Education
2011 Duke University, Ph.D. in Religion (Christian Theological Studies)
2006 University of Chicago Divinity School, M.A. in Religion (Theology)
2002 Harvard University, A.B. in Comparative Study of Religion
Academic Appointments
2017 - present Associate Professor of Theology, Baylor University, Religion Department
2015 - present Women and Gender Studies, affiliated faculty
2014 - present Graduate Faculty, Baylor University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
2011 - 2017 Assistant Professor of Theology, Baylor University, Religion Department
Publications
Books
2020 Motherhood: A Confession. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. April 2020.
Reviews
Reviews: Christina Lambert, Front Porch Republic (August 12, 2020); https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2020/08/ordered-toward-your-becoming-on-natalie-carness-motherhood-a-confession/; Clare Carlisle, Times Literary Supplement (June 12, 2020), https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/motherhood-natalie-carnes-review-clare-carlisle/; Jessica Hooten Wilson, Christianity Today (May 8, 2020), https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/may-june/
2017 Image and Presence: A Christological Reflection on Iconoclasm and Iconophilia. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Reviews
Mark McInroy, Arts: The Arts in Religious and Theological Studies 31.1 (2019). Syndicate symposium with responses from Jennifer Newsome Martin, Andrew Prevot, Kathryn Reklis, and Amaryah Armstrong, online at https://syndicate.network/symposia/theology/image-and-presence/; Aaron Klink, Anglican Theological Review 101.3 (Summer 2019): 521-2; Chloë Reddaway, Art and Christianity 97 (2019): 17. Andrew Wymer, Homiletic: A Journal of the Academy of Homiletics 43.2 (2018): 50-1. Richard Viladesau, Modern Theology(November 15, 2018): 190-2; Taylor Worley, Reading Religion(September 17, 2018), online at http://readingreligion.org/books/image-and-presence; Robert Saler, “In Praise of Imperfect Images,” Christian Century(May 10, 2018); C. Christopher Smith, Englewood Review of Books (May 8, 2018).
Recognition
2018 Indies Foreword Awards, Honorable Mention; Ben Myer, “Take & Read: New Books in Theology,” Christian Century (May 15, 2018); Christine E. McCarthy, “Women Theologians You Should Be Reading Now,” Daily Theology (March 8, 2018)
2014 Beauty: A Theological Engagement with Gregory of Nyssa. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.
Reviews
Eric Meyer, Reviews in Religion and Theology 25.4 (November 2018): 634-37; Hans Boersma, Modern Theology 31.4 (October 2015): 700-02; Syndicate symposium, with responses from William Dyrness, Vigen Guroian, Sarah Maple, and Stephanie Gehring (March 2016), online at https://syndicate.network/symposia/theology/beauty/.
Refereed Articles
forthcoming “Towards a Topography of the Visual.” In International Journal of Systematic Theology. With Matthew Whelan.
2020 “Gender and Ecclesiology.” In T & T Clark Companion to Ecclesiology. Kimlyn Bender and Stephen Long, eds. London: Bloomsbury, 2020.
2020 “How Love for the Image Cast Out Fear of it In Early Christianity.” Religions. Special issue on Platonism and Christianity. J. Warren Smith, ed. 8.20 (2017): 1-15.
2017 “Embracing Beauty in World of Affliction.” Republics of Letters: A Journal for the Study of Knowledge, Politics, and the Arts. Forum on Beauty and Form. Thomas Pfau and Vivasvan Soni, eds. 5.1 (January 2017): 1-14.
2016 “‘That Cross’s Children Which Our Crosses Crosses Are’: Imitatio Christi, Imitatio Crucis.” Scottish Journal of Theology 69.1 (January 2016): 63-80.
2015 “Receiving the Fragments of Balthasar: Critique and Community in Christian Theology.” Pro Ecclesia 24.4 (Fall 2015): 432-38.
2015 “We in Our Turmoil: Theological Anthropology Through Maria Montessori and the Lives of Children.” Journal of Religion 95.3 (July 2015): 318-336.
2014 “A Reconsideration of Religious Authority in Christian Theology,” The Heythrop Journal 55.3 (May 2014): 467-480.
2013 “Prelude to a Theology of Iconoclasm: Making, Breaking, Loving, and Hating Images.” LOGOS: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture 16.2 (Spring 2013): 15-32. (lead article).
