The Imitation of Christ

The Imitation of Christ is a 15th-century writing from the German-Dutch mystical school. First published anonymously in Latin ca. 1418, the work is a manual of devotion intended to assist the soul with its pursuit of holiness and communion with God. Its sentences are statements, not arguments, and are pitched in the highest key of Christian experience. The life of Christ is presented as the highest study possible to a mortal, as Jesus' teachings far excel all the teachings of the saints. It lays supreme emphasis upon Christ and the possibility of immediate communion with him and God. Originally written for the monastery, it is relevant to any Christian who wishes to explore and deepen their faith. The Imitation of Christ is widely considered one of the greatest manuals of devotion in pre-Reformation Catholic Christianity. Not only Catholics, but now many Protestants also give it praise.