Description:
A fresh interpretation of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. William Creasy explores the classic Christian guide to humility, discipleship, and the spiritual life.
Brief description:
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) was a medieval Dutch monk steeped in the mystical tradition of his time. A member of the Brothers of the Common Life, he was ordained a priest in 1413. His well-loved work, The Imitation of Christ, was written between 1420 and 1427 presumably as four booklets intended to instruct the novices of his community. It is one of Christian history's best-known works on spiritual devotion. This small book sidesteps academic pretension to consider larger truths. "A poor peasant who serves God," Thomas wrote, "is better than a proud philosopher who . . . ponders the courses of the stars."
Review Quotes: "William Creasy has done the Body of Christ a great service in giving us this translation. Through it, may The Imitation continue to nourish, refresh, challenge, and cajole Christians of all ages and anyone-believers and non-believers alike-seriously considering embarking on the spiritual journey. It would be difficult to find a more faithful, accessible, and easy-to-read contemporary English rendering of the text." --From the foreword by Rev. Dennis J. Billy, C.Ss.R., John Cardinal Krol Chair of Moral Theology, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
"William Creasy's version of The Imitation of Christ is more than a new translation of a timeless work. It is a re-creation of a 560-year-old classic that infuses it with life and meaning for contemporary readers." --Renovaré, Englewood, Colorado "For a long time I had nourished my spiritual life with the 'fine flour' contained in The Imitation of Christ. It was the only book which did me good, for I had not yet found the treasures hidden in the Holy Gospels. I always had it with me, to the amusement of my people at home." --St. Thérèse of Lisieux "The unchallenged masterpiece of devotional literature for half a millennium. Christians worldwide have been immensely enriched by this simple book." --Richard J. Foster, Christian theologian "The Imitation of Christ is a book that followed me through my days. Again and again I came across copies of it and the reading of it brought me comfort. I felt in the background of my life a waiting force that would lift me up eventually." --Dorothy Day, Founder of The Catholic Worker Movement