2013 “Possession and Dispossession: Wittgenstein, Cavell, and Gregory of Nyssa for Life Amidst Skepticism.” Modern Theology 29.1 (January 2013): 104-123.
2012 “The Mysteries of Our Existence: Estrangement and Theatricality.” Modern Theology 28.3 (July 2012): 402-22.
BOOK REVIEWS
forthcoming David Tracy. Fragments: The Existential Situation of Our Time. Selected Essays, Volume 1. And: Filaments: Theological Profiles. Selected Essays, Volume 2. Journal of the American Academy of Religion.
forthcoming Lexi Eikelboom. Rhythm: A Theological Category. Syndicate Theology. (convener)
forthcoming Simeon Zahl. The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience. Syndicate Theology.
2019 Raphael Cadenhead. The Body and Desire: Gregory of Nyssa’s Ascetical Theology. Journal for Early Christian Studies 27.4 (Winter 2019): 665-67.
2017 Thomas A. Lewis. Why Philosophy Matters for the Study of Religion. Modern Theology 33.4 (July 2017): 684-6.
2017 Paul Blowers. Maximus the Confessor: Jesus Christ and the Transfiguration of the World. Syndicate Theology (July 31, 2017).
2016 Rowan A, Greer, assisted by J. Warren Smith, One Path for All: Gregory of Nyssa on
the Christian Life and Human Destiny. Modern Theology 32.2 (March 2016): 279-80.
2015 James Noyes, The Politics of Iconoclasm: Religion, Violence, and the Culture of Image-
Breaking in Christianity and Islam. Journal of Church and State 57.4 (Autumn 2015): 752-4.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
2020 “Our Mothers, Our Selves: Reckoning Between the Saintly and the Monstrous.” Stanford University Press Blog. May 8, 2020.
2020 “What the Milk Means.” Christian Century 137.9 (April 22, 2020): 34-36. Online as “A Confession to You, My Nursing Daughter.” April 22, 2020.
2020 “The Saint and I.” Literary Hub. April 28, 2020.
2020 Exhibition commentary on Jacob Wrestles With the Angel. Visual Commentary on Scripture.
2019 “Growing Up with Books.” Guest contributor. Christian Century. October 14, 2019.
2018 Exhibition commentary on the Golden Calf. Visual Commentary on Scripture.
2018 “The Charge of Blasphemy and Pope Rihanna.” Church Life Journal. June 15, 2018.
2018 “A Case for Iconoclasm, Part II.” Transpositions: Theology, Imagination and the Arts.
2018 “A Case for Iconoclasm, Part I.” Transpositions: Theology, Imagination and the Arts.
2018 “Outsiderness: A Warning.” Religion and its Publics Blog. January 12.
2017 “Natalie Carnes’s Image and Presence,” Page 99 Test Blog (December 19, 2017).
2017 “The Erotic Image.” Stanford University Press Blog (December 12, 2017).
2017 “Breaking the Power of Monuments.” Stanford University Press Blog (August 29, 2017).
2016 Response from the author. Syndicate Theology (March 2016).
2015 “Presence, Presentness, and Grace: Reflections on Art and Theology with Michael
Fried and Marina Abramovic.” Transpositions: Theology, Imagination and the Arts.
2013 “Two Kinds of Charity,” co-authored with Jonathan Tran. Christian Ethics Today 21.1 (Winter 2013): 6-12.
Invited Talks
2021 Theotokos Lecture. Marquette University. March 4.
2020 Keynote speaker. Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies Conference. Villanova. October 16-18.
2020 Invited Lecturer at University of Mary Hardin Baylor. October.
2020 “On Motherhood.” Beatrice Institute Podcast. June 30.
2020 Invited speaker on Motherhood: A Confession. St. Alban’s. Waco, TX. June 14.
2020 Political Theology seminar. “Motherhood.” Villanova. April 20. **Moved online due to COVID-19.
2020 Symposium on Images. Notre Dame. April 3-4. **Postponed due to COVID-19.
2020 T.B. Maston Lecture, Logston Seminary. March 30-April 1. **Canceled due to COVID-19.
2020 “Everyday Excess and Ordinary Waste.” Plenary address for “‘In the Face of Barbarism:’ Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Culture, Humanity, and the Importance of Ordinary Life.” Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. February 24.
2019 “Attunement: The Feminist Voice and Christianity’s Patriarchal Tradition.” University of Chicago Divinity School. Public lecture. December 11.
