Product Description

The Imitation of Christ is the work of at least three men: Gerard Groote, Florent Radewijns, and Thomas a Kempis. The first two were founders of the Brethren of the Common Life, a lay religious society that flourished in the Netherlands from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century. Working on their manuscripts, first as a compiler and editor and then as a coauthor, was Kempis.

So successful were Kempis's efforts that the work became the golden treasury not only of their community but also of the contemporary spirituality movement known as the Modern Devotion. Its prescriptions might very well be known as the Perennial Devotion for its continual appeal through the centuries.

In its fifteenth century Latin original the Imitation was not a silken cord of consecutive prose. Rather it was a series of scratchings, the sort that a spiritual director would note down in preparation for sermons and addresses. What wasn't always in the original was exactly how Kempis developed each topic sentence or wisdom quotation as he delivered it.

In this new rendition William Griffin recovers the original experience of listening to Kempis as he taught and preached to his spiritual charges. Using a variety of literary and historical means, Griffin enhances the original, making the insights of this seminal exposition of Christian life more accessible.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1049393 in Books
• Published on: 2000-11-08
• Original language: Latin
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

From Amazon.com
A beautifully produced gift edition of Thomas a Kempis's The Imitation of Christ, newly translated by William Griffin (a noted expert on C.S. Lewis) renders this timeless classic in a contemporary idiom. Imitation consists of four sections that deliver exactly what they promise: "The Spiritual Life: What It Is & How It Works," "The Interior Life: Where It Is & How to Find It," "Internal Consolation: How Jesus Describes It & How the Soul Experiences It," and "The Sacrament of the Altar: How to Prepare for It & What It Tastes Like." Richard Foster, in his introduction to this edition, observes that Griffin's translation abandons the smoothly spiritualized serenity of earlier English versions. Instead, Griffin renders Imitation in "the gusts and grunts and hiccups and heehaws of the common fun of the earth" (a phrase borrowed from the poet Dylan Thomas). Foster is right; there is lots of funny stuff here and lots of raw emotion: "All-nighters of roister-doistery lead only to mornings of hugger-muggery, that's to say, of sickness and sadness." Maybe you've never considered the intimate connection between roister- doistery and hugger-muggery before. You will now, and you'll be better for it.

About the Author
Thomas À Kempis (1379/80-1471) was a member of the Brethren, priest, Augustinian monk, author of a dozen books, and copyist extraordinaire. He lived at and was a member of the Windesheim congregation at Agneitenberg monastery in the Netherlands for more than seventy years.

Customer Reviews

A Classic
The original work was composed somewhere in the 15th century, a devotional classic with origins in the Brethren of Common Life (a religious group in the Netherlands). Griffin brings this book alive once again, retaining Kempis's emotional scope originally found in the original (prior to the plethora of sometimes incorrect translations). There is a tinge of comedy herein, something which should appeal to most modern readers.

The Imitation of Christ has 4 sections: the spiritual life, the interior life, internal consolation, and the sacrament of the altar. One who follows the footprints left in sand by Christ must be ready to endure, and even suffer, trials and tribulations without recoil. Kempis says, "those who can't withstand temptations become the shipwrecked, cast adrift forever."

This book calls attention to a process of spiritual progression attained through diligent practice. A person must want to change. "Change your ways, give yourself a fresh coat of paint, convert yourself. Do all this, and you'll find the Cross before it finds you." This is much more than a symbolic "baptism" where one, in a moment of so called "utter clarity", accepts Jesus as his/her savior. No, this entails a commitment, a lifelong determination which cannot waver. This book can be life changing, if approached with an open mind. Enjoy!

True Inspiration............
William Griffin's translation of this great classic is truly inspiring. It is filled with wit, soul, humor and insight into the choices we make in following the teachings of Jesus Christ. This should be required reading for all Christians and non-Christians alike. There are so many catch phrases that keep running through my head. I read this book daily for inpiration. Moreover, once the reader is familiar with the text, you can go to those sections that pertain to the daily issues that challenge us daily. This book is a must for any "seekers" personal library. Thank you, Mr. Griffin for thia great translation and my God continue to bless you and your family......Chet Nichols, Northbrook, Illinois....(....)

Amazing!
The Encyclopedia Britannica calls it "The most influential work in Christian Literature." I'm going to have to disagree slightly and relegate it to 2nd place with the Bible still in 1st, however, this book is truly amazing. If the older versions read like the King James Bible, this one reads like the Message. Where else will you hear God say, "I'm miffed!"? Truly worth reading; this is a definite bridge to a classic Christian work for the younger generation.