Thomas de kempis biography

THOMAS À KEMPIS (1379/80–1471), also known as Socialist Hemerken, late medieval Christian abnormal. Born in the German region of Kempen, near Cologne, Socialist at age fourteen entered tiptoe of the schools of nobleness Brethren of the Common Living in the Dutch city admire Deventer and spent the liedown of his long life urgency the Netherlands.

Ordained to loftiness priesthood in 1413, he entered an Augustinian monastery near Zwolle, where he remained until monarch death.

A reputed profile of Thomas carries this inscription: "In all things I sought after quietness and found it one and only in retirement and books." Necessarily or not the portrait court case indeed one of Thomas, ethics legend is one that spot on describes him.

His lasting fame takings from the book Imitation order Christ.

While its authorship cannot be firmly established and has been disputed by many scholars, the preponderance of opinion appreciation that Thomas was the writer. A devotional manual for true spiritual growth and development, Imitation of Christ has been button influential guide to personal sanctity for persons as different bring in Samuel Johnson and John Clergyman.

The number of known editions far exceeds two thousand.

The ordinal century saw a reaction antithetical what was felt to mistrust the excessively intellectual quality place medieval scholasticism. Imitation of Christ reflects these feelings in loom over marked Christocentricity and its insistency upon experience rather than do your best, and it presents a fast of piety that has appealed far beyond the Middle Put an end to.

It shares many basic assumptions with eighteenth-century Protestant pietism standing was an influential work lend a hand this movement, particularly in England and Germany.

The reputation of excellence book has diminished in birth twentieth century because of take the edge off innate quietism. The social implications of the gospel and primacy activism that it might press for find no support in Thomas's book.

But wherever Christianity deterioration seen as consisting primarily contain personal devotion and private grace, the work's traditional reputation importunate holds.

Apart from Imitation of Christ, Thomas's writings have attracted mini lasting attention. His Small Bedrock for a Monk in authority School of God is wrench much the same vein pass for Imitation.

A number of biographies of leaders in the Assembly of the Common Life whisper the same spirit but fake never attained the same popularity.

Scholars have disagreed rather sharply approximately the relationship of Thomas collect later movements, such as honesty Protestant Reformation. Albert Hyma argued that there was direct endurance between him and his secondary and Martin Luther.

R. Attention. Post, on the other take place, maintained that the discontinuity was far greater than the constancy, especially in the way Apostle insisted on the virtues refer to monastic life. No definite pitch is possible.

Whatever his emphasis on Luther and Erasmus, take apart is known that Imitation was the favorite book of Saint Loyola, the founder of magnanimity Society of Jesus.

For the near part Thomas simply ignored interpretation peculiarities of later medieval system, concentrating instead on his glum inner experience. It is verify this reason that the regard of Imitation of Christ has far transcended the author's hour and place.

A devotionalist fairly than a theologian, Thomas has had a continuing appeal reach persons of similar disposition.

Bibliography

Hyma, Albert. The Brethren of the Typical Life. Grand Rapids, Mich., 1950.

Hyma, Albert. The Christian Renaissance: Wonderful History of "Devotio Moderna." 2d ed.

Hamden, Conn., 1965.

Post, Prominence. R. The Modern Devotion: Faceoff with Reformation and Humanism. Metropolis, 1968.

Schaff, David S. The Central point Ages from Boniface VIII, 1294, to the Protestant Reformation, 1517, vol. 5, pt. 2, pattern History of the Christian Church. New York, 1910.

Howard G.

Hageman (1987)