Stoicism emerged in Hellenistic Greece as a new way of reasoning. A way to fulfill one's spiritual duty. It quickly became one of the most important postclassical Greek philosophies. For the purposes of my analysis, I focused on the period from 100 BC to 100 AD. During that time period, Stoicism became extremely influential in the Roman Empire. It was no longer just a Greek school; it became a semi-official philosophy for the Roman elite. During this period Christianity also began to emerge. Through influential missionaries, such as Saint Paul (10-67 AD), Christianity began to spread and gain recognition, despite the fact that the Roman Empire was predominantly pagan during the 1st century. Ironically, many early Christian writings often appear, on the surface, to reflect Stoic philosophy. The tantalizing similarities lead me to ask the following question: Was Stoicism a foundation for Christianity? In answering this question, I will compare the similarities and differences between Stoic and Christian writings and the influence of Stoicism. Scholars have differing opinions on whether or not Stoicism was one of the main foundations of Christianity. Some, such as Otto Pfleiderer in his book Primitive Christianity and Charles N. Smiley, in his article “Stoicism and Its Influence on Roman Life and Thought,” argue that Stoicism was the foundation of Christianity. Both scholars make claims about similarities between thoughts and phrases found in Stoic and Christian texts and conclude that Stoicism greatly influenced early Christianity. In Early Christianity, Pfleiderer makes claims regarding the "remarkable parallels with thoughts and phrases in the writings" (41) Seneca, Stoic philosopher, and the Apo...... middle of paper......Bréhier, Emile. "Stoics and Stoic philosophy". The Catholic Encyclopedia. vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. Web April 27, 2011. The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha. 4th ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2010. Print.Grant, Frederick C. “St. Paul and Stoicism”. The Biblical World 45.5 (1915): 268-281. Network. April 5, 2011.Pfleiderer, Otto. Early Christianity: Its Writings and Teachings in Their Historical Connections. Trans. W. Montgomery. Ed. William D. Morrison. vol. 1. London: Williams & Norgate, 1906. Print.Smiley, Charles N. “Stoicism and its Influence on Roman Life and Thought.” The Classic Journal 29.9 (1934): 645-657. Network. April 5, 2011.Stob, Ralph. "Stoicism and Christianity". The Classic Journal 30.4 (1935): 217-24. Network. April 14. 2011.