The imitation of christ, image books, 1955 thomas a kempis was born in kempen, prussia in 79 into a family of artisans and metal workers. The inner life is taken from thomasa kempiss the imitation of christ, a classic christian devotional that has taught and inspired generations. Thomas a kempis 80 1471 read freely text sermons and articles by the speaker thomas a kempis in text and pdf format. Thomas a kempis and the imitation of christ david alton. However, the episcopal church honors him on this day, july 24. The inner life quotes by thomas a kempis goodreads. Thomas 801471 was a monk of the augustinian order a recent revival of the order of st augustine of hippo and a follower of the modern devotion. The interior life, thomas merton, and \the good that. It is a handbook for spiritual life arising from the devotio moderna movement, of which kempis was a member. They have transformed the way we see ourselvesand each other. Manuscripts of the latin version survive in considerable numbers all over western europe, and they, with the vast. The valley of lilies and the soliloquy of the soul. His father may well have been an artisan worker in metals, their family name haemerken is suggestive of a little hammer and kempen was known for its metal working.
Thomas a kempis was a late medieval catholic monk and best known as the author of the imitation of christ. Thomas a kempis, christian theologian, the probable author of imitatio christi imitation of christ, a devotional book that, with the exception of the bible, has been considered the most influential work in christian literature. Thomas a kempis 801471 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 wrote many devotional works, of which his masterpiece is the imitation of chritst.
A follower of gerard grootes modern devotion movement, a movement designed to. Conformity to the life of christ has always been an essential element of the catholic interior life. He spent his quiet life in cloistered devotion to god, reading and writing, and copying the bible. His parents, john and gertrude haemerken, were of the artisan class. Thomas a kempis books list of books by author thomas a kempis. Inner life penguin great ideas kempis, thomas a on. Kempis was a medieval monk and priest 801471 who served as chronicler of the monastery at mt.
Key terms and phrases to look for are trust in god, joy, peace, prideproud. His most wellknown work is the imitation of christ. It is his edition that is the imitation of christ thomas, a kempis. About the author 2004 thomas a kempis was born at kempen near dusseldorf in 80.
Sep 06, 2005 thomas a kempis was a medieval monk and priest 801471 who served as chronicler of the monastery at mt. He became a hermit before joining the augustinians at the priory of. Its exact date and its authorship are still a matter of debate. Part ii, treatise i, prayers and meditations on the life. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of jesus christ. In time these male followers merged their finances. His writings are all of a devotional character and include tracts and meditations, letters, sermons, a life of saint lydewigis, a christian woman who remained steadfast under a great stress of afflictions. It has been acclaimed as one of the greatest spiritual writings of all time. He who follows me, walks not in darkness, says the lord. Imitating christ and despising all vanities on earth. Thomas a kempis urges christlikeness christian history.
His work the imitation of christ is one of the most widely read christian spiritual books ever written and 2nd only to the bible. Nov 23, 2010 the imitation of christ by thomas a kempis was another oftread classic. This thomas, born about the year 80, was educated by the brethren of the common life, was moved to join their community, and was ordained priest. Although contemporaries considered him a saint, thomas was not named one by the catholic church.
The answer and common denominator to both these questions is the imitation of christ written in the fifteenth century by thomas a kempis, who died in 1471. His work the imitation of christ is one of the most widely read christian spiritual books ever written. This was a spiritual movement that stressed the importance of personal and inner spirituality as well as outward religion, and devotion to the person of jesus, and meditation. Who has a stiffer battle to fight than the man who is striving to conquer himself. Thomas a kempis the good devout man first makes inner preparation for the actions he has later to perform. The treatise of the imitation of christ appears to have been originally written in latin early in the fifteenth century. Watch for words and phrases like good life, do, serve god, useful. He focused on human unworthiness, self denial and mortification of the flesh, and the meaning of disciple of christ. Thomas a kempis died on the twentyfifth of july, 1471.
He was made subprior in 1429, but his outer life was not very eventful. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. Offering great literature in great packages at great prices, this series is ideal for those readers who want to explore and savor the great ideas that have shaped the world. Hymns on the imitation of christ by thomas a kempis. Thomas a kempis and the brothers of the common life. Here are some awesome quotes and sayings from thomas a kempis. Kempis was a german medieval christian monk who was born in the late 14th century.
