Posted On
Topics
Alumni
Share
When a Roman emperor’s private journal, a medieval monk’s prayer book, and a modern recovery mantra all speak the same moral language, an illuminating conversation emerges—one that bridges philosophy, faith, and the art of living.
On November 5, Emmanuel welcomed Dr. Massimo Pigliucci, the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York, for the Louise Doherty Wyant ’63 Lecture. His topic, “Two Paths, One Wisdom: Discovering the Common Ground Between Stoics and Christians,” explored how these two ancient traditions have continuously shaped Western moral thought for more than two millennia. In his talk in the Janet M. Daley Library Lecture Hall, Dr. Pigliucci outlined the profound, practical connections between the two paths.
From the Painted Porch to the Early Church
Stoicism, he explained, began in the open air of ancient Athens, where the Greek merchant-turned-philosopher Zeno of Citium taught under a public colonnade—the stoa poikile, or “Painted Porch.” Zeno and his successors, including Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, argued that virtue is the only true good and that happiness comes from reasoning well, living in harmony with nature, and accepting what lies beyond one’s control.
By the first century A.D., Stoicism had spread across the Roman world. When Christianity emerged within that same empire, the two traditions began to intersect. The Apostle Paul’s letters, Dr. Pigliucci noted, echo Stoic themes of self-mastery and moral endurance; St. Augustine’s Confessions adapt the Stoic practice of daily self-examination; and early Christian writers drew on Stoic moral philosophy in shaping practices of moral reflection and spiritual discipline.
Even the modern Serenity Prayer, familiar to anyone who has attended a recovery meeting, echoes Epictetus’s teaching that “some things are up to us and others are not.”
At its core, Stoicism teaches that a good life depends not on wealth, reputation, or success, but on the cultivation of wisdom and moral character. Living well, Dr. Pigliucci said, means living “according to nature”—not in the sense of returning to the wilderness, but in accordance with human nature: rational, social, and capable of cooperation and moral reasoning.
To the Stoics, happiness is an inside job. “It doesn’t come from possessions or status,” Dr. Pigliucci said. “It comes from your judgments, your choices, your internal convictions.”
The Stoics distinguished between what is “up to us”—our thoughts, decisions, and moral will—and what is not: health, fortune, or the actions of others. Wisdom lies in focusing on the former and accepting the latter with equanimity.
Philosophy as Practice
Dr. Pigliucci emphasized that Stoicism was never an abstract theory—it was a daily practice. Ancient students began each morning by envisioning the challenges ahead, trained themselves in “negative visualization” to anticipate setbacks calmly, and ended each day with self-reflection: What did I do well? What did I do poorly? What can I do better tomorrow?
They also cultivated perspective through exercises like the “view from above,” imagining themselves first from a rooftop, then from miles above the Earth—reminding themselves that most troubles are small in the cosmic scheme.
Another Stoic exercise, memento mori, urged practitioners to remember mortality not as grim fatalism but as gratitude. “When you realize life’s brevity,” Dr. Pigliucci said, “you stop wasting it.”
Shared Aspirations, Distinct Foundations
The lecture’s central question—how Stoicism and Christianity intertwine—revealed striking convergences and crucial differences.
Both traditions, he noted, seek a virtuous and meaningful life, teaching endurance through suffering and the cultivation of moral discipline and compassion. But their foundations differ: for the Stoics, God is an impersonal rational order—the logos pervading the cosmos; for Christians, God is personal and loving, a Creator distinct from creation. Stoicism emphasizes reason and self-mastery; Christianity, faith and grace. Still, Dr. Pigliucci observed, “Both paths aim at the same thing—a life worth living, guided by wisdom, justice, courage, and compassion.”
From Ancient Philosophy to Modern Psychology
Dr. Pigliucci also traced Stoicism’s influence on modern science and therapy. In the 1960s, psychologists Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis drew directly from Stoic thinkers such as Epictetus to develop Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)—now one of the most widely practiced forms of psychotherapy.
“CBT is Stoicism with data,” he said. “Both start from the same insight: it’s not events themselves that disturb us, but our judgments about them—and if we can change our judgments, we can change our lives.”
The philosopher’s humor surfaced throughout the evening. Quoting Epictetus, he recounted how the Stoic teacher once advised a student angered by an insult to practice shouting at a rock. When the student protested that he felt foolish, Epictetus replied, “Precisely—that’s the point.”
“The only harm an insult can do,” Dr. Pigliucci explained, “is the harm you inflict on yourself by taking it personally. Freedom begins when you realize you can choose your response.”
A Legacy of Humanistic Inquiry
The Wyant Endowed Professorship and Lecture Series, established by the late Louise Doherty Wyant ’63 and her husband, Dr. James Wyant, honors Sister Anne Cyril Delaney, SNDdeN, a beloved professor of English who taught at Emmanuel for 26 years. The series continues Sister Anne’s legacy of connecting intellect and humanity by bringing distinguished voices in the arts, history, and philosophy to campus.
This year’s lecture did just that. By revealing the shared pursuit of wisdom in both Stoicism and Christianity—and by connecting ancient moral exercises to modern psychology—Dr. Pigliucci reminded the Emmanuel community that philosophy is not a museum piece but a way of life.
“The good life,” he said, quoting Marcus Aurelius, “is one lived in accord with nature—one lived with purpose, integrity, and gratitude.”
