Book Review: The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis

“You are fairer than the children of humanity; grace is poured into Your lips: therefore God has blessed You forever.”

-Psalm 45:2

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“Those who say they abide in Him, ought themselves also to walk, even as He walked.”

–1 John 2:6

Book Review: The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis -- Fans of "The Imitation of Christ":

A Brief History of Gerard Groote, "The Brethren of the Common Life," "The Devotio Moderna," & Thomas à Kempis

In early 1380, feeling himself under constraint to go forth and preach, layman Gerard Groote began going from place to place calling men to repentance, proclaiming the beauty of Divine love, and bewailing the relaxation of ecclesiastical discipline and the degradation of the clergy.

His sermons influenced many thousands to adopt and follow his teaching, which sparked an entire movement known as “The Devotio Moderna” (“The Modern Devotion”).

This was essentially a “lay monastic” movement which also called for reform in the Church. A small band of followers attached themselves to Groote and became his fellow workers; these were the first “Brethren of the Common Life.”

The reformer Groote was opposed by the clergy, whose lax corrupt lives he denounced as “decadent and evil” in his preaching.

His zeal for purifying the Catholic faith and the morality of its followers won many to his cause. Even members of the clergy enrolled themselves in his brotherhood.

The Brethren of the Common Life; who did not form an order or congregation strictly so called; had become obnoxious to the mendicant friars, and the object of their attacks.

To remedy this, Gerard Groote advised on his deathbed in 1384, that some of the brethren should adopt the rule of an approved Order.

His successor put this advice into effect. Six of the brethren, carefully chosen as specially fitted for the work, among them John, elder brother of Thomas à Kempis, were sent to the Augustinian monastery of Eymsteyn to learn the usages of the Canons Regular.

Probably as a result of this decision, the Brethren of the Common Life were eventually approved by the Pope.

Thomas à Kempis, a member of The Brethren of the Common Life, would follow his brother into the Augustinian Order.

As a Monk there, he was appointed Instructor of the Novice Monks, and wrote The Imitation of Christ as a Devotional Instruction Manual specifically for them.

“Be an imitator of me, as I am an imitator of Christ…”

-1 Corinthians 11:1

“The religious who meditates devoutly on the most holy life and passion of our Lord will find all that he needs to make his life worthwhile.

In fact, he has no need to go beyond Jesus, for he will discover nothing better.” _____________________

“Hold fast to Jesus both in life and in death and commit yourself to His steadfast love, for He alone can help you when all others fail.”

-Thomas à Kempis

Book Review: The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis -- Meditation On the Spiritual Life

From the Book’s Back Cover:

“Only the Bible has been more influential as a source of Christian devotional reading than The Imitation of Christ.

This meditation on the spiritual life…written by the Augustinian Monk Thomas à Kempis between 1420 and 1427, it contains clear instructions for renouncing worldly vanities and locating eternal truths.

No book has more explicitly and movingly described the Christian ideal:

“My son, to the degree that you can leave yourself behind, to that degree you will be able to enter into Me.”

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Our Comments:

The Imitation of Christ is indeed a unique book. It is loved equally by Roman Catholics and Protestants, and this was true even at the time of the Reformation!

How can this be?

Thomas à Kempis in this book speaks almost exclusively about Jesus, and the importance of putting Christ first in the spiritual life of the believer. How to grow in Christ is the theme of this book. It is not an intellectual study, it is a book of the heart.

I read it the first time all the way through, and have listened to it on audio about six more times since, skipping the fourth section. The book is written in four sections, the first three exclusively about Jesus.

The fourth section is on the Eucharist, and seems to take specific Doctrinal stands in one of the most controversial Christian areas, something we as a ministry make a practice of avoiding. I think most Evangelicals will simply skip this last section, also.

Billy Graham said he considered it his favorite book after the Bible. It is the most printed book in the world after the Bible.

For myself, I have to say that my favorite book after the Bible is Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I no longer know how many times I have either read or listened to in AudioBook format: I lost track after about thirty. I still listen to it once every year, and always receive some new insight.

