The Imitation of Christ

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Summary: you never knew it could be this simple
Review: I absolutely LOVE this book. I love it because of it's simplicity. It's such a humble little book, so easy to read and understand. It's so easy to put into practice, because it is common sense in the most pure form. If you have ever wondered how saints are made, read this book. It is definitely a road map to sanctity. (St. Therese of Lisieux knew the whole book by heart).

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Summary: awesome
Review: I read this book perhaps more frequently than any other book. Quintessential Christian reading. Following Christ isn't just about joy. We are called to deny ourselves daily, and to carry our crosses. More than console, this book calls us to imitate Christ, to do the real tough work of living in humility and obedience. It is beautiful, passionate, powerful, and challenging. Read it.

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Summary: a must have
Review: I saw this book "THE IMITATION OF CHRIST" in our Catholic Church's bookstore, I just read a page and I made it sure I have several copies distributed to my family members as Christmas gifts. Everything that will inspire you and to have peace in your life is in this book! It is as if OUR LORD JESUS is talking to you and all life's situations are here portrayed and OUR LORD JESUS have answers and solutions to all of them and you will be carried away by reading these pages that you will forget the time. THIS BOOK IS OF THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF STARS. Because OUR LORD JESUS DESERVES THE BEST AND OUR BEST worship of HIM! GLORY AND PRAISE TO OUR GOD WHO ALONE CAN BRIGHTEN OUR DAYS. BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT AND EXEMPLIFY EVERY WORD AND YOU WILL FEEL THE SALVATION OF GOD. GOD BLESS US ALWAYS, Juanita

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Summary: Absolutely Excellent!!!!!!!!
Review: The author has a spirit of humility that permeates the entire work. He is a man of God indeed. What a legacy we have in this truly inspiring book! This is the kind of reading that will transform your life for the better.

Nuggets of truth are found throughout the whole book. The insight he shares is for any culture, any place, and all generations. His closing comments give a flavor of what one can find: "If the works of God were such that they could easily be comprehended by human reason, they would not rightly be called either wonderful or unspeakable."

This 500 year old book is so much more relevant today than a lot of what is being turned out on the press now. It helps you to put things into proper perspective.

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Summary: Aside from the Bible .......
Review: This is the most powerful religious work I've ever read. Written by Thomas a' Kempis in the mid 15th century, this book is very much akin to one written in the last century by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "The Cost of Dicipleship". Both books preach the stern message that the path to everlasting life comes through sacrifice and suffering here on earth. Thomas a'Kempis writes; "Take up your cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and you shall enter eternal life. He Himself opened the way before you in carrying His cross. He died for you, that you too, might take up your cross and long to die upon it. If you die with Him, you shall also live with Him, and if you share His suffering, you shall also share his glory".

Apart from the content.....I particularly like the layout of this book. It's divided into 4 smaller books each containing a numerous string of mini-chapters. These mini-chapters run approximately one to two pages in length and cover a diverse collection of religious thought focusing on love, humility, meditation, truth, etc. Each one poignantly written .....each one serving as a guideline for all. If your reading interests lie with the religious classics, your library will not be complete without adding this inspirational masterpiece to it. God Bless.

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Summary: Imitate Christ, Imitate His Church
Review: This version of Imitation of Christ is wonderful. Not only do we have the challenge of living as Christ would have us individually, the meditations on the documents of Vatican II lead us to imitate Christ through His Church.

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Summary: A wonderful devotional of great historical significance
Review: Thomas a Kempis was medival monk and priest (1380-1471) who served as chronicler of the monastery at Mt. St. Agnes. During his long life of scholarship, he wrote several biographies of church fathers and a number of devotional works. The "Imitation of Christ" remains his most famous work and the one that has best stood the test of time. Indeed, one of the wonderful things about this work is that it reminds us that the life of the mind is not a creature of the Enlightenment. Even during the so-called Dark Ages there were brilliant scholars with a wide knowledge of both scripture and philosophy. Reflecting its vibrant insight into the human condition, the "Imitation of Christ" remains influential on both sides of the Reformation divide. It reportedly was, for example, one of John Wesley's favorite devotionals.