These meditations on the life and teachings of jesus, written in times even more troubled and dangerous than our own, have become second only to the bible as a guide and inspiration. The inner life quotes showing 16 of 6 the more humble and obedient to god a man is, the more wise and at peace he will be in all that he does. Electronic text by christian classics ethereal library. The book is a collection of recommendations for how to live ones life daytoday in. The interior life, thomas merton, and \the good that wants. I have to admit that, outside of the context of the series, this fourteenthcentury catholic devotional tract is not something i would normally pick up, find interesting, or recommend to anyone except those with a. Book two contains suggestions drawing one toward the inner life. He was apparently accidentally buried alive, because splinters were later found embedded under the fingernails of his corpse. Hymns on the imitation of christ by thomas akempis. Oct 22, 2015 thomas a kempis was a medieval monk and priest 801471 who served as chronicler of the monastery at mt. Augustine monastery, including prayers and meditations on the life of christ, meditations on the incarnation of christ, of true compunction of heart, soliloquy of the soul, garden of.
Thomas a kempis was a german medieval christian monk who was born in the late 14th century. The school he attended at nearby deventer in holland had been started by gerard groote, founder of the brothers of the common life. The imitation of christ is a devotional that is held in extremely high regard particularly in catholicism. The school he attended at nearby deventer in holland had been started by. It is vanity to desire a long life and to take no heed of a good life. As you read book ii, watch for the treatment of the inner light, life, and strength. For five hundred years, this gentle book, filled with the spirit of the love of god, has brought understanding and comfort to millions of readers in over fifty languages, and provided them with a source of heartfelt personal prayer. Was a canon regular of the late medieval period and the most probable author of the imitation of christ, which is one of the best known christian books on devotion. By these words of christ we are advised to imitate his life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. He also possessed an earnest love for the poor and holy scripture. Thomas kempis was a medieval catholic monk and author of the imitation of christ, considered to be one of the bestknown christian books on devotion. Thomas a kempis, author of the imitation of christ, b. Originally named thomas hemerken, thomas a kempis 7980. Find more christian classics for theology and bible study at bible study tools.
Nov, 2014 vanity of vanities, and all is vanity, except to love god and serve him alone background 0. The imitation of christ by thomas a kempis was another oftread classic. In 99, at the age of nineteen, thomas a kempis 801471 became a monk at the augustinian monastery where he would spend the rest of his life. His writings are all of a devotional character and include tracts and meditations, letters, sermons, a life of saint lydewigis, a christian woman who. Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity, except to love god and serve him alone background 0. There are over 2000 counted editions over of which are preserved in the british museum. Thomas a kempis was a late medieval monk that underwent a monastic life.
If you cast away one cross, you will certainly find another, and perhaps a heavier. Article information, pdf download for turn away the world. His important works include a series of sermons to the novices of st. The book presents the idea that the study of christs life and the emulation of his example is the highest pursuit that man can achieve. Thomas a kempis was a medieval monk and priest 801471 who served as chronicler of the monastery at mt. Best known for the imitation of christ, thomas a kempis 801471 was a medieval augustinian monk and a mystic, educated by the brethren of the common life, and influenced by geert groote.
The imitation of christ by thomas i kempis, paperback. He attended deventer in the netherlands where he eventually joined the canons and was later ordained as a priest. During his long life of scholarship, he wrote several biographies of church fathers and a number of devotional works. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. Thomas a kempis, priest, monk, and writer 12011500. It was written in latin five hundred years ago and now brings comfort to millions of readers in over fifty languages. The imitation of christ, from which the inner life is taken, remains his most famous work. The imitation is based on meditations on the life and teachings of jesus, and emphasises the interior life and the centrality of the eucharist rather than an active. Before attending the university of erfurt and joining the augustinian order. Jul 08, 2015 blessed is the pilgrim, who in every place, and at all times of this his banishment in the body, calling upon the holy name of jesus, calleth to mind his native heavenly land, where his blessed master, the king of saints and angels, waiteth to receive him. This thomas, born about the year 80, was educated by the brethren of the common life, was moved to join their community, and was ordained. I have to admit that, outside of the context of the series, this fourteenthcentury catholic devotional tract is not something i would normally pick up, find. At the age of thirteen years, he left his family to join his older brother, john, who had ten or twelve years earlier traveled to. It is the most widely read devotional book after the bible.
Notes and questions for thomas a kempis 801471 the imitation of christ 1418 robert harris. Kempen, or thomas a kempis as he is now known, later translated a composite of their writings, essentially a spiritual diary, from the original netherlandish into latin is generally admitted by scholars. As you read book i, watch for thomas emphasis on the importance of a good, active life, for his belief that ones knowledge should affect ones behavior, and for the importance he places on humility and discipline. As editor and translator he was not without faults, but thanks to him the. His inner life, however, was deep and rich, filled with a genuine devo tion to christ. The inner life a name the people at penguin invented for their excerpts from thomas a kempiss famous the imitation of christ rounds out my first set of four great ideas volumes. The inner life is taken from thomasa kempis s the imitation of christ, a classic christian devotional that has taught and inspired generations. Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility for it thinks all things lawful for itself, and all things possible.
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