Clergy Break Silence: 27 Christian Leaders Share How Psychedelic Experiences Transformed Their Faith

New Devotional Reveals Growing Movement as Pastors, Priests, and Chaplains Integrate Mystical Encounters with Gospel Teachings

CHAPEL HILL, NC, UNITED STATES, December 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A groundbreaking new devotional reveals what many Christian leaders have kept private for years: their profound encounters with the divine through psychedelic experiences haven't weakened their faith, they've deepened it.

Beyond Words: 52 Weeks of Gospel Reflections and Integration Practices from Spiritual Leaders Bridging Psychedelic Experience and Christian Faith brings together 27 religious leaders from 15 Christian traditions who are publicly sharing how mystical and psychedelic experiences have transformed their understanding of scripture.

The book arrives as many Christian leaders and communities grapple with mounting evidence from Johns Hopkins, NYU, and other leading institutions showing that psychedelic experiences often lead to lasting spiritual transformation. Several contributors participated in these landmark studies, including the Johns Hopkins and NYU psilocybin study for religious professionals, in which 96% of the clergy participants ranked at least one session among the five most spiritually significant of their lives, with many reporting lasting changes in their spiritual lives.

“After my high-dose psilocybin journey as a research participant at Johns Hopkins University, my sermons started sounding different - because my reading of sacred texts had profoundly changed," shares Rev. Kerra Becker English, a Presbyterian minister and contributor to Beyond Words. "I just didn't see the way that I see now." Her experience echoes that of many clergy who participated in the landmark studies, discovering that psychedelic encounters didn't challenge their faith but instead opened new depths of meaning in familiar scriptures.

"Christians are having these experiences whether the church acknowledges it or not," says author Matt Zemon, finishing his doctorate of ministry at Pacific School of Religion this year. "Many suffer in silence, believing they must choose between their mystical encounters and their faith. This book shows them they don't have to choose."

A Year-Long Journey Through Scripture and Sacred Experience:
Following the traditional Christian lectionary, Beyond Words offers
- 52 weekly Gospel readings viewed through the "mystical lens"
- Personal stories from Episcopal priests, Baptist ministers, Catholic scholars, Orthodox theologians, and others
- Integration practices for processing profound spiritual experiences
- Guidance for clergy supporting congregants through spiritual emergence

"Karl Rahner famously said, 'the Christian of the future will be a mystic or will not exist,'" notes Carl McColman, author of The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism. "Beyond Words makes the case for psychedelics as a gift to Christian spirituality—a wonderful resource that I know I will return to again and again."

The devotional has drawn endorsements from leading voices in both psychedelic research and Christian mysticism. William A. Richards, Ph.D., whose Sacred Knowledge is considered foundational to the psychedelic renaissance, writes: "For anyone seeking to understand how mystical experiences and Christian traditions can dance together in harmony, Beyond Words offers both theological grounding and practical guidance."

Norma J. Burton, MA, M.Div., Founder of Journey to Completion, adds: "Beyond Words is not merely a book; it is an act of sacred restoration... the medicine wheel and the cross are two expressions of the same Divine Intelligence."

Rick Doblin, PhD, Founder and President of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and a leading figure in psychedelic research for over 35 years, states: "For decades at MAPS, we've worked to legitimize psychedelic therapy through rigorous science. But science alone cannot address the profound spiritual openings these medicines often catalyze. Beyond Words fills a crucial gap by helping Christians integrate their psychedelic experiences within their faith tradition. As psychedelic therapy becomes mainstream, resources like this will be essential for the millions who encounter the Divine through these profound medicines."

Meeting an Urgent Pastoral Need:
With roughly one in four U.S. adults having tried psychedelics, and many describing profound spiritual experiences, religious leaders increasingly field questions they were never trained to address. Congregants are arriving at church having encountered what they describe as God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit through psychedelic experiences, yet most clergy lack frameworks for discussing, let alone integrating, these encounters.

Meanwhile, as psychedelic-assisted therapies advance through FDA trials and cities decriminalize plant medicines, what was once countercultural is entering mainstream healthcare. Veterans, first responders, and everyday Christians are turning to these substances for healing from trauma, depression, and spiritual crisis.

Beyond Words addresses this gap, offering the first systematic resource for Christians seeking to integrate these experiences within their faith tradition. Rather than choosing between their mystical encounters and their Christianity, readers discover how psychedelic experiences can deepen and expand their understanding of Gospel teachings.

About Matt Zemon:
Matt Zemon's journey from psychedelic skeptic to integration advocate began with his own transformative mushroom experience. Now completing his Doctor of Ministry at Pacific School of Religion, he has become a leading voice in the emerging field of psychedelic chaplaincy. He holds an MSc in Psychology and Neuroscience from King's College London and is the author of four bestselling books on psychedelics and spirituality. Zemon regularly speaks at conferences bridging psychedelic research and faith communities.

Interview Opportunities:
Matt Zemon and select contributors are available to discuss
- Why clergy are going public about psychedelic experiences now
- How churches are responding to congregants' mystical experiences
- How churches are creating pastoral care models for psychedelic integration
- What the Johns Hopkins clergy studies revealed
- How ancient Christian mysticism aligns with psychedelic states

Media Contact:
📧 lucy@mattzemon.com
🌐 www.mattzemon.com

Click HERE to access the e-press kit.

Beyond Words is the first devotional to bridge traditional Christian liturgy with contemporary mystical experience, offering weekly Gospel reflections and integration practices for those navigating the intersection of Christian faith and expanded consciousness.

Lucy Martinez
MattZemon.com
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