Praxis Circle Contributor John Miller (1948-2025) was the retired Rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia where he served for 38 years in vocational ministry. Praxis Circle interviewed Dr. John Miller because of his extensive knowledge of Christian history and theology, in general, and because of his life-long fascination with the Christian doctrine of grace, in particular.
A Richmond native, he graduated from Washington & Lee University (1970) and earned a Master of Divinity (1974), Master of Theology (1977), and Doctorate of Philosophy (1892) from Union Theological Seminary. While at Union Seminary he was also awarded three graduate fellowships and was selected as a teaching fellow.
Dr. Miller’s professional career began in 1974 when he became an adjunct instructor, and later adjunct associate professor, of religion at the University of Richmond; he taught courses on the Old and New Testament, the Reformation and the contemporary Church, along with introductory religious studies courses. He continued to teach at UR until 1990. His teaching career also included teaching systematic theology in Virginia Union University’s School of Theology in 1981. In addition, he was the co-author of a curriculum in theology for the University of the South’s Education for Ministry program. His authorship includes articles and reviews for scholarly publications and a regular column for The Virginia Episcopalian.
In 1975 Dr. Miller began his ministry at River Road Church Baptist in Richmond as an associate minister to youth and college students. Concurrent with the beginning of his doctoral pursuit, he joined St. Mary’s and began the ordination process of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, culminating in his ordination as deacon in 1981 and being named Assistant Rector at St. Mary’s. The following year he became an ordained priest. Dr. Miller was named Rector of St. Mary’s in 1984, a position he retained until his retirement in 2016.
Dr. Miller and his wife Deborah have three adult children in their blended family. Throughout his life, we was an active member of his community and held positions of leadership in both the ecclesiastical and secular worlds. He was involved with schools (St. Christopher’s School, St. Mary’s School), hospitals (Richmond Memorial Hospital, St. John’s Hospital), an Episcopal-Presbyterian continuing care retirement community (Westminster Canterbury, Richmond), the Diocesan Missionary Society, the Richmond Episcopal Clerics, the Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services, and Elk Hill Farm (a school and counseling program for youth), as well as other organizations.
With strength, faith, and courage, Dr. Miller lost his battle to terminal brain cancer in 2025. This quote by Frederick Buechner captures a truth Dr. Miller strived to live out in every aspect of his life:
“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell, your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.”
