A More Stoic Christianity

How might we see a Christianity that marries stoic philosophy to Christian theology? What would the resulting religion look like?

My initial thought was for Marcus Aurelius to protect Christians from persecution, or at least seek to restrain local officials. Note that the Emperor need not be genuinely sympathetic to Christians, merely viewed even more positively by the early church communities.

Alternatively, we could have a successor to or analogue of Paul with a background as a stoic philosopher that helps to set Christian theology on a stoic intellectual foundation.

Would either of those be effective? Or, would Stoicism reduce the broad appeal of Christianity to potential converts?
 
This kind of happened OTL, but it took until the Middle Ages for Philosophy to lose its pagan stigma. The biggest barrier is overcoming the revulsion early Christianity had towards anything that had a hint of association with Paganism.

Perhaps as a result Thomism might acquire more of a Stoic bent. IIRC it was more towards the Renaissance that thinkers started to integrate Stoicism with Christian philosophy.
 
Christian theology does sort of borrow from stoic philosophy heavily. Not only do concepts such as the logos draw heavily from stoic thought, but I recall that the surrounding areas of Jerusalem/Nazareth (basically anywhere a historical Jesus could have gone) was a center of Stoicism's sister philosophy in cynicism.

In short, the metaphysics of stoicism have been a big part of Christianity's nature as a hellenised abrahamic faith.

What IS missing is the contemplative tradition of meditations, the ethics and existential vision of stoicism that (IMO) makes you a stoic in the true original sense.
To this end it could be difficult. I mean in terms of pure doctrine, faith and trust in Christ is meant to alleviate suffering, true bliss coming to those dedicated to him. Alleviating suffering in the stoic sense however is a rational exercise where though developing ones virtues one should achieve Ataraxia.

I think you would need a significant and more theologically driven stoic ofshoot that worships something nebulous like the one (yes I appreciate that stoics often did worship a nebulous one, but I mean this becoming an emphasis of their ofshoot rather than a byproduct of their reasoning) in a similar way to how Neoplatonism survived through Christianity.
 
What IS missing is the contemplative tradition of meditations, the ethics and existential vision of stoicism that (IMO) makes you a stoic in the true original sense.

What do you mean by contemplative tradition ? Because, well, the psalter, the Rosary, mental prayer, lectio divina, chant -- these are all very ancient Christian practices with their roots in the earliest times. Do you mean some very specifically Stoic form of meditation ? Christianity does have a very strong and significant place for meditation, mental preparation, enlargement of the heart, spiritual exercises. That's the Catholic mystical and meditative practice. In the East, there's the Jesus prayer, the chotki rope, etc.

A good way to remove the apparent lack of meditation in modern times would simply be to nip Protestantism in the bud or permanently reunite the East to the West. For the overwhelming majority of Christian history, there were monasteries all over and prayers at certain hours of the day, or else regular liturgical ceremonies and a significant amount of time spent on chanting psalms, using prayer ropes and beads, mental prayer, making prostrations, etc. Modern praxis is actually remarkably strange, at least according to historical Christian standards.

To this end it could be difficult. I mean in terms of pure doctrine, faith and trust in Christ is meant to alleviate suffering, true bliss coming to those dedicated to him. Alleviating suffering in the stoic sense however is a rational exercise where though developing ones virtues one should achieve Ataraxia.

That is actually pretty similar at the higher levels of mystical devotion. The idea is to embrace the will of God by embracing one's cross, surrendering oneself to Divine Providence. And, in that, one will find true joy even in this life. (See the Spanish mystics, St John Climacus, Spiritual Exercises, etc.)

One also sees the attitude of ataraxia in the Desert Fathers, being indifferent to the things of the earth, and in monasticism generally. At least to a certain extent. Likewise, St Augustine consoled himself with the saying of a wise man, in reference to the incoming Vandals, "He is not a great man who thinks it much that wood and stones fall and mortals die."

I think the unique circumstances of our own time might shroud from us the similarities between Stoicism and Christian philosophy.
 
I cant remember the word for it but I know that there is still meditation and contemplation. We did it in high school where we would all go and kneel before a special cross made of gold with the Eucharist placed in the center. We would all pray and such for around like an hour or so. Thats seems like meditation to me or do you mean something else.
 
I cant remember the word for it but I know that there is still meditation and contemplation. We did it in high school where we would all go and kneel before a special cross made of gold with the Eucharist placed in the center. We would all pray and such for around like an hour or so. Thats seems like meditation to me or do you mean something else.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

There's this document too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspects_of_Christian_meditation

As Beausoleil noted, there's a tradition that has been around for centuries. Society has just neglected to notice it in the present day. Stoicism was somewhat incorporated into it, along with Cynicism, Neo-Platonism, and Aristotelianism.
 
I cant remember the word for it but I know that there is still meditation and contemplation. We did it in high school where we would all go and kneel before a special cross made of gold with the Eucharist placed in the center. We would all pray and such for around like an hour or so. Thats seems like meditation to me or do you mean something else.

If the Eucharist was placed in the center, the cross was called a monstrance. The form of prayer, as noted by M. Thiers, was called Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. If a priest also held the monstrance and used it to bless those present, then you were also present at Benediction, wherein one is blessed with the Eucharist before adoring It.
 
What do you mean by contemplative tradition ? Because, well, the psalter, the Rosary, mental prayer, lectio divina, chant -- these are all very ancient Christian practices with their roots in the earliest times. Do you mean some very specifically Stoic form of meditation ? Christianity does have a very strong and significant place for meditation, mental preparation, enlargement of the heart, spiritual exercises. That's the Catholic mystical and meditative practice. In the East, there's the Jesus prayer, the chotki rope, etc.

A good way to remove the apparent lack of meditation in modern times would simply be to nip Protestantism in the bud or permanently reunite the East to the West. For the overwhelming majority of Christian history, there were monasteries all over and prayers at certain hours of the day, or else regular liturgical ceremonies and a significant amount of time spent on chanting psalms, using prayer ropes and beads, mental prayer, making prostrations, etc. Modern praxis is actually remarkably strange, at least according to historical Christian standards.



That is actually pretty similar at the higher levels of mystical devotion. The idea is to embrace the will of God by embracing one's cross, surrendering oneself to Divine Providence. And, in that, one will find true joy even in this life. (See the Spanish mystics, St John Climacus, Spiritual Exercises, etc.)

One also sees the attitude of ataraxia in the Desert Fathers, being indifferent to the things of the earth, and in monasticism generally. At least to a certain extent. Likewise, St Augustine consoled himself with the saying of a wise man, in reference to the incoming Vandals, "He is not a great man who thinks it much that wood and stones fall and mortals die."

I think the unique circumstances of our own time might shroud from us the similarities between Stoicism and Christian philosophy.
To answer your first question, I did indeed mean specific stoic meditations.

I agree that there are similarities. Ultimately the position of Christianity's rising means that it inherited a lot of philosophical discourse from the stoics and cynics. But there are enough fundamental differences that honest movements like neo-stoicism came about trying to bridge the gap.
 
To answer your first question, I did indeed mean specific stoic meditations.

Well, do you have some examples ? It might be doable.

I agree that there are similarities. Ultimately the position of Christianity's rising means that it inherited a lot of philosophical discourse from the stoics and cynics. But there are enough fundamental differences that honest movements like neo-stoicism came about trying to bridge the gap.

Sure. I know that Seneca has always had a certain influence in Christian writings.
 
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