The Necessity of God

In the Flesh, Present Tense, Imperative Mood

By: Adam S. Miller

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

What does it mean to have God "in" me?

In The Necessity of God, Miller offers a sustained reflection on the nature of "divine indwelling," exploring Jesus' promise that his disciples would come to "know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you" (John 14:20).

Drawing on Latter-day Saint teachings about vicarious forms of redemption, Friedrich Schleiermacher's work on "God-consciousness," and Spinoza's account of divine necessity, with examples drawn from Joshua Ferris' unforgettable novel The Unnamed, Miller sketches a novel and genuinely material account of divine indwelling.

An abridged version of this text was originally delivered as the 2022 Maxwell Lecture at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Another deeply provocative, well fleshed out book from miller

Maybe my favorite Christian author. The way he thinks about God draws me in and leaves me in deep thought. Sometimes smiling, sometimes overwhelmed with wet eyes. Thank you, Miller, for sharing your considerations.