In our modern world, we often use “stoic” as an adjective, but this word actually comes from the ancient philosophy of Stoicism. As an example, we might say “she maintained a stoic calm during the crisis,” describing a controlled and emotionless demeanor. It's important to know that the New Testament church rose and developed in a culture dominated by philosophies like Stoicism.
The early church engaged with Greek philosophy to help explain and defend Christian beliefs. Church fathers like Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, and Augustine of Hippo incorporated philosophical ideas and approaches to clarify Christian doctrine to the Hellenistic culture of their day. By adapting and using the tools of communication of their time, these early theologians not only strengthened Christian teaching but made it accessible and respectable to those who held Greek philosophy in high esteem.
Over the past two thousand years, Christians have engaged numerous cultures to find creative, new ways to express the universal Gospel. Whether learning the language or ways of thought, missionaries have exemplified Paul’s “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). At the same time, Paul understood that while communication methods may change, we must be completely faithful to Gospel truth (Galatians 1:8), defending it against both legalism and licentiousness.
By exploring Stoicism, we can see how the early church engaged with worldly philosophies and how we can do the same today.
What is Stoicism?
Stoicism centers around cultivating inner strength, wisdom, and virtue to reach peace and resilience through life’s challenges. The philosophy teaches that true happiness and fulfillment come from aligning yourself with nature and exercising self-discipline and reason. Stoics explain that individuals can’t control events but have power over their own response, developing perseverance and focusing on what people can actually change.
Greek philosopher Zeno of Citium developed Stoicism around 300 BC in Athens. The teachings of Socratic thinkers, especially the Cynics, inspired Zeno with their emphasis on virtue and simplicity. He taught his philosophy in a public space called the Stoa Poikile, or “painted porch,” which gave Stoicism its name.
Other leaders like Chrysippus contributed to Stoicism's development and brought more structure to the logic and ethics of the ideas. During the Roman Empire, Stoicism gained popularity and evolved through influential thinkers like Seneca, Epictetus, and famously the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Roman Stoics focused on practical applications, adapting the principles to a broader Roman population.
Emperor Marcus Aurelius, in his Meditations, often wrote about the temporary nature of life, encouraging gratitude and calm during suffering. Along with Seneca, their lives and works exemplify Stoic principles, showing how these beliefs can provide strength in leadership, personal growth, and ethics.
Stoicism was popular and had an impact on Roman society during the time of Jesus and the early church. By the first century AD, Stoicism was a main philosophy among the Roman upper class. The Stoic ideas supported Roman values of duty and resilience, making it popular among politicians and soldiers. Over time, the philosophy’s teaching on virtue, endurance, and logic has continued to influence Western thought.
What Are the Core Beliefs of Stoicism?
One of Stoicism’s primary principles includes “amor fati” or “love of fate,” accepting all things as part of a natural order beyond our control. This acceptance doesn’t mean being passive. Rather, it calls people to focus on what can be changed or controlled, a person’s own inner thinking and the outward responses. Stoics teach that people who act with intention can’t be overwhelmed by things outside their control.
Developing this control shouldn’t be used for evil purposes, however, so Stoicism teaches how self-discipline must help us choose to practice virtue. Stoics believed that life’s purpose is to live with qualities like wisdom, courage, justice, and generosity. In their mind, virtue is the only good. Material wealth or status can’t bring true happiness.
Stoicism also highlights reason as a tool to navigate life’s difficult seasons. Stoics believe logic enables people to see circumstances objectively, staying calm during hard situations. Reason can help people evaluate apart from emotion. Therefore, Stoics focus on self-control, teaching how emotions like anger and fear disrupt a person’s inner peace, and employing self-discipline can help manage these feelings. Stoics don't suggest doing away with all emotions, but stress that people shouldn’t allow feelings to make decisions.
How Does Stoicism Differ from Christian Beliefs?
While both beliefs encourage virtue and inner strength, Stoicism and Christianity differ in many fundamental ways.
First, Stoics believe in self-sufficiency. Christianity calls us to God’s power and sovereignty. Stoics teach we can rely on our inner reason and willpower to navigate life, achieving peace by fate and controlling our own responses to develop resilience. Christianity seeks the same inner strength but declares that the ultimate control and wisdom belong to God, not ourselves. We will fail if we stand on our own ability and knowledge, which is woefully limited. However, through the Spirit and the work of Christ, we can find the all-powerful and all-knowing Father ready to help us, also developing perseverance. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,” showing how we must submit to God’s revelation rather than our own reason.
