We have arrived at the most somber chapter of our “Non-Negotiable Rejections.” We have dismantled the Stoic’s impersonal God, his prideful self-sufficiency, and his small goal of tranquility. We have insisted that evil is real and must be fought with hope, not resignation. But now we must confront the final, logical conclusion of the Stoic… Continue reading The Problem of Suicide: A Point of No Return
Category: Philosophy & Worldview
The Problem of Evil: Stoic Resignation vs. the Hope of Glory
We have spent the last few articles rejecting the errors of Stoicism—its impersonal God, its idol of self-sufficiency, and its small goal of tranquility. Now we come to the place where philosophy hits the hardest reality of human existence: Suffering. Every man, if he lives long enough, will walk through the valley of the shadow of… Continue reading The Problem of Evil: Stoic Resignation vs. the Hope of Glory
Tranquility Is Not Enough
We are nearing the end of our “Non-Negotiable Rejections.” We have looked the Stoic worldview in the eye and said “No” to its Impersonal God and “No” to its Autonomous Self. We have refused to trade our Father for a fire, or our dependence for pride. Now, we arrive at the final divergence. It is… Continue reading Tranquility Is Not Enough
The Subtle Serpent of Self-Sufficiency
In our last article, we drew a line in the sand regarding the doctrine of God. We rejected the cold, impersonal Logos of the Stoics in favor of the warm, sovereign fellowship of the Triune God. We established that we are not cogs in a machine, but sons of a Father. Now we must turn our gaze… Continue reading The Subtle Serpent of Self-Sufficiency
The Impersonal Logos vs. The Personal Trinity
For the past several weeks, we have been engaged in the delicate work of “plundering the Egyptians.” We have walked through the Stoic camp, identifying valuable tools—virtue, duty, the dichotomy of control, and the concept of things indifferent—and we have shown how, when rinsed in the waters of baptism, they can serve the Christian life.… Continue reading The Impersonal Logos vs. The Personal Trinity
Things Indifferent? Paul, Adiaphora, and the Christian Conscience
In our study so far, we have established the theological warrant for engaging with Stoicism: the doctrine of Common Grace. We have argued that we should “plunder the Egyptians,” taking the gold of pagan insight and refining it in the fire of Scripture. We saw the Apostle Paul model this generally on Mars Hill in… Continue reading Things Indifferent? Paul, Adiaphora, and the Christian Conscience
Living According to Nature, Created and Redeemed
We have spent the last few articles in the “gymnasium” of Christian Stoicism, learning to wield specific tools: the Dichotomy of Control to steady our hands and the Ordered Affections to steady our hearts. We have seen that the Christian life is not a retreat from reality, but a disciplined engagement with it, fueled by the Spirit and grounded… Continue reading Living According to Nature, Created and Redeemed
Apatheia or Ordered Affections? A Christian View of Emotion
In our last article, we walked through the forest of virtue. We saw that the Stoic “stumps” of Wisdom, Justice, Courage, and Temperance are noble but dead until they are grafted into the living root of the Holy Spirit and watered by Faith, Hope, and Love. Now we must descend from the high ground of… Continue reading Apatheia or Ordered Affections? A Christian View of Emotion
The Four Stumps and the Three Trees: Cardinal vs. Theological Virtues
In our last article, we examined the Dichotomy of Control, refining it from a cold tool of resignation into a warm discipline of trust in Divine Providence. We established that the Christian life is not about detachment, but about entrusting the “sphere of results” to a Sovereign Father while fiercely attacking the “sphere of responsibility.” But… Continue reading The Four Stumps and the Three Trees: Cardinal vs. Theological Virtues
Providence and the Dichotomy of Control
We have now crossed the threshold. In our first module, Foundations, we established the “Why” and the “How” of Christian Stoicism. We excavated the history, justified the project theologically, and stress-tested the pagan worldview until it cracked. We concluded by watching the Apostle Paul on Mars Hill, giving us our marching orders to critical engagement. Now,… Continue reading Providence and the Dichotomy of Control