The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis

The Imitation of Christ has appeared in more editions and in more languages than any other book except the Bible. Samuel Johnson once remarked to Bowell that it “must be a good book, as the world has opened its arms to receive it.” Others have praised it as well, including Thomas Carlyle, George Eliot, Thomas De Quincey, and Matthew Arnold. Among the religious, St. Ignatius Loyola translated it, and Pope John Paul I was said to have been reading it the night that he died. It has been standard fare in religious training and personal devotion for centuries. Yet today, few people know the Imitation and those who do more often than not think it hopelessly out of date, a pre-Vatican II relic, full of contempt for the world and self-loathing. It is a curious state of affairs, and one that reveals more about a contemporary audience's response to the book than it does about the book itself. When a contemporary reader encounters a line such as “this is the highest wisdom: through contempt of the world to aspire to the kingdom of heaven,” his response is a very different one from that of a fifteenth- or nineteenth-century reader. For an “uninformed response” (as Stanley Fish would say) to the contemptus mundi theme, the reader must draw deeply on a vast complex of literary, linguistic, historical, and theological knowledge. Creasy's translation of the Imitation strives to recreate a text that provides an analogous experience to that of the fifteenth-century reader. Relying heavily on reader-response theory, he incorporates an “informed reader's” response into the text itself. Where possible, the text echoes both the deep structure and the surface structure of the Latin—even to the point of replicating sentence structures and rhetorical devices while avoiding any distortion of the reader's experience. Although the language and style of his translation has been crafted for modern readers, the fervor and power of the original text have not been lost. This translation will undoubtedly bring The Imitation of Christ a new generation of readers.

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The Imitation of Christ

One of the most influential and well-loved books of Christianity, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis appears here in Penguin Classics in a new translation by Robert Jeffery, with an introduction by Max Von Habsburg, notes, a chronology and further reading. The Imitation of Christ is a passionate celebration of God's love, mercy and holiness, which has stimulated religious devotion for over five hundred years. With great personal conviction and deep humanity, Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) demonstrates the individual's reliance on God and on the words of Christ, and the futility of a life without faith, as well as exploring the ideas such as humility, compassion, patience and tolerance. Thomas spent some seventy years of his life in the reclusive environment of monasteries, yet in this astonishing work he demonstrates an encompassing understanding of human nature, while his writing speaks to readers of every age and every nation. Thomas à Kempis was born at Kempen near Dusseldorf in 1380. He received the priesthood in 1413. Thomas wrote many other devotional works besides The Imitation of Christ, his masterpiece, as well as biographies of Gerald Groote and Florentius Radewyn. He died in 1471. The Very Revd Robert Jeffery was born in 1935 and ordained in 1959. He has written on matters of Church history, spirituality, mission and ecumenism. In 1978, he became Archdeacon of Salop, and was Dean of Worcester from 1987-96 and subsequently Canon and Sub-Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. He retired in 2002 and is an Hon Doctor of Divinity of Birmingham University. Max von Habsburg is the author of Catholic and Protestant Translations of the Imitatio Christi 1425-1650 (2011).

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Of the imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis tr by F A Paley

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The Following of Jesus

Complementing The Imitation of Christ, Thomas à Kempis's devotional classic of the 15th Century, with a message that speaks to our own time, Boff sets out a manual based on the following of Jesus, an approach that takes into consideration the meaning of discipleship in a world of conflict, and acknowledges our emerging understanding of cosmic evolution.

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The Imitation of Christ for Children

A guide to how to accept Jesus and follow His principles in everyday life is based on the work "The Imitation of Christ," and adapted for children.

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The Imitation of Christ

Thomas a Kempis was not a haphazard follower of Jesus. The depth of his masterpiece mirrors the life of a man who did whatever was necessary to imitate his own Savior. A Kempis lived as intentionally as he wrote. We must turn away from the things of this world, we must live sacrificially, we must be inundated with Christ's passionate teaching, and we must pray to be removed from distraction. A classic in every state of the word, The Imitation of Christ places the fruit of one man's single-minded devotion to God's calling on his life within the reach of every reader. May we all commit to be this effective in our emulation of Jesus. Moody Classics Of all the factors influencing our spiritual growth and development, pivotal books play a key role. Learning from those who have walked the path and fought the fight brings wisdom and strengthens resolve. And hearing the familiar chords of kingdom living sung by voices from other times can penetrate cultural barriers that limit our allegiance to the King. To this end, Moody Publishers is honored to introduce the first six volumes in what is to be an ongoing series of spiritual classics. Selected for their enduring influence and timeless perspective, these new editions promise to shape the lives of spiritual pilgrims for generations to come.

