This author shares to a great extent the things he observed (and had done)back in the 1400's. If we look at where we are and what we do today, not much has changed. Thomas during his life as a monk had every opportunity to live a Christ liven life and he indeed appears to be close to Jesus. Today, although we have TV, internet, etc. - it seems to be tough just to become part of what the author discusses. Other than the Bible, this is a must read for both Catholic and Protasant.
A Catholic or Christian Classic
A great book on how to transform ourselves into being more Christlike. Most protestants I run into dont know about this book and are thoroughly impressed with it even though they may have an aversion to all things Catholic. Makes a great gift. I have purchased about 4-5 different versions. Some versions or translations are more recommended than others, obviously searching for a more modern version without thees, thous is to be recommended. This particular version although with modern English references King James Vers bible quotes with thees and thous. Good and Bad.
"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.
This digital edition of the book brings it to the twenty-first century. I find it very convenient to have a spiritual book like this one accessible from the variety of electronic devices. That way I can turn to it whenever I have a need for some words of spiritual guidance and wisdom.
The only issue that I have with this edition of the book is its unnecessarily archaic translation. All the "thee"s and "thou"s may make one more cognizant of the venerable age of this work, but with modern readers this feature may prove too distracting. This book is written in an extremely straightforward style that should be made more accessible to the modern reader.
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.
based on 83 reviews
