Growing up in a fundamentalist Baptist setting, I was taught to take everything in the Bible literally. But now, I see a deeper truth that has transformed my understanding of Christianity. The Trinity, Jesus, the cross—all of it makes perfect sense from a mystical perspective.

Consider the insights of St. Augustine, who said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” He knew that divine truth isn’t confined to literal interpretations. St. Francis of Assisi saw God in all of creation and lived with a heart on fire for divine love. These saints grasped the mystical depths of Christianity, something that often gets lost in fundamentalist teachings.

Jesus as the real Son of God is a profound metaphor for the divine presence within us all, not just a historical figure. The Logos, the Word made flesh, speaks to the divine reason and order underlying all of creation. The cross symbolizes a journey of transformation, sacrifice, and spiritual resurrection, not merely a physical event.

The Kingdom of Heaven is not some distant realm but is already all around us. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is within you.” It’s our ego, our false sense of self, that separates us from this divine reality. This ego, often represented as Satan, blinds us to the presence of the Holy Father and the divine love that permeates everything.

And let’s not forget the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, which represents the ongoing presence and guidance of God in our lives. This is not just an abstract concept but a living, breathing reality that guides and inspires us.

Fundamentalism has taken these deep, mystical truths and reduced them to rigid, literal interpretations. In doing so, it misses the profound spiritual insights that can set our hearts on fire with divine love and understanding. To the fundamentalists: you’ve got it right in recognizing the importance of these teachings, but you’ve got it all wrong in how you interpret them. Look deeper, beyond the surface, and you’ll discover a faith that is vibrant, transformative, and deeply mystical.