But this is just my opinion concerning these two books: you will arrive at your own conclusions about them.

-Lay Monk S.G. Preston ____________________________________________________________________________

The Imitation of Christ

Chapter 1

The Imitation of Christ and Contempt for the Vanities of the World

“Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,” says the Lord. These are Christ’s own words by which He exhorts us to imitate His life and His ways, if we truly desire to be enlightened and free of all blindness of heart.

Let it then be our main concern to meditate on the life of Jesus Christ… ____________________

The Brethren of the Common Life

Thomas Hemerken (or Hammerlein; both mean: little hammer), born in Kempen, Germany, is better known today as Thomas à Kempis (Latin for: Thomas of Kempen).

Founded by Gerard Groote, members of The Brethren of the Common Life who desired to serve God as their full-time occupation could do so by becoming monks and living in one of the Brethren’s monasteries.

This is what Thomas did. By that time, the Brethren’s monasteries had affiliated with the Augustinian Monastic Order.

However, The Brethren of the Common Life was primarily a lay religious organization spearheading the Devotio Moderna movement that swept through the Low Countries in a wave of revival that brought many to Christ.

Gerard Groote’s Devotio Moderna teaching was a call for a return of the heart to Jesus Christ.

It is this teaching which has been preserved for us in Thomas’ Imitation of Christ.

The Imitation of Christ: Book II, The Interior Life, Seventh Chapter

Blessed is he who appreciates what it is to love Jesus and who despises himself for the sake of Jesus. Give up all other love for His, since He wishes to be loved alone above all things.

Affection for creatures is deceitful and inconstant, but the love of Jesus is true and enduring. He who clings to a creature will fall with its frailty, but he who gives himself to Jesus will ever be strengthened.

Love Him, then; keep Him as a friend. He will not leave you as others do, or let you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you will or not, you will have to part with everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail.

Your Beloved is such that He will not accept what belongs to another–He wants your heart for Himself alone, to be enthroned therein as King in His own right…

You will find, apart from Him, that nearly all the trust you place in men is a total loss. Therefore, neither confide in nor depend upon a wind-shaken reed, for “all flesh is grass” and all its glory, like the flower of grass, will fade away.

You will quickly be deceived if you look only to the outward appearance of men, and you will often be disappointed if you seek comfort and gain in them. If, however, you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find Him.

Likewise, if you seek yourself, you will find yourself — to your own ruin.

For the man who does not seek Jesus does himself much greater harm than the whole world and all his enemies could ever do.

SAyiNGS Of tHE dESERt fatHERS (AbbA NiLuS & AbbA pOEMEN):

“Abba Nilus said:

‘Do not be always wanting everything to turn out as you think it should, but rather as God pleases, then you will be undisturbed and thankful in your prayer.'”

“Abba Poemen taught:

‘Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.'” ____________________________________________ -Sayings of the Desert Fathers

JOHN cASSiAN, EpHREM tHE SyriAN, AuGuStiNE, AtHaNaSiuS, JOHN cLiMAcuS:

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“It is useless to boast of fasting, vigils, and reading of Scripture, when we have not achieved love for God and for our fellow man.”

-St. John Cassian (c. 360-c. 345 A.D.) Author: “The Conferences” and “The Institutes”

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“At the beginning of the conversation He (Jesus) did not make himself known to her, but first she caught sight of a thirsty man, then a Jew, then a Rabbi, afterwards a prophet, last of all the Messiah. She tried to get the better of the thirsty man, she showed dislike of the Jew, she heckled the Rabbi, she was swept off her feet by the prophet, and she adored the Christ.”

-St. Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306-373 A.D.) Prolific Author: Including Over 400 Hymns

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“Many times have I spoken and regretted it, but silence I never regretted.”

-St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) Author of Over 70 Books Including: “Confessions” (His Autobiography) and “The City of God”

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“To fast is to banquet with angels.”

-St. Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373 A.D.) Author: “On the Incarnation

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“Control your appetites before they control you.”

-St. John Climacus (c. 579-649 A.D.) Author: “The Ladder of Divine Ascent”

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