2019 Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts, Ten-Year Celebration. Speaker. September 5-8.
2019 “Why this Waste?: Art and Excess in a World of Need” Christian Theology Senior Seminar at Cambridge University. May 15.
2019 “Poverty, Luxury, Art” Institute for Theology, Imagination, and the Arts at St Andrews University. March 8.
2019 “The New Iconoclasm.” Theology and Ethics Colloquium at the University of Edinburgh. February 13.
2018 “Women, Feminism, and Feminist Theology: A Brief History.” Nevertheless, She Preached. Waco, TX. September 24-25.
2018 “Beauty.” Plenary speaker, Ekklesia Project. Defining Beauty. Chicago, IL. July 12-14.
2018 “The Incarnation.” Plenary speaker, Texas Youth Academy. Marhsall, TX. July 5.
2018 “Beauty and Suffering.” Seventh and James Church. April 11.
2018 Distinguished Lecture, Duke Initiative for Theology and the Arts. Duke Divinity School. March 1.
2018 “What the Saints See.” Presentation for “What the Saints Know.” Symposium in Minster Abbey, Kent, United Kingdom. January 26-8.
2017 Speaker for Arts Week, “Beauty for Wounds.” Dallas Theological Seminary. October 31-November 3.
2017 “Human Need and Ecclesial Splendor: Ten Theses on a Persistent Dilemma in Wealth and Poverty.” Consultation on Wealth, Poverty, and Human Flourishing. Yale Center for Faith and Culture. Yale Divinity School. March 3.
2016 “Bag Ladies, Prayer, and Other Hopes for Analytic Theology.” Analytic Theology Seminar. Fuller Theological Seminary. April 18.
2016 “Why Weep With Marina Abramovic? Art, Images, and the Presence They Give Us.” Andy Warhol Lecture. Loyola College Baltimore. April 12.
2016 “Theologian as Scavenger.” God and Philosophy, Theology on Tap. St. Albans’s Church. February 3.
2016 “Embracing Beauty in a World of Affliction.” Symposium on Beauty and Form. Northwestern University. January 28.
2014 “Coming Again in Glory: Christ the Iconocrat?” University of Edinburgh Theology and Ethics Research Seminar. Edinburgh, United Kingdom. November 26.
2014 “Captivating Images, Liberating Images: Iconoclastic Iconophilia in Poussin’s Golden Calf.” University of Glasgow. Literature, Theology and the Arts Seminar. Glasgow, United Kingdom. November 5.
2014 “At the Golden Calf and Sinai: Images and Divine Arrival.” Institute for Theology, Imagination, and the Arts. University of St. Andrews. St. Andrews, United Kingdom. October 17.
2014 “Breaking the Great Silence: An Iconoclasm of Invisibility.” Wissenschaftskolleg. Berlin, Germany. July 15.
2014 “Fasting as an Image.” Spiritual Disciplines Series. St. Alban’s. March 30.
Conference Activity
2020 “Christ Among the Disciplines.” Online interdisciplinary conference on Christology. Panelist for Ian McFarland’s Word Made Flesh. November 22.
2020 “Christ Among the Disciplines.” Online interdisciplinary conference on Christology. Panel on Image and Presence. November 20.
2020 Moderator for Theology and Publishing Panel discussion. American Academy of Religion. Boston. November 21-24.
2019 “The Maternal Body and Other Images of Grace in Nature.” Society for the Study of Theology. Warwick, UK. March 9.
2019 Roundtable on Clive Marsh’s book A Cultural Theology of Salvation. Society for the Study of Theology. Warwick, UK. March 9.
2018 Panel on Image and Presence. Respondent to panelists. American Academy of Religion. Denver, CO. November 17.
2018 Visual Commentary on Scripture: Divine and Human Freedom. “Jacob and the Angel.” American Academy of Religion. Denver, CO. November 17.
2017 “Human Desire and Original Sin: Moving Beyond Augustine’s Greedy Infant.” American Academy of Religion. Boston, MA. November 20.
2015 “Habituation and the Mystery of Childhood.” American Academy of Religion. Atlanta, GA. November 24.
2014 “Resurrection Silence and Hypostatic Likeness.” Society for the Study of Theology. University of Durham. Durham, United Kingdom. April 2.
2012 “A Reconsideration of Religious Authority in Christian Theology,” American Academy of Religion. San Francisco, CA. November 19.
