Growing up in a strict Southern Baptist community can be challenging for a child whose sexuality is considered a sin. In The Thousand-Petaled Lotus: Growing Up Gay in the Southern Baptist Church, Michael Fields takes readers on a hilarious and thought-provoking journey through his Nashville childhood, one filled with Southern characters, sexual awakening, anguished prayer, and an exhilarating search for truth. In the Hindu tradition, the thousand-petaled lotus is the saharara chakra at the top of the head, which blossoms at the moment of enlightenment. The Thousand-Petaled Lotus is structured as just that, a lotus of many petals unfolding. Fields' journey to reconcile his faith with his sexuality is a captivating story that blossoms when he finds what Jesus called "the kingdom of heaven" and sees that it is here now. The Thousand-Petaled Lotus is a rare story of personal and spiritual discovery, complete with metaphysical reflections, droll wit, and storytelling full of Southern charm.