Editing L. Frank Baum (section)

===Religion===
Baum was originally a [[Methodism|Methodist]], but he joined the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal Church]] in [[Aberdeen, South Dakota|Aberdeen]] in order to participate in community theatricals. Later, he and his wife were encouraged to become members of the [[Theosophical Society]] in 1892 by [[Matilda Joslyn Gage]].<ref>Algeo, pp. 270–273; Rogers, pp. 50–51 and ff.</ref> Baum's beliefs are frequently reflected in his writings; however, the only mention of a church in his Oz books is the [[porcelain]] one which the Cowardly Lion breaks in the Dainty China Country in ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. The Baums sent their older sons to "[[Ethical Culture]] Sunday School" in Chicago, which taught morality, not religion.<ref>F. J. Baum, ''To Please a Child'', p. 84</ref><ref>Michael Patrick Hearn. ''The Annotated Wizard of Oz.'' 2nd Edition. 2000. pp. 7, 271, 328.</ref>

Writers including Evan I. Schwartz<ref>Schwartz, Evan I., 2009, ''Finding Oz: How L. Frank Baum Discovered the Great American Story'', Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt</ref> among others have suggested that Baum intentionally used allegory and symbolism in ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' to convey concepts that are central to spiritual teachings such as Theosophy and Buddhism. They postulate that the main characters' experiences in Oz represent the soul's journey toward enlightenment. Schwartz specifically states that key plot elements of the book take "the reader on a journey guided by Eastern philosophy" (Schwartz, p.&nbsp;265). An article in BBC Culture<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20140819-the-wizard-of-oz-hidden-meanings |title=The Wizard of Oz: Five alternative readings |work= [[BBC]] |date=August 19, 2014 |access-date=October 18, 2021}}</ref> lists several allegorical interpretations of the book including that it may be viewed as a parable of Theosophy. The article cites various symbols and their possible meanings, for example the Yellow Brick Road representing the 'Golden Path' in Buddhism, along which the soul travels to a state of spiritual realization.

Baum's own writing suggests he believed the story may have been divinely inspired: "It was pure inspiration. It came to me right out of the blue. I think that sometimes the Great Author had a message to get across and He was to use the instrument at hand".<ref>Morena, Ph.D., G.D., 2014, ''The Wisdom of Oz: Reflections of a Jungian Sandplay Therapist'', Cardiff, CA: Waterside Productions, Inc.</ref>