The Imitation of Christ / Thomas à Kempis

The spiritual classic by Thomas à Kempis, the second most widely read spiritual book after the Bible, has had an astonishing impact on the spiritual lives of countless people since it was written in the 15th century. Even today, the soul-searching words of the cleric Thomas à Kempis continue to resonate, unbounded by time or geography. Drawing on the Bible, the Fathers of the early Church and medieval mysticism, his four-part treatise shrugs off the allure of the material world, blending beauty and bluntness in a supremely spiritual call-to-arms.

The Imitation of Christ

Thomas à Kempis / Translated by Msgr. Ronald Knox and Michael Oakley /Foreword by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R.

This beautiful translation by the master of the English language – Ronald Knox and finished by Michael Oakley after Msgr. Knox’s death – is considered by many teachers, writers and readers to be the best English translation ever, and one that greatly enhances the life-changing insights of Thomas à Kempis. Highly recommended by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R., in his charming Foreword.

“If we could construct a composite picture of all great Christians—Catholic or non-Catholic—of the last five hundred years who found The Imitation substantially beneficial, enlightening, and inspiring, we would need no further proof that familiarity with this great classic is an integral part of a mature spiritual life and even a path to holiness.”
—Father Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R.