What It Means To Be A Stoic Christian - Daily Blog 057
Learning about views others have on life, and other philosophies is a great way to understand what this life. As a follower of Jesus, my authority is with the Bible and as I read different views about how to conduct life my daily Bible reading acts as my filter.
We all need truth to hold on to, else we'll fall into a spiral of ever seeking and never finding.
For me, that truth is the Bible and for many good reasons. One is how different it is compared to every religion. Looking at the beliefs of the world, they all start with one guy getting some secret revelation and then he went off and convinced others he was correct. Those of us that follow Jesus and the Bible it's the opposite. Jesus did not show his resurrected and glorified body to just one person but hundreds!
That fundamental difference, combined with how my life changed after believing in Jesus is the reason I am so sure that what the Bible says is indeed truth beyond any other.
Where Christianity and stoicism split, I think, is that the Christian can be elevated through suffering, while the Stoic merely endures it.
We literally become more like Christ when we suffer. It's one reason I think that God didn't simply snap His fingers to redeem us, but showed us how much He loves us by feeling what we feel.
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So true! Thanks for the great comment <3
It's interesting that you post about Stoicism. I just started reading the Gregory Hays translation of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations a few days ago. I have read the book many times over the years, but this translation is new to me.
(So far I am enjoying it, btw. Having read it translated into older forms of English so many times, reading a very modern translation is bring new life to the dead words)
I'm glad to hear you are opening to reading and studying other philosophies. I know many Christian schools teach a good grounding in world religion and philosophy (some of the best Buddhist and Eastern thought conversations I have ever had have been with Christian ministers) but I also know that many Christians avoid anything other than the Bible.
You may enjoy this: https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/stoics-influenced-christianity/
I remember coming across it a while ago and your post reminded me. (Btw the great courses daily is a great resource to subscribe to if you like random bits of knowledge)
Anyway, it's interesting to read your thoughts on the matter. Thanks :)
Thanks for the link, I'll check it out asap. And thanks for taking the time to read the post.