The "Imitation of Christ" is divided into 4 books, each undertaking a basic theme for development. They are, respectively, the Spiritual Life, the Inner Life, Inward Consolation, and the Blessed Sacrament (i.e., the Eucharist). In turn, each book is sub-divided into numerous chapters, each a page or two long. All of which makes the "Imitation of Christ" a useful book for daily devotionals. One can skip around freely within the book, dipping in as the mood strikes. Yet, I think one is well-served by reading it through at least once. Only then does one see Thomas' thought in its fully-developed form. Do be sure to get a good translation. I am fond of the one by Leo Sherley-Price.

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Summary: Imitation: of Christ and of men.
Review: Thomas a Kempis' The Imitation of Christ is said to be the most read Christian book apart from the Bible. It is held to be one of the foremost devotional classics of the ages. While it is not difficult to see why this should be the case, I will be so bold as to offer some detraction. But first I must acknowledge what is praiseworthy in the writings of the 15th century Augustinian monk. The admonitions of Thomas generally fall into two categories: 1) to accept Christ's invitation to learn to become humble and gentle, and 2) to make sure that you do all the "religious" stuff (sacraments and so forth). The former consideration is a most important one for all Christians, and in fact for anyone who seeks wisdom and peace, the latter consideration is another matter...
In his admonitions for the Christian to turn from self-focus and to live in humility, these writings are wonderful. Thomas says, "Trust neither in your own knowledge nor in the cleverness of any human being; rather, trust in God's grace, for it is He who supports the humble and humbles the overconfident." Of the importance of humility to one's ability to learn, we find observations such as this:
"Those who think themselves wise are rarely humble enough to allow others to guide them. It is better to be a blockhead and a numskull, and to be humble about it, than to posses encyclopedic knowledge and be filled with self-conceit. Better to have little than much, if much is going to make you proud."
Thomas' fideistic admonitions to religious acts are less valuable. For example, he scolds monks for not getting up in the middle of the night to participate in hymn singing services and so forth. It may be helpful to here remind ourselves that, in these writings, the author is instructing young monks in the ways of being a good "religious."
Read those portions of this book that you find to direct you toward humility and becoming more teachable, while perhaps passing over others. Those "others" however, may be less troublesome to some Catholics and Orthodox than they will be to most Protestants. Ritualized doings are the teachings of creeds and of the "religious," they are not the teachings of Christ.

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Summary: Excellent view of a spiritual Christian life
Review: Whether you're a Christian looking for inspiration in your faith or a non-Christian after an amazing insight into the spiritual side of the church, this book won't disappoint! It is generally a pretty easy read with short chapters on defined topics. As such, the translation seems quite good. Thomas a Kempis soaks the pages with the love and peace that he has acquired from hir religion. The book contains many moral and ethical lessons on peace and humility that as needed in our world as ever. And this is done in a tone that is far from the dry dogmatic style of many other Christian fathers.

It's easy to see why, outside the Bible, this has been one of the most popular Christian books!

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Summary: Living a life in imitation of Christ
Review: Written in the 15th Century and directed towards monks, this is a devotional for Christian living and Monastic life. While noting the time period helps give depth to the historical backdrop of when Thomas was writing this book, it is perhaps more important to know the audience. The intended audience for The Imitation of Christ was monks. This is obvious in the text and it should be kept in mind while reading this work.

This highly influential work has a very simple message: live like Christ. Presented in this book, it is a very strict message. Thomas takes a very strict interpretation of following Christ and the message is very much rooted in the idea of works. It is the actions that one must perform, and not so much the inner state (though he does stress that the inner state is important). This would be a difficult message to take or to give, but again, we must consider the audience: monks living in a monastery. They must live a harsher life and because of their vows, this devotional makes perfect sense.

This can be read as a historical document in Christianity or as a devotional. Either way, one can find great value and and some illumination of the words of Christ through this volume.