The Flaw in an Impersonal Relationship

Much of the knowledge pertaining to virtue is the resulting work of Stoics, such as Plato, Aristotle, and Marcus Aurelius. Stoicism can be referred to as the foundation of Christianity however, the lack of a personal relationship with “The One” or God prevents Stoics' souls from reaching their great potential.

Principally, Stoics fundamentally believed that “every event that occurs in the cosmos, from the most important to the most trivial, was fated to occur, and determined to occur” (Brennan, 235). They were fatalists. Furthermore, Stoics, as a whole, tended to view the physical and intellectual world in analytical and logical terms. In Stoicism and its Influence, R. M. Wenley makes the point that “the Stoics attempted to frame a theory of the physical universe, of the individual man as he finds himself under compulsion in this universe and, combining the two, to formulate a rule of life in conformity with Reason” (75). Consequently, Stoics wanted to achieve an other-worldly understanding of the physical and intellectual world they resided in. Moreover, the most important contribution to their central argument was that the highest good lies in virtue, and that the final purpose for man is to achieve happiness.

To achieve said good, many Stoics, like Plato, believed a set, careful process primarily focused in education and meditation was necessary. Marcus Aurelius, a Roman Emperor and Stoic, believed that through “following after the things produced according to nature”, one could begin to develop a virtuous soul, as shown in his Meditations (Book III: 2). Continuing his discourse of Platonic and Aristotelian principles, in Book II, line 7, Aurelius advises his reader to “give thyself time to learn something new and good, a...

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... (Romans 16: 25-27). In addition to reading these sacred texts, Christians had to abandon logic and reason and simply rely on their faith in order to achieve this happiness.

In conclusion, the wisdom achieved through Stoic principles is the foundation of the Christian religion. However, the impersonal relationship central to Stoic philosophy prevents its followers from obtaining the glorious after life known to Christians. The element of reason woven into the foundation of Stoicism greatly hindered the potential of its believers. Unlike the Stoics, Christians' personal relationship with their monotheistic God not only endows them with the instructions necessary to daily life, but also eliminates all mystery regarding the after life. Christians know without a single shred of doubt that their eternal life with their monotheistic God will be full of peace and bliss.