It's fascinating to see the ways these four movements have helped mold the Western worldview as it is typically practiced today. With the Cynics, some have chosen to retreat from our rampant materialism and seek truth and life in nature or asceticism. This approach is especially popular with some of so-called Generation X, young people soured on the materialism of their parents.

Others are more Stoic in their fatalistic approach to life--many in my parents' generation demonstrate enormous resignation to hard times and resilience in the midst of them. Still others are Epicurean in their pursuit of pleasure and happiness, often to extremes which Epicurus condemned--I think of some of my contemporaries and their definitions of success and purpose. And the post-modern relativism and rejection of absolutes can be traced to the ancient Skeptics. Truth is only what I say it is. And you should believe me.

As we watch the early Christians deal with these competitors for the soul, we find ways to take Christ to our culture today. For no generation since the post-Socratics is more like them than we are. We'll see how, next.