Presented at the A Contemplation of Glory Conference 2021.

In his epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul makes it clear that we ought to do what is right, not as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ. In his epic poem, the Iliad, Homer presents the struggle for glory, embodied in his epic hero, Achilles. What can we learn from Achilles about the struggle for glory? What is glory in the mind of the ancient Greek and how does that compare to the glory in the mind of the first century Christian? What do they both contribute to the idea for us today, that we may know how to pursue, receive, and give glory? We ourselves are often in pursuit of glory or are the recipients of it. We are also bestowers of glory, to our children, to our students, to our co-workers, to our spouses. In this talk, Matt Bianco will think through what glory is and where it comes from, but also what that means for us in our everyday life and interactions by examining the plight of Achilles and the teachings of Scripture.