2010 “Aesthetics, Aisthesis, and Brillo Boxes: Toward a Non-Reductive Understanding of Perception,” Max and Iris Stern Symposium 4: Art + Religion. Musée d’art Contemporain de Montréal and Concordia University. Montreal, Canada. April 17.
2009 “A Body Like Christ’s and Eyes Like God’s: The Role of Aisthesis and Phantasia in Constructing a Christian Mimesis in Vita Antonii,” American Academy of Religion. Montreal, Canada. November 9.
2008 “Care for the Self and Nekrosis of the Body: Desire and Loss in Gregory of Nyssa’s De Virginitate.” Archbishop Iakovos Conference in Patristic Studies. Boston, MA. April 17-19.
Campus and Departmental Events
PRESENTATIONS AND PANELS
2019 “The New Natural Law: A Response to Vincent Lloyd and Neil Arner.” October 21.
2018 “The Suffering Body,” a presentation for a panel on “The Body” with Dwayne Simmons and Sara Dolan, preceding an address by Dr. Paul Farmer. STEM/Humanities Symposium. March 22.
2017 “Selfies With Toppled Confederate Statues: Thoughts on Breaking and Making Images.” In celebration of the book release of Image and Presence. Modern and Contemporary Reading Group at Baylor University. November 10.
2017 “Gender, Race, and Intersectional Feminism.” With Elise Edwards. Truett Seminary Black Student Association’s Teach-in on Race. March 28th.
2016 “Two Options for Divine Discourse—and One Alternative.” Response to Nicholas Wolterstorff. Truett Seminary. October 7.
2016 “On Margery Kempe and Being a Witch.” Panelist for “Boundary Breaking Women.” September 13.
2013 “The Language of Gift and the Language of Football.” Interdepartmental Colloquium on Ethics for Baylor Religion Department and Truett Seminary. November 11.
2011 “9/11, Ten Years Later.” Presentation for the Religion Club. September 12.
EVENTS CONVENED OR MODERATED
2016 Moderator for “Icons and the Way of Beauty.” Panel with Orthodox monks from Holy Cross Orthodox Monastery. October 25.
2016 Convener for “Holy Journeys, Holy Destinations” panel, sponsored by the Ethics Research Initiative and located at the Mayborn Museum, in conjunction with their “Sacred Journeys exhibit.” October 6.
2016 Convener for “Image, Idol, Christ” symposium. February 18.
Honors and Fellowships
INVITED PARTICIPANT
2021-2 Theological Aesthetics in Early Christianity. Two symposia and a book. Project chaired by Jane Heath.
2020 Senior Theologian for Science-Engaged Theology. Project chaired by Meghan Page. Funded by the John Templeton foundation. June 21-25
2020 Member of multi-disciplinary panel of experts for Semantic Space of Aesthetic Cognitivism. Project chaired by Anjan Chatterjee. Funded by the Templeton Religion Trust. November and December.
2020 “Art Seeking Understanding” workshop. Convened by Templeton Religion Trust. Edinburgh, Scotland. June 21-25. **Partially moved online and postponed until 2021 due to COVID-19.
2020 “Progress in Theology” consultation meeting. Convened by Templeton World Charity Foundation and Templeton Religion Trust. Hosted by Katholieke Universitei. Leuven, Belgium. March 11-13. **Moved online due to COVID-19.
2019 “State of Theology” report. Commissioned by Templeton World Charity Foundation. Executed by Syndicate. One of ten invited reporters. Discussion of report found at https://syndicate.network/symposia/theology/syndicate-project-on-the-state-of-theology/
2017 Yale Center for Faith and Life. Consultation on Wealth, Life, and Human Flourishing. March 3-4.
2016 “Problems in the Study of Religion.” National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute. University of Virginia. May 31-June 17.
2015 Lilly Consultation on Faith and Life. May 11-12.
2013-2014 “Scenes from the History of the Image: Reading Two Millennia of Conflict,” interdisciplinary summer workshops sponsored by Some Institutes for Advanced Study at the National Humanities Center, Research Triangle Park, NC, July 29-August 9, 2013; and by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and theWissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, July 13-26, 2014.
2013-2014 “Theology and Time,” three-part seminar convened by Stanley Hauerwas and sponsored by the Issachar Fund Initiative. Duke University. November 3-5, 2013; March 16-18, 2014; and June 7-10, 2014.