Second, in suffering, Stoicism encourages us to endure through a rational detachment, seeing the situation as a natural part of life. Christians, on the other hand, realize spiritual forces are at work, and we wrestle against more than emotions or thoughts but evil spirits and their lies (Ephesians 6:2). Suffering then becomes an opportunity to develop our faith and trust in God, the only one who can be trusted. “We glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” We don’t simply accept suffering but look for God’s plan and work within it, helping to transform us.
Third, Stoics view relationships as vulnerable but secondary to an individualistic life, emphasizing independence. However, Christianity teaches us we need a faith community around us, describing fellow disciples as the “body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) who rely upon each other for mutual growth and support. Hebrews 10:24-25 further encourages us to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” and “not give up meeting together.”
Fourth, Stoicism relies on logic and rationality. Stoics value an impersonal, almost emotionless approach, seeking peace through detachment. In contrast, Christianity emphasizes love as the highest principle. Jesus teaches the two greatest commandments are to “love the Lord your God” and “to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Rather than detachment, God calls us to compassionate action driven by love. Like Jesus, Paul addresses a Greek-influenced culture with “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge … but I do not have love, I am nothing.” Reason and logic must submit to compassion and love or everything is in vain.
Finally, Stoicism teaches that inner peace comes through self-control, but Christianity offers a deeper, eternal peace and salvation through God’s grace alone. God’s peace applies to us here and for all time. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” An earned peace can be lost again. God’s eternal peace pre-exists us, and we can enter it through Christ’s sacrificial work, his resurrection, and the Father’s abundant grace, not of ourselves.
Should Christians Incorporate Stoic Principles?
In Acts 17:18, Paul addresses Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in Athens. He affirms their study and religious dedication, even acknowledging how they worship an “unknown God.” Paul’s speech in Acts 17 uses Greek ideas about a single divine source of life, but then he challenges the Stoics by asserting how this “unknown” God can be known. A personal God involves himself in history, distinct from the Stoic impersonal force.
Throughout Paul’s letters, his teachings connect with Stoic themes. In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul teaches us to be content in all circumstances, a popular Stoic principle. Paul contrasts the Stoic self-reliance with dependence on Christ. “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” As Paul had been educated in Greek philosophy, he uses a Stoic concept to introduce a greater understanding of faith and God’s grace beyond our own self-control. Additionally, Paul lists “self-control” as a fruit of the Spirit, as something the Holy Spirit manifests through us, not a virtue from ourselves (Galatians 5:22-23).
We might find some Stoic principles helpful for personal growth, especially in areas of individual discipline. The philosophy leads us to important goals, from inner peace to resilience, resting on something other than emotion for decision-making, and realizing what we can and can’t control. However, we should approach these goals from a different source, the Person of God and his work. Christianity centers our dependence on Christ, his grace, and transformation by the Holy Spirit.
Scripture encourages us to seek wisdom from the highest authority, God. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault” (James 1:5). God’s wisdom doesn’t depend on our achievement or self-reliance but the Father’s love and compassion. God’s word gives us a foundation for understanding how to navigate life’s difficulties. Psalm 119:105 teaches us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Further, God calls us to persevere not to prove our own logic or strength but in a secure hope of future, eternal good (Romans 8:28).
Incorporating Stoicism without spiritual discernment risks shifting our focus from God’s power to our own efforts, a type of legalism and idolatry. By grounding our practices first in Scripture and God’s revealed wisdom, we can have self-discipline and inner peace in a way that honors faith and gives glory where it belongs: to God. This journey leads to future good and reward.
What Can Christians Learn from Stoicism?
Stoicism brings us valuable lessons, especially in self-discipline, perseverance, and controlling our emotions. Stoicism teaches how we should face life's difficulties, control our reactions, and pursue living rightly. However, Stoicism will ultimately fail, perhaps even isolate us from the community and relationships God has for us. Like any philosophy, our efforts reveal our own inability and weakness, leading us to understand our need for God’s salvation and grace. We need to ground our worldview and thinking in Christ rather than any worldly philosophy.
Colossians 2:8 warns us: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition … rather than Christ.” Further, Romans 12:2 gives us the path to true transformation. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The opposite of conformity isn’t nonconformity but transformation. God’s thinking proves vastly different from our own, and through our relationship with him, he changes the way we think, aligning our thoughts with his. From our new thinking, we live new lives.
At the same time, Paul showed us in Acts 17 how we can take the goals of our modern philosophies and culture, whatever they may be, and use them to point to Christ and the Creator. In an age where many seek peace and hope, we can relate to these desires as humans and lift peoples' vision to the one, universal Gospel. Our words and actions reveal how true peace, purpose, and strength don’t reside in self-reliance but God. Through building these bridges, we help show others how Christ meets their deepest needs in ways philosophy could never do.
Peace.
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