The Gospel According to Winnie the Pooh (Intersections: Theology and the Church in a World Come of Age)

A.A. Milnes Winnie the Pooh has inspired, intrigued, and engaged parents and adults, and their younger companions, for ninety years. The Gospel According to Winnie the Pooh explores the spiritual dimensions of the Winnie the Pooh stories from a progressive Christian perspective. The stories of Winnie the Pooh and his friends are a gospel in miniature. Winnie and his friends reflect the many faces of following the way of Jesus with faithfulness despite our obvious foibles. Good news abounds as we discover a gentle providence for every season and challenge of life. The anxious Piglet, depressive Eeyore, micromanaging and xenophobic Rabbit, bouncy and live in the moment Tigger, meandering Pooh, the wise but foolish Owl, the immigrant Kanga and Roo, and the child facing the challenges of growing up Christopher Robin all experience the grace of interdependence, grounded in the gentle providence that guides our daily lives, and so can we as we follow the meandering pathways of divine wisdom and creativity. The Gospel According to Winnie the Pooh serves as a spiritual companion to Benjamin Hoffs Tao of Pooh and, while affirming Hoffs Taoist perspective and its recognition of the importance of simplicity and non-attachment, it goes beyond Hoffs text in its affirmation of Gods ever-present aim at wholeness and healing and its recognition that the good life involves the interplay of the immediacy of the Tao and the creative wisdom of Divinity. The story as a whole is a parable of grace, interdependence, acceptance, and self-discovery. It is about innocence experienced, innocence lost, and innocence rediscovered, and the possibility that we can cultivate simplicity in the complicated world of growing up. The characters from A.A. Milne invite us to understand the wanderings of Jesus and his disciples in a new way. Each character uniquely lives out a holy adventure and presents parables of holiness in everyday life. In reading the pages of this book, we will find a pathway through the wilderness of life and awaken to a world of wonders. The Gospel According to Winnie the Pooh provides a way for parents and grandparents to share the spiritual dimensions of Winnie the Pooh with children and grandchildren and help children experience their gifts.