Customer Reviews

The Imitation of Christ (Hendrickson Christian Classics)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Thomas' work is a call to the experience of God in the tradition of medieval spiritual writings. He calls the reader to the disciplines of obedience, humility, and self-denial. If we suffer in this world, we are only to take it as a reminder that our hope and our reward are not here (I.12). We should avert ourselves from the pleasures and conceits of this world to focus on silence and solitude (I.20). Jesus is to be loved more than anything in the world (II.8).

Book three, by far the longest of the four, focuses on renouncing the world for the sake of inner peace. Here Thomas sounds a hint like a Buddhist, unflappable and unaffected, but rather than hoping for the destruction of self as an end in itself, he is hoping for another world that makes this one pale in comparison. Written as a prolonged dialogue between Christ and "The Disciple," we are told, "I desire to have you wholly divested of self" (III.37). Like many works of monastic or medieval spirituality, we seem to receive a lot more on what we are to give up than on the benefits of doing so. In a rare break with the flow of the text, Thomas gives us a rhapsody on the beauty of love (III.5). Aside from that, the primary benefit of self-denial seems to be freedom of conscience.

Book four concludes with a praise of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the importance of preparing one's heart for it before receiving it, and the power of being brought into the presence of God through it. This is apparently either the source of or a supreme example of our union with Christ, experienced as we take his body into ours to become his body.

Overall, a powerful call to humility and self-denial that are the prerequisites for the experience of the presence of God.

Another Christian Classic that stands head and shoulders above most of the rest. This book is written so that you can read it for 5 minutes a day and be truly blessed. Thomas `a Kempis insight into the human condition is truly timeless. The spiritual condition of man in the 1400's was not different than today. Times may change but man remains the same.

This book was first given to me by a law school professor who was Catholic. I was a bit unsure of the book at first because I was not Catholic. It is a wonderful book. It has practical applications for all, regardless of what faith they hold. I have given this book to several people since it was first given to me. A must have for any library.

This book is amazing. I have since bought several other copies for family and friends. The author seems to deal with all of your personal issues, even those ones that you wouldn't share with others. It's a must read.

I read this book for the first time over 40 years ago. Recently picked it up again and was so impressed that I gave copies to each of my daughters at Easter. You can open to any page and find a message of profound value for your life. It bears repeated readings and reflection on its truths.
Sincerely,
Dianne Luzzi

Have you ever desired more God in your life? The Imitation of Christ provides readers a strong example of a pure and holy Christian walk. Touching on many specific subjects you can feel the connectedness Thomas a Kempis felt with Jesus and his deeper understanding of spiritual truths. This book is great for daily meditations and a inspirational example of a man walking closely with Christ and in harmony with those around him.

This wonderful book was written by the priest Thomas a Kempis in the 1400's and is very reminecient of the Apostle Paul's writings by encouraging readers to live a simple spiritual life. It recommends that peace is found in the heart of the humble and that in overcoming the ego you overcome the world. Joy is found in a quiet conscience and you are only happy when you have done what is right. This may also be the original source of the advice to choose the less of two evils. It also warns that pleasure and desire carry the seeds of sorrow. This book is spiritual focusing on living the inner life and not getting entangled with the world. A must read for all Christians or anyone on a spiritual path.

Any inspirational book, and this is truly a great one, is welcome today, to help us stay focused on our goal, that is our Lord, to help us navigate on these rough seas that are our hectic lives. Thomas A Kempis brings us a lengthy prayer, a conversation between Jesus Christ and His disciple. We can identify and feel humbled because the words of Christ are a succession of His quotes from the New Testament, only put in the context of a conversation. This way we learn real wisdom, biblical wisdom, but also we see the other side: that of the struggling follower, the man who has trusted Christ with his faith and now wants to grow more and more in Him, because once you've known the Lord you can't help but loving Him more and more. A classic for any Christian's book shelf.

While the binding and all aspects of appearance of the Hedrickson Christian Classics are stunning, the content was soft peddled compared to the original.
Obviously designed for collectors, it looks great on bookselves. Hedrickson should have concetrated on cover design and quality binding and left the translation to the original translators.

"Imitation of Christ" is one of the most widely read Christian spiritual works of all time. In the Middle Ages only the Bible had a wider readership. After you start reading it, it becomes immediately obvious why this would be the case: its approachable style and the perennial good advice that emanates from its every page make this an incredibly readable and inspiring book. The book is not strictly speaking an invitation for modeling one's life on particular historical events in the life of Jesus. This is no "What Would Jesus Do" manual. Rather, it's a distillation of the wisdom and teachings of Christianity as presented primarily in the Bible and the early Church Fathers. The result is a fascinating work of spiritual insight that has proven to have timeless practical relevance to the lives of Christians throughout the centuries.

The book also places a strong emphasis on growing one's faith within the Church. The last part of the book is almost entirely dedicated to the veneration and reflection on the Eucharist. Unfortunately, in recent years there has been a diminishing appreciation of Church's sacramental gifts, even within Christian communities that had traditionally placed a great emphasis on this particular way of getting closer to Christ. Hopefully reading this book may rekindle some of that appreciation in a reader who has not thought about it much lately.

Whatever your Christian tradition may be, you will take a lot from this insightful and inspirational book. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in deepening their spiritual life.