Stoic Theology: Revealing or Redundant?
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MARETEC—LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
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School of International and Public Affairs, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Religions 2019, 10(3), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10030193
Received: 12 February 2019
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Revised: 8 March 2019
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Accepted: 8 March 2019
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Published: 14 March 2019
With the notion of advancing a modern Stoic environmental ethical framework, we explore the philosophy’s call to “living according to Nature”, as derived from ancient Stoic theology. We do this by evaluating the orthodox (ancient) viewpoint and the contemporary criticisms levelled against it. We reflect on the atheistic interpretations of Stoicism and their associated call to “live according to the facts”. We consider the limitations that this call has when applied to societal, and particularly non-human matters. We do not undertake this research with the aim of determining which view of Stoic theology is right or wrong. However, we contest one of the assumptions of the heterodox approach, namely that the Stoic worldview is incompatible with modern scientific thinking. Indeed, we demonstrate how Stoic theology, far from being outdated or irrelevant, is actually refreshingly contemporary in that it provides the tools, scope and urgency with which to deliver a far more considerate ethical framework for the 21st century. Finally, we suggest where Stoic theology can help practitioners to reframe and respond to environmental challenges, which we argue forms part of their cosmopolitan obligation to take care of themselves, others and the Earth as a whole.
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Keywords:
environmental ethics; climate change; nature; orthodox theology; pantheism; Stoicism; sustainable development; virtue ethics
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MDPI and ACS Style
Whiting, K.; Konstantakos, L. Stoic Theology: Revealing or Redundant? Religions 2019, 10, 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10030193
AMA Style
Whiting K, Konstantakos L. Stoic Theology: Revealing or Redundant? Religions. 2019; 10(3):193. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10030193
Chicago/Turabian StyleWhiting, Kai, and Leonidas Konstantakos. 2019. "Stoic Theology: Revealing or Redundant?" Religions 10, no. 3: 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10030193
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