Jesus and Stoicism: The Parallel Sayings

Stoicism and Christianity--two of the world's great wisdom traditions--have been guiding people toward a good life for thousands of years. But how do they compare to each other? Jesus and Stoicism places these two revered traditions side by side to consider how the words of Jesus and the Stoics together can illuminate our path toward ethical understanding and inner peace.

By placing ancient texts, like the New Testament gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, Discourses and Handbook by Epictetus, Moral Letters to Lucilius by Seneca, and more, in dialogue with one another, we get a double dose of the compassion, forgiveness, generosity, and love expressed by these wise and inspiring teachers. Jesus and Stoicism focuses on the shared ethics and way of life common to both traditions, including:

Pursuit of wisdom and virtue Prioritizing internal integrity over external display Rejection of materialism, consumerism, and greed Universal love and care for all humans Emphasis on compassion and fellowship Insistence on social harmony, moral responsibility, and a just society