Thomas à Kempis 
The Imitation of Christ 

The Imitation of Christ is a handbook for spiritual life written by Thomas a Kempis in 1418. Regarded as a classic of the genre, its teachings arise from the Devotio Moderna (or, Modern Devotion) movement of the late 14th century founded by Geert Groote, of which Kempis was a member. Immensely popular upon its writing, it has been been re-printed thousands of times. Emphasizing the interior life and a withdrawal from the world, it stresses the devotion to the Eucharist as a key component of spiritual life. Translated by William Benham.

关于作者

Thomas à Kempis, (1380 – 1471) was a late medieval German-Dutch monk who wrote The Imitation of Christ, one of the most popular and best known books on devotion. Born in Kempen to a blacksmith father and schoolteacher mother, Thomas attended a Latin school in the Netherlands from the age of 12 to 19. While there he became a member of the spiritual movement Modern Devotion, founded by Geert Groote. In 1406, he entered the monastery of Mount St Agnes in 1406, where he copied the bible four times, wrote four booklets and instructed novices. Thomas More called “The Imitation Of Christ” one of three books everybody ought to own.