Can You Be A 'Stoic Christian'?

The Logos, Christ and the Wonder within Stoicism

In a new video from Geeky Stoics, Riley breaks down a question that divides our community but also provokes some of the best discussions we’ve seen on Stoicism. Some top comments are posted below! I hope you’ll join the conversation. Is Stoicism antithetical to Christian faith…or does Stoic thought help pave the road for Christians to walk?

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

@StevenRussell1111 :Appreciate the outspokenness on faith. The intersecting of stoicism and Christianity is so fascinating to me.The stoics have the principals; I pray they find the source.

@lorifromtemeculaca426 : John using LOGOS, had the same impact on the greeks, as Paul explaining, who their “unknown” god was...

@sf12394 : Oftentimes, this channel somewhat feels tailor-made for me. My personal story, in brief summary is a fall from faith, in my teens. Then in early adulthood I found Stoicism, and through Stoicism, I once again found faith. I thought my weird journey there was kinda an abnormality, a sing that I could not make up my mind, or be strong enough of conviction. But then, this channel appeared, and I realized this is a journey other people share. Stand strong brothers!

@engmed4400 : My wife and I homeschool our kids, and I am the one introducing them to Western Philosophy. It’s been an eye-opening experience for me, as my own upbringing lacked this. In addition to Western Philosophy, they also receive biblical instruction, because we are Messianic Jews. This leads me to the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:5, Jesus says, “How blessed are the meek! for they will inherit the Land!” In all the studying I’ve been doing with my kids, one of the conclusions I’ve reached is that this verse is entirely about self-control, and Stoicism strikes me as being one of the best systems aimed at promoting self-control. The word translated as “meek” implies that one must restrain their strength, which takes a lot of self-control. Aristotle’s favorite quality was meekness because of the self-control and self-mastery it requires.A stoic man is one capable of self-control and self-mastery, possessing the ability to commit acts of extreme violence, but consciously choosing to restrain it. Jordan Peterson describes such a man as a “virtuous man”, as opposed to merely a harmless one. When Jesus taught about anything involving violence, He never taught it the context of pacifism. He taught it in the context of just cause, and righteous anger. It’s for that reason that I’ve concluded that self-mastery is possibly one of the most prized qualities of a Jesus follower, and Stoicism is an excellent system for pursuing that quality, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.