The Stoic God and the Christian Logos

The Stoics believed in God. But what was their conception of God like? How does the Stoic conception of the "Logos" compare with the "Logos" of the Christian New Testament? In this clip from episode 240 of the Parker's Pensées Podcast, Stoic philosopher, Dr. Michael Temblay helps me think through the Stoic understanding of God and the nature of the divine spark in mankind.
Watch the full episode here: • Should You Be A Stoic?...
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ parker's pensées

Watch the full episode here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hICWZnmNic2biNk

[@JohnnyHofmann]

Still one of my favorite conversations on this podcast. It’s interesting to learn about the metaphysics of stoicism as usually only the ethics of stoicism are emphasized in popular culture.

[@chrisraper6181]

I was just reading commentary (by Keener) about John 1 and the possible influences on John's view of Logos. Keener's view is that John's influence would have come mostly through Philo's middle Platonism rather than directly from the stoics. So an episode exploring Philo could be a way to further explore this topic. Thanks for making this!

[@rosetactical5055]

I have been working on what may become a book one day,( hoping) but its on the choice of men, it starts with the Garden Choice when God told Adam he could eat of all the trees in the garden except for the tree of knowledge of good and evil, this was the beginning of "free will" for man. i would like your thoughts if you have time. but in my studding I came across this quote but I don't remember who said it. "In the same way, God's freedom means He is free to do anything CONSISTENT with His nature, God can not choose or even desire evil, not because some bigger outside force constrains Him but because it contradicts with His very nature." (not word for word) but in short God has free will to do any and everything with in His nature, if it would go against His nature its not an option not for lack of power, only because its not who God is. so God can choose or not choose to do things, like make man or flood the earth in Genesis it speaks of God making a choice to flood the earth and only spear Noah and his family. so yes God dose have free will to do or not do what He wants as long as it lines up with His nature. love the videos brother, God bless.

[@D.E.Metcalf]

Have to check out the longer video! I know Calvin engages with the Stoics in his Institutes, and I wonder how to Michael would respond to some of Calvin’s distinctions.

[@antoniopioavallone1137]

It's true that the Stoic God is different from the theistic and christian God since the former is generally seen as material and impersonal, while the latter not. But Seneca and especially Epictetus' God seems to be, if not immaterial, without a doubt personal. Both of them insists that it was a duty to worship and pray to God and they were against the idea that God is indifferent to the universe, like epicureans believed.

[@crunchybroll4731]

The stoic "god" being nature and the ordered structure of reality really seems similar to me of Buddhism

[@fresnoniiji]

Buddhist still have an idol though. Logos is not a deity like Jesus or Buddha. It's closer to atheism

[@lukekrell5665]

I am an Open Theist. I do believe that God deliberates... that he has real time thoughts and decisions and that he is capable, under some circumstances, of changing his mind.

Nice, I think I mentioned that you guys believe that right?

[@lukekrell5665]

Yep. @

[@geomicpri]

So you believe God doesn’t know some things that are true (such as what He’s going to decide tomorrow)?

[@lukekrell5665]

@@geomicpri So I think there are things which are currently undecided. They are not yet determined. If God knows something, then in some sense of the word it has already been determined. I think there are things which are not yet determined.

[@geomicpri]

@@lukekrell5665 What supports your intuition that there are things which are currently undecided? If God knows something, then it is part of His knowledge, which means it is unchanging. Either God knows what I had for breakfast this morning or He doesn’t.

[@quixodian]

Logos is arguably more like dharma in Eastern religions which is 'law' 'duty' and 'principle'. Buddhism is often compared with Stoicism on those grounds. However I don't know if Stoicism had the belief in re-birth, so nothing corresponding to Nirvana (release from re-birth), rather more like being optimally adjusted to conditions.

[@yourneighborkevin]

Acts is generally ascribed to Luke, not Paul. Acts 17 is about Paul, so maybe that’s the connection you were making.

[@ParkerNotes]

Did someone say that Acts was written by Paul in this clip? I mentioned Paul in Acts 17 but I didn't say he wrote the book of Acts did I?

[@MichaelMechsner]

Genesis would agree with the stoic vision of creation being good as God created it. The interesting departure with stoic philosophy would be the fall. Perhaps that heads back to stoic vision of man and his moral basis?

I think they'd agree with Plato on moral sin being born of ignorance

[@MichaelMechsner]

Second law of thermodynamics - the fall reflected in nature?