in Religion at Baylor University, where he served as associate dean for faculty in the Honors College.
News and Stories
New Faculty Bring Creativity and Expertise Across Theological Disciplines
The school welcomes Professors Nina Balmaceda, Natalie Carnes, Jonathan Cat Tran, Matthew Philipp Whelan to the faculty for the 2025–2026 academic year.
Duke Divinity Announces New Faculty
The five new faculty members bring expertise ranging from music and worship to constructive theology and ethics.