2012 “The Atonement,” one-semester seminar sponsored by the Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Notre Dame. January – May.
2009-2010 Dissertation Working Group, sponsored by the Franklin Humanities Institute, Duke University.
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
2018 Off-cycle Project Development Grant, Baylor University
2018 Phi Beta Kappa, Zeta Chapter; Outstanding Faculty
2017 Spring Research Leave, Baylor University
2015-16 Sabbatical Grant, Louisville Institute
2012, 2013 Summer Sabbatical Fellowship, Baylor University
2009 Graduate Summer Fellowship, Duke Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
2006-2011 Graduate Student Fellowship, Duke Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
2004-2006 Full Scholarship, University of Chicago Divinity School
Service
NATIONAL BOARDS AND EDITORIAL COMMITTEES
2017-present Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts, Steering Committee
2017-present Theology Section of the American Academy of Religion, Southwest Region, Convener
2014-present Christian Systematic Theology, Section of American Academy of Religion,Steering Committee
2014-2017 Visual Commentary on Scripture, workshop participant
BOARDS AND POSITIONS AT BAYLOR\
2019-present Core Curriculum Advisory Committee
2018-9 STEM/Humanities Symposium Advisory Committee
2017-9 Modern/Contemporary Writing Contest Judge
2017-18 Women in the Academy, faculty mentor
2016-2017 Feminist Theology Reading Group, director
2015-present Gender Studies Advisory Council
2015-present Honors Residential College Faculty Fellow
2015-present Institute for the Studies of Religion Fellow
2015-16 Collins Residential Hall, Faculty Partner
2014-2017 Baylor University Press editorial board (no service during 2015-16 sabbatical)
2014, 2019 Baylor in St Andrews Program Director
2012-present Women’s Colloquium, Co-convener
DISSERTATION ADVISING
Maggi Jones, “Silence as Politics” (Baylor, Religion, est. graduate date 2022).
Thomas Breedlove, “The Veil of the Flesh: Being Creature and Being Crucified” (Baylor, Religion, est. graduate date 2021).
Cody Strecker, “Providence and Praise: Encountering the Theological Vision of Ephrem the Syrian” (Baylor, Religion, 2020).
DISSERTATION DEFENSE COMMITTEE
Carole Taylor (Duke Divinity School, 220)
Brandon Morgan (Baylor, Religion, 2020)
Holly Spofford (English, Religion, 2020 prospectus defense)
Tom Millay (Baylor, Religion, 2019)
Mathew Crawford (Baylor, Religion, 2019)
Nicholas Krause (Baylor, Religion, 2018 prospectus defense)
Elizabeth Travers Parker (Baylor, English, 2018 prospectus defense)
Laura Lysen (Baylor, Religion, 2018 prospectus defense)
Christian Dickinson (Baylor, English, 2018)
Alina Beary (Baylor, Philosophy, 2018)
Amy Carpenter Schroeder (Baylor, English, 2018)
Tiffany Trent (Arizona State University, Theatre Studies, 2018)
Rachel Toombs (Baylor, Religion, 2018)
Jared Brandt (Baylor, Philosophy, 2018)
Andrew Selby (Baylor, Religion, 2017)
Jenny Howell (Baylor, Religion, 2017)
Jordan Fannin (Baylor, Religion, 2016)
David Cramer (Baylor, Religion, 2016)
Daniel Marrs (Baylor, Religion, 2015)
David Wilmington (Baylor, Religion, 2015)
UNDERGRADUATE THESIS ADVISING
Andrew Hollinger (projected 2021)
Jessica Bost (protected 2020)
Riley Neal (2018)
Bradley Varnell (2016)
Thomas McGraw (2015)
Krystal Pothier (2014)
THESIS DEFENSE COMMITTEES
Emily Brooks, M.A. (2020)
Chandler Jordan, B.A. (2020)
Joao Costa Grillo Moraes, B.A. (2020)
Jonathan Scruggs, M.F.A. (2020)
Anna Beaudry, M.A. (2020)
Aly Vukelich, M.A. (2019)
Sabrina Fountain, M.A. (2018)
Kaylie Page, B.A. (2018)
Tory Hamilton, B.A. (2016)
Madeleine Sullivan, B.A. (2016)
Elizabeth Travers, M.A (2015)
Jake Surges, B.A. (2015)
Emily Edmondson, B.A. (2014)
Lauren Rivers, B.A. (2013)