The Imitation of Christ: Deep Review

Original academic guide to The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis.

• Great Books & Ideas
• 33 min
• Ages 15–99
• 10 chapters

About this audiobook

A hugely influential Christian devotional work on humility, inward discipline, detachment, suffering, grace, communion, and following Christ rather than seeking status.

Why it's worth a listen

Explain both the enduring force of its inward spiritual discipline and the tensions created by its withdrawal, obedience, severity, and distrust of worldly knowledge.

Based on the book by Thomas à Kempis, published by Emma's Library

Chapters

1. The Problem This Book Is Trying To Solve
2. The Historical and Intellectual Context of the Devotio Moderna
3. The Central Argument: The Inward Turn and the Pattern of Christ
4. Book by Book: The Architecture of the Four Books
5. The Suspicion of Worldly Learning and Scholasticism
6. The Brilliance of its Psychological and Spiritual Realism
7. The Dangerous and Dated: The Tensions of Extreme Withdrawal and Severity
8. The Legacy: Shaping Protestantism, Catholicism, and Modern Spirituality
9. Reader’s Guide: How to Read the *Imitation* Without Getting Lost
10. Who Should Read This Book Today