Showing results by author "Thomas Á Kempis" in All Categories

First published anonymously in 1418, Thomas à Kempis's The Imitation of Christ is a classic Christian devotional work that has been read through the ages by such notable figures as Sir Thomas More, John Wesley, and Pope John Paul I. A meditation on spiritual life, it offers instructions for renouncing worldly vanity and discovering eternal truths with the goal of living out the teachings of Jesus by taking inspiration from his life.

This widely read classic is one of the most influential Christian works and has served as a spiritual guide to many since its first publication in 1418. It describes the internal path to Christ-likeness and emphasizes the importance of personal dedication and commitment to God’s will and example. This devotional handbook also stresses prayer and communion as necessary aspects of growing closer to and more like Christ.

« Depuis longtemps je me nourrissais de « la pure farine » contenue dans l' Imitation … j'en savais par cœur presque tous les chapitres, ce petit livre ne me quittait jamais, en été, je le portais dans ma poche, en hiver dans mon manchon » (Sainte Thérèse de Lisieux, manuscrits autobiographiques). L'étonnante fortune de cet ouvrage tient du prodige car aucun autre, sans en excepter les livres bibliques, n'a eu, en France, le quart des traductions qu'on y a faites de l' Imitation .