Much of the knowledge regarding virtue is the result of the work of the Stoics, such as Plato, Aristotle, and Marcus Aurelius. Stoicism can be considered the foundation of Christianity, however, the lack of a personal relationship with "The One" or God prevents the souls of the Stoics from reaching their great potential. Primarily, the Stoics fundamentally believed that “every event that occurs in the cosmos, from the most important to the most insignificant, was destined to happen and determined to happen” (Brennan, 235). They were fatalists. Furthermore, the Stoics, as a whole, tended to view the physical and intellectual world in analytical and logical terms. In Stoicism and its Influence, RM Wenley points out that "the Stoics attempted to formulate a theory of the physical universe, of individual man as he finds himself constrained in that universe, and, by combining the two, to formulate a rule of life. in accordance with Reason” (75). Therefore, the Stoics wanted to achieve a supernatural understanding of the physical and intellectual world in which they resided. Moreover, the most important contribution to their central argument was that the highest good lies in virtue and that man's final goal is to achieve happiness. To achieve this good, many Stoics, such as Plato, believed that a precise and careful process, primarily focused on education and meditation, was necessary. Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor and Stoic, believed that by "following the things produced according to nature" one could begin to develop a virtuous soul, as shown in his Meditations (Book III:2). Continuing his discourse on Platonic and Aristotelian principles, in book II, line 7, Aurelius advises his reader to "give yourself time to learn something new and good, a...... middle of paper ...... (Romans 16:25-27). In addition to reading these sacred texts, Christians had to abandon logic and reason and simply rely on their faith to achieve this happiness. In conclusion, the wisdom gained through Stoic principles is the foundation of the Christian religion. However, the impersonal relationship at the heart of Stoic philosophy prevents its followers from obtaining the glorious afterlife known to Christians. The element of reason built into the foundation of Stoicism greatly hindered the potential of its believers. Unlike the Stoics, Christians' personal relationship with their monotheistic God not only provides them with the necessary instructions for daily life, but also eliminates any mystery regarding the afterlife. Christians know without a doubt that their eternal life with their monotheistic God will be full of peace and happiness...