The Imitation of Christ: A Timeless Classic for Contemporary Readers

Discover The Imitation of Christ in a clear, contemporary translation designed for today’s reader. This timeless Christian classic by Thomas à Kempis has guided millions in humility, prayer, and discipleship for centuries.

One of the most beloved spiritual classics of all time, The Imitation of Christ has guided readers for centuries in the pursuit of holiness and humility.

In 114 short, practical chapters, Thomas à Kempis offers timeless lessons on:

• Resisting temptation and cultivating inner peace
• Embracing humility and serving others
• Surrendering to God’s will in everyday life
• Deepening prayer and spiritual discipline

This modern translation by William C. Creasy brings new clarity and depth to the text, capturing the power and simplicity of the original work while making it accessible for today’s readers.

Inspired saints and spiritual leaders―from St. Thomas More to Dorothy Day―have found in these pages a guide to living the Gospel fully and faithfully.

Perfect for personal reflection, small-group study, or gift giving, this edition will draw you closer to Christ and help you live with renewed purpose and joy.

Thomas à Kempis (1380–1471) was a medieval Dutch monk steeped in the mystical tradition of his time. A member of the Brothers of the Common Life, he was ordained a priest in 1413. His well-loved work, The Imitation of Christ, was written between 1420 and 1427 presumably as four booklets intended to instruct the novices of his community. It is one of Christian history’s best-known works on spiritual devotion. This small book sidesteps academic pretension to consider larger truths. “A poor peasant who serves God,” Thomas wrote, “is better than a proud philosopher who . . . ponders the courses of the stars.”

Father Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R., is a teacher, writer, and poet. Ordained a Redemptorist priest in 1980, he taught the history of moral theology and Christian spirituality at the Alphonsian Academy of Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University for more than twenty years, reaching the rank of Ordinary Professor. In 2008 he was installed as the John Cardinal Krol Chair of Moral Theology as a scholar-in-residence at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. He also serves as the Karl Rahner Professor of Catholic Theology at the Graduate Theological Foundation in Mishawaka, Indiana. Raised in Staten Island, New York, and educated there through high school in local Catholic schools, he graduated from Dartmouth College and went on to receive four master's degrees, as well as doctorates from Harvard University, the Pontifical University of St. Thomas, and the Graduate Theological Foundation. Billy is the author of numerous books and articles, both popular and scholarly.

After serving six years in the United States Marine Corps, William Creasy received his bachelor of arts degree from Arizona State University in 1974, summa cum laude; his master of arts degree from Arizona State University in 1976; and his doctorate in English literature from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1982. He retired from the UCLA English faculty in 2005 after serving more than twenty years.

Creasy has been chosen as an honorary Mortar Board member at UCLA; he has been appointed as a member of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Spirituality Commission; and he has served as Scholar in Residence at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, the first Christian academic to hold that appointment. The San Diego Ecumenical Council has also honored him for his teaching and his work in ecumenism. Creasy has spoken at countless professional gatherings, and has served as keynote speaker at such functions as the Episcopal Bishops’ Conference.