Comparing Christianity and Stoicism Essay

During the 5th to 15th-century, or the “Medieval Period,” people were afraid and relied on their God/gods to be protected from the pelage of which they thought was the wrath of God. In the medieval time people made their own god/gods to protect themselves, many people made their own gods and made them into different religions such as Christianity or native American religions. These religions can differ from how they believe the world was created, or how people are created,even other Native American stories can be similar by their stories on the great flood. Two religions such as Christianity and native American religions can be the example of how two religions can be both similar and different at the

The Christian worldview believes in trinity, which means God is a trinity of persons. That is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are one. This was evident during creation. In Genesis 1:26 states “then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on

Stoicism made the transition from an intriguing foreign philosophy to a popular practice because it was taken up by several high profile figures. Scipio Africanus, the original esteemed Roman Stoic died in 129 BCE, but about 40 years later a new crop of celebrated Romans took up the Stoic practice. During the fall of the Roman Republic a group of famed orators, generals, and statesmen including Marcus Junius Brutus (85-42 BCE), Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BCE), Pompey the Great (106-48 BCE), and Cato the Younger (95-46 BCE) all professed themselves Stoics. This group of powerful statesmen and leaders practicing Stoicism disseminated it throughout Rome. Octavian (63 BC- 14 AD) who later became Caesar Augustus had a Stoic tutor and many

Using proven facts and methodologies, the author supports her argument that various faiths can coexist outside of a singular perspective. Ward acknowledges every faith has defining guidelines followers must embrace, but maintains the

Throughout the history of Christianity, there have been many different ideas on how a Christian should interact with the world in which they lived. From the biblical writings of The Gospel according to Matthew, and The Acts of the Apostles, to the non-biblical writings of On Philosophy, and The Prescription Against Heretics, the ideas of Christianity were brought together. The two non-biblical documents highlight the arguments of whether or not Christians should study Greek philosophy. The books from The Bible showed that Christian beliefs focused on how one should primarily seek their ultimate reward or satisfaction in the Kingdom of God (spiritual), rather than in the here and now (temporal). Christianity, as it began, was a faith that emphasized the importance of acting charitable towards the less fortunate, while understanding that it was ones duty to worship God and spread that love for Him to those who didn’t believe.

The author Marcus Aurelius helped bring together Stoicism and Christianity with his book Meditations which highlighted ideas shared by the gospel of John from the New Testament. In this book Aurelius discusses Logos, which describes a person’s purpose and place in this world as well as the next. Groups of ideas that are meant to cultivate the soul and rely on daily inner reflection, also known as askesis, are appealing to me. Knowing about the sack on Jerusalem and how the Jews were slaughtered and starved as told by Titus Flavius Josephus makes Christianity less appealing for me. I do not want to be treated like a Jewish person and be murdered for my beliefs. Because the religions are so closely related I would constantly have to point out the differences in my faith and character and still I would be persecuted by the Romans. My family has a long tradition of honoring the Roman Gods and this practice has never treated me poorly, so why should I switch

Christians are usually viewed in the same way, from one perspective. The perspective in which Christians are viewed is one created by themselves. Robert L. Wilkin’s main purpose for the book The Christians as the Romans Saw Them was to provide his audience with another viewpoint, one of Greeks and Romans. Wilkin describes this book as “a portrayal of pagan criticism of Christianity from its beginning in the early second century to the time of Julian in the late fourth century,” (Wilkin, xvii). Wilkin’s intent in his writing of the book is to analyze what pagan observers once said and then, attempts to coincide their views with the religious and social impacts of the world.

Zoroastrianism was a huge influence on the formation of Christianity. There are multiple links between the two religions while Zoroastrianism pre-dates Christianity by hundreds of years. The evidence found through archaeological discovery and from the beliefs of present day Zoroastrianists points to one conclusion: that although Christianity and Zoroastrianism are seen as two very different religions, their cosmologies are so intertwined that is hard to tell which came first until looking at the physical evidence. The core beliefs are similar and how each religion predicts what will happen at the end of time are, as well. For some Christians, it hard to look at the evidence without it shaking their beliefs, but by taking an outsider’s perspective, one can begin see that religions are evolving throughout the millennia. Three main topics arise when comparing the two religions: the creation story, the story of the savior, and the revelation story. The relationships between these two religions shows that religions may not only be divinely inspired, but also inspired from past religions. This gives people the idea that faith evolves through the ages to better suit the current culture or state of society.

Neighboring Faiths a Christian Introduction to World Religions. 2nd ed. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012. Print. Dashti, Naseer.

Since the dawn of time, religion has been the staple of humanity. It has been our explanation for the unexplainable, as well a way for us to form a community with those around us. Due to the natural diversity of humans, a varied set of separate religions has formed throughout the world. Religions continue to adapt and inspire each other, however, they all have their differences, as well as internal differences through the observations of each believer.

In the early, 300’s A.D, Christians were severely persecuted for abandoning their ancestral faith. Many Christians were tortured and killed for continuing to practice their faith when Roman laws forbid them. However, under the leadership of Emperor Constantine and his successor Theodosius, Christians were free to practice without persecution. The strengthening relationship between church and state resulted in the end of religious persecution of Christians and the acceptance of Christianity. This essay will show how Roman laws changed the placement of Christian in society and ultimately the future of Christianity.

Mediaeval Christians were educated in a culture derived from antiquity. They learned to admire the heroes of ancient Rome and Greece, and their great poets and philosophers. Lucretia, Regulus, Cato, Virgil and Aristotle, for example, seemed obviously to have been virtuous people. But Christian doctrine appeared to go against this conclusion: all people are affected by Original Sin, in such a way that they cannot act well consistently, and so be virtuous, without divine assistance. The route to this divine assistance was through faith – precisely what these pagans lacked. Moreover, if such pagans were genuinely virtuous, then it would be unjust for God to damn them, and yet there seemed to be biblical warrant that no one without faith is saved. This, in outline, is the problem that pagans posed to Mediaeval Christian thinkers.

The task at hand is quite impossible, especially in a ten-page paper. I am about to compare two entire religions, that is two entire belief systems that certain individuals have devoted their entire lives towards; that generations have sought to follow, further, and protect with their lives. I will attempt to do this, but please bear in mind that my personal views will inevitably surface to a great degree and I will be prone to taking sides. I believe in fact that these two systems are poles apart and have very few similarities indeed. In this sense I am forced to conclude that they are hugely incompatible and that very few people will be able to accept both. In other words, a person who is

At first glance the traditions of Christianity and Buddhism appear very different from each other. One centers around a God that was at one time physically manifest on earth in the human form of his "son" Jesus Christ, the other primarily worships a historical figure that gained divine status through enlightenment. This assessment is broad at best, especially in the case of Buddhism where the Theravada and Mahayana traditions differ significantly. Christianity also has division within itself, the most prominent being between the Roman Catholic and Protestant systems. There are however, despite obvious differences, some very interesting similarities between Buddhism and

Christians believe that Jesus is both God and man, incarnation of God, and man -gives man two natures, physical and divined that they are united in one person. Thus the mystery of God becoming a human being, Jesus, and suffered and died, and Mary (Jesus' mother) was the mother of God. God resolved himself to mankind in 3 ways, as God the father, God the sun and the Holy Spirit. From this we can see that Christianity is based on the