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...

"This is not everyone's favorite, but its on everyone's list. This is the most widely published and read book on spirituality in our tradition. It is amazing how well its medieval monkishness carries over into the modern world. When Dag Hammarskjold was killed in an airplane crash in Africa, the books found in his briefcase were the Bible and The Imitation."
--Eugene Peterson, from his book Take and Read

Next to the Bible itself, The Imitation of Christ is the most-published--and most deeply cherished--book in any language. For nearly 600 years, these thoughtful meditations on Jesus'...

The Imitation of Christ is the second most widely read spiritual book after the Bible. A spiritual classic it has had an astonishing impact on the lives of saints, peasants, and popes for centuries. It speaks to the soul of every Christian, reminding them of the fleeting nature of earthly joy and the eternity of happiness with God. Thomas a Kempis was a late Medieval Catholic monk and author of The Imitation of Christ, one of the best known Christian books on devotion. He was a copyist and writer, copied two Bibles. His important works include a series of sermons to the novices of...

DURING the last five centuries men and women, weighed down with the cares of life, have gathered strength and courage and comfort by reflecting on the thoughts of Thomas a Kempis. So personal is the message which his writings convey that, open them where you will, the passage that first meets the eye seems to be singularly suited to the needs of each individual soul. With the philosophy, reflections and quotations in the works of this ascetical writer are interwoven beautiful prayers, concealed like hidden treasures, just as in Holy Scripture the prayers which so effectively touched the Heart...

The Imitation of Christ (Latin: De Imitatione Christi) by Thomas a 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, where Kempis was a member. The Imitation is perhaps the most widely read devotional work next to the Bible, and is regarded as a devotional and religious classic. Apart from the Bible, no book has been translated into more languages than the Imitation of Christ. The text is divided into four books, which provide detailed spiritual instructions: "Helpful Counsels of...

It is difficult to imagine that something written in the early 15th century could still have any import or agency today, but The Imitation of Christ, composed by Thomas a Kempis in the first half of the 1400s, has attained widespread publication and translation and is still considered required reading for devout Christians. What sets it apart from other works of that age is the approach taken by Kempis in how the reader should emulate his Christ; instead of going out and living as Christ lived, Kempis instructs that isolation and a withdrawn existence provides the necessary environment for...

Find the path to following Christ in one of the most treasured devotional books of all time. Encouraging the renunciation of worldly vanities and vices, Thomas Kempis shows us how to lead a disciplined and simple spiritual life modeled on the teachings of Jesus. This beautifully bound edition contains the unabridged text of the original four books, prayers and reflections to apply the readings to everyday life, and a helpful appendix.