Can Humans Become Divine? by Kenji Kamii, M.D., Ph.D.

Can humans become divine? The answer changes depending on what the words human, divine, and become are taken to mean. This comparative study separates six models that are often confused: ontological deification, participation in divine life, manifestation of an already-present sacred reality, transformation or immortalization, social apotheosis, and nonduality. Across Christianity, Buddhism, Hindu traditions, Daoism, Shinto, Islam and Sufism, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, the ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman worlds, Theosophy, and technological transhumanism, the book asks what actually changes when a person is said to become divine. It then examines miracles, resurrection, bodily transformation, postmortem survival, personal identity, spiritual authority, and the ethics of self-deification. The final synthesis distinguishes historical fact, religious doctrine, philosophical interpretation, and scientific evidence. Historical apotheosis can clearly occur; participation, Buddhahood, liberation, and immortalization can be affirmed within the meanings defined by their respective traditions; but a general scientific claim that a human being becomes the Creator itself is not established. Production transparency: Material portions of this English edition, including translation, text generation, and some figures, were produced with AI-based tools under the direction, editing, review, and approval of the authors.