The Imitation of Christ, first published anonymously, in Latin, ca. 1418, is a short manual of devotion, named for the title of the first of four books. TIOC was heavily influenced by the mystic goal of oneness with God and the Modern devotion of Gerard Groote and the Brothers of the Common Life….
A couple sources claim that The Imitation of Christ is second to the Bible in being widely read. The Imitation of Christ is praised by Protestants and Roman Catholics; the Jesuits give it an official place among their “exercises;” and it is in full conformity with the Catholic faith both of the time it was written and with the Catholic faith today.
The teaching in The Imitation of Christ is 180-out (the complete opposite) of what is taught in God’s Word. TIOC with its major wresting of scripture, is a very contemplative book, focused on suffering, doing good works to appease God and be holy, guilt trips from the Voice of Christ who was unkind and demanding to the Disciple, and references a number of Roman Catholic doctrines such as purgatory, as well as other unbiblical thinking.
But mostly, TIOC promotes the actual eating of Jesus’ body in the Eucharist (in a very sensual manner, alluding to a physical marriage relationship to God) as the way to be holy and become Jesus (have oneness/union/divinity with god). Click here for links and to read this entire article.
Read also:
Part 1: The “Real Presence” in the Eucharist: Eating Jesus—his real body and real blood
Part 2: The “Real Presence” in the Eucharist: Worshipping the Sun God (the host in the monstrance)
Part 3: The “Real Presence” in the Eucharist: Eucharist as Union or On Becoming Deity
Also read: “The Imitation of Christ: Thomas a Kempis – A Mystic?”
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