Natalie Carnes is a constructive theologian invested in questions that cross the fields of aesthetics, feminism, and systematics. She has published several books, including Beauty: A Theological Engagement with Gregory of Nyssa (Cascade 2014), Image and Presence: A Christological Reflection on Iconoclasm and Iconophilia (Stanford 2017), Motherhood: A Confession (Stanford 2017), and most recently Attunement: The Art and Politics of Feminist Theology (OUP 2024). She is currently at work on a co-authored volume with Matthew Whelan on art and poverty, beginning a project on creativity that draws from psychological literature, and guest editing a special edition of Modern Theology. A graduate of Duke’s Ph.D. program (’11), she was previously professor of theology, affiliate faculty member in women’s and gender studies, and the director of the Baylor Initiative in Christianity and the Arts at Baylor University.
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.