Can Someone Be a Christian and a Stoic?

It’s a question that comes up often—can Stoicism and Christianity coexist in one life?

The answer, like most things in Stoicism, begins with clarity.

Stoicism is not a religion. It’s a philosophy—a practical framework for how to think, act, and live with virtue. Its teachings on self-discipline, compassion, humility, and acceptance have resonated with people of many faiths across centuries.

“Accept whatever comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny, for what could more aptly fit your needs?” — Marcus Aurelius

For Christians, much of Stoicism may feel familiar: the call to forgive, to act justly, to focus on the inner life rather than outer appearances. The key difference is that Stoicism places reason—and the pursuit of virtue—as the highest good. Christianity places faith in God at the center.

Can they coexist? For many, they already do.

If your faith calls you to love your neighbor, Stoicism may help you respond calmly when it’s hard. If your faith calls you to endure suffering with grace, Stoicism offers tools to hold your character steady.

What Stoicism asks is not for belief, but for practice. And if your practice is shaped by both faith and philosophy, then the question becomes: Are you living with integrity? Are you becoming who you’re meant to be?