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The Confessions of St Augustine The Imitation of Christ

Contents: The Confessions of St. Augustine, with introduction, and notes.

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The Imitation of Christ

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The Imitation of Christ Webster s Chinese Traditional Thesaurus Edition

This edition is written in English. However, there is a running Chinese Traditional thesaurus at the bottom of each page for the more difficult English words highlighted in the text. There are many editions of The Imitation of Christ. This edition would be useful if you would like to enrich your Chinese Traditional-English vocabulary, whether for self-improvement or for preparation in advanced of college examinations. Webster's edition of this classic is organized to expose the reader to a maximum number of difficult and potentially ambiguous English words. Rare or idiosyncratic words and expressions are given lower priority compared to "difficult, yet commonly used" English words. Rather than supply a single translation, many words are translated for a variety of meanings in Chinese Traditional, allowing readers to better grasp the ambiguity of English without using the notes as a pure translation crutch. Having the reader decipher a word's meaning within context serves to improve vocabulary retention and understanding. Each page covers words not already highlighted on previous pages. This edition is helpful to Chinese Traditional-speaking students enrolled in an English Language Program (ELP), an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program, an English as a Second Language Program (ESL), or in a TOEFL or TOEIC preparation program. Students who are actively building their vocabularies in Chinese Traditional or English may also find this useful for Advanced Placement (AP ) tests. TOEFL, TOEIC, AP and Advanced Placement are trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which has neither reviewed nor endorsed this book. This book is one of a series of Webster's paperbacks that allows the reader to obtain more value from the experience of reading. Translations are from Webster's Online Dictionary, derived from a meta-analysis of public sources, cited on the site.

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The Imitation of Christ 100 Copy Collector s Edition

The Imitation of Christ is a Christian devotional text divided into four books, which provide detailed spiritual instructions. The books are characterized by their emphasis on the interior life and withdrawal from the world, as opposed to an active imitation of Christ by friars.

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The Christian s Pattern Or a Treatise of the Imitation of Christ Written Originally in Latin by Thomas a Kempis With a Preface Containing an Account of the Usefulness of this Treatise Directions for Reading it with Advantage and Likwise an Account of this Edition Compared with the Original and Corrected Throughout by John Wesley

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The Theology of the Imitation of Christ According to St Bonaventure

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Of the Imitation of Christ Today

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The Imitation of Christ

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis is a Christian devotional book. It was first composed in Latin ca. 1418-1427. It is a handbook for spiritual life arising from the Devotio Moderna movement, of which Kempis was a member.

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The Imitation of Christ

The Imitation of Christ is a charming instruction on how to love God. Protestants and Catholics alike join in giving it praise. John Wesley, Thomas Merton and John Newton all put it among the works that have deeply influenced them. Few books have had so extensive a circulation: Originally written in Latin in 1418 (we know of 545 different Latin editions), there are 1,000 different editions preserved in the British Museum alone. It has appeared in English since 1502. With Confessions of Augustine and Bunyan s The Pilgrim s Progress it occupies a front rank, if not the foremost place, among useful manuals of devotion. This small book, free from intellectual pretensions, has had great appeal to anyone interested in probing beneath the surface of life. The Imitation of Christ has come to be, after the Bible, the most widely translated book in Christian literature. Now available in an easy-to-read large print edition."

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Beyond Self

Beyond Self, an adaptation of The Imitation of Christ, will challenge readers to live a life that mirrors Christ.

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The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis Translated from the Latin by Richard Challoner

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Seeing with the Eyes of Love

As we learn to rejoice in “Lord God, thou holy lover of my soul,” we begin to glimpse the transformative power of divine love in our lives. In this anecdotal, warm, and intensely practical commentary on Thomas a Kempis’s Imitation of Christ, Easwaran examines this enduring Christian passage line by line to show us what love is and how to overcome obstacles to loving more fully.

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The Imitation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Recommended to us as even better than The Imitation of Christ, and we think it is! Written for everyone, and everyone should own it. In this book Jesus is speaking to the reader -- through the author, of course -- in short, easy-to-understand chapters that are filled with wisdom. Thereafter the student of the spiritual life -- representing ourselves -- speaks to Jesus. Renders a unique and powerful effect upon the soul! One of the best spiritual books you can acquire; great for beginners as well as those advanced in the spiritual life. Impr. 734 pgs, PB

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The Imitation of Christ

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