Introduction and Acknowledgements
Three things provide the foundation for a metaphysical understanding of the books of Acts to Revelation in the New Testament:
- A consciousness of being grounded in Truth, or God-Mind, not in the Bible. As explained in the next paragraph, “We are grounded in Truth, not the Bible.”
- An openness to the Divine ideas that will surely flow into consciousness once we establish ourselves in Truth study. See the Appendix section entitled “What is Metaphysical Bible Study?”
- A commitment to explore Acts to Revelation with enough focus so that a comprehensive picture is expressed in consciousness. See Chapter One, “Overview: The Period of Peter, of Paul and of John.”
We are grounded in Truth, not the Bible. We are are not bible students, rather we who do metaphysical bible interpretation are Truth students. Truth students look to perceive, by direct perception with God-Mind, the Divine Ideas that are being expressed in all things, all people and all events. In short, we find Truth all about us. While we look to the Bible to point to Truth as we look at a painting to point to that which is painted, we do not mistake the painting for the that which it depicts.
Why this book? I believe that Unity students should lead in metaphysical Bible scholarship and interpretation. This is my contribution to that goal. I've combined the latest historical scholarship, Unity's best metaphysical interpretations and my own material into this short book. While there are certainly flaws to be found in this study, I offer it as a written and systematic starting point for a dialog about our metaphysical interpretation of Acts to Revelation.
A resource for teachers and students. If you look a the copyright page, you’ll see it’s released in a way that allows students and teachers to freely copy and reproduce the material for their classes. And I have intentionally printed this on letter sized paper to make it easy to photocopy. If you wish to make an offering to me for this work, please buy a copy for $20 or go to the donate page.
If you wish multiple printed copies for a class or your bookstore, email me for a quantity discount.
Acknowledgements. To my teachers of Spiritual Enrichment and Education at Unity Institute – Paul Hasselbeck, Tom Thorpe, Norma Rosado, Gloria Holt, Jill Andrews, Michael Maday, Joy Wyler, Aliza Bloom, Toni Boehm, Shirley Kennedy, Jane Simmons, John Anderson – you gave me back the Gospel.
Thank you. To Donna Loflin, Linda Holmes, Eileen Ramsey, Lois Hootz, Joan Seim, Allison Hornung, Jim Gardner, Craig and Judy Allen, Maggie Slocum, Elizabeth Thomas, Glenda Fairchild, Donna Pennell, Betty Kent, Margo Green, Rick Busby, Darlene Traylor – friends, students and seekers - who helped me understand that not every idea is Divine. To Marika, Vanessa and Stephanie, who never cease to love me.
Oops. While I have drawn from Unity traditions, scholarly authors and insightful teachers this book represents my own view how we may metaphysically interpret the Bible. Please let me know how this material can be improved.
Mark Hicks
Austin, Texas
October 2010
