The Imitation of Christ
Publisher: Standard Ebooks
Published: 2021
Language: eng
Subjects: Catholic Church -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Spiritual life -- Catholic Church -- Early works to 1800; Meditations -- Early works to 1800
Description: <p><i>The Imitation of Christ</i> is a Christian devotional book dating to the early 15th century, originally written anonymously but popularly attributed to <a href="https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/thomas-a-kempis">Thomas à Kempis</a>. A popular piece of religious literature since it was first circulated, the <i>Imitation</i> is divided into four books that instruct the reader to forego worldly goods, to follow Christ, and to receive the sacrament of Communion, all in order to attain spiritual peace. Admired by numerous Christian theologians and mystics throughout the course of centuries, it is today considered to be the most-read Christian devotional work besides the Bible, going through over 745 printings before 1650. The <i>Imitation</i> even found an audience in India with the 19th-century Hindu philosopher-monk Ramakrishna, who cherished it along with the <i>Bhagavad Gita</i> as one of his favorite books.</p>