Imitation of Christ

In Christian theology, the imitation of Christ is the practice of following the example of Jesus.^[1]^[2]^[3] In Eastern Christianity, the term life in Christ is sometimes used for the same concept.^[1]

The ideal of the imitation of Christ has been an important element of both Christian ethics and spirituality.^[4] References to this concept and its practice are found in the earliest Christian documents, e.g. the Pauline Epistles.^[3]

Saint Augustine viewed the imitation of Christ as the fundamental purpose of Christian life, and as a remedy for the imitation of the sins of Adam.^[5]^[6] Saint Francis of Assisi believed in the physical as well as the spiritual imitation of Christ, and advocated a path of poverty and preaching like Jesus who was poor at birth in the manger and died naked on the cross.^[7]^[8] Thomas à Kempis, on the other hand, presented a path to The Imitation of Christ based on a focus on the interior life and withdrawal from the world.^[9]

The theme of imitation of Christ existed in all phases of Byzantine theology, and in the 14th-century book Life in Christ Nicholas Cabasilas viewed "living one's own personal life" in Christ as the fundamental Christian virtue.^[1]^[10]

^ ^a ^b ^c A concise dictionary of theology by Gerald O'Collins, Edward G. Farrugia 2004 ISBN 0-567-08354-3, p. 115.
^ Imitating Jesus: an inclusive approach to New Testament ethics by Richard A. Burridge 2007 ISBN 0-8028-4458-8, pp. 142–145.
^ ^a ^b Holy people of the world: a cross-cultural encyclopedia, Volume 3 by Phyllis G. Jestice 2004 ISBN 1-57607-355-6, pp. 393–394.
^ The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology by Alan Richardson, John Bowden 1983 ISBN 978-0-664-22748-7, pp. 285–286.
^ Augustine's early theology of the church by David C. Alexander 2008 ISBN 978-1-4331-0103-8, p. 218.
^ Augustine by Mary T. Clark 2005 ISBN 978-0-8264-7659-3, p. 48.
^ Cite error: The named reference Miles160 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Goff was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ An introductory dictionary of theology and religious studies by Orlando O. Espín, James B. Nickoloff 2007 ISBN 0-8146-5856-3, p. 609.
^ Cite error: The named reference Phyllis661 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Collins-1] A concise dictionary of theology by Gerald O'Collins, Edward G. Farrugia 2004 ISBN 0-567-08354-3, p. 115.

[Burridge-2] Imitating Jesus: an inclusive approach to New Testament ethics by Richard A. Burridge 2007 ISBN 0-8028-4458-8, pp. 142–145.

[Phyllis-3] Holy people of the world: a cross-cultural encyclopedia, Volume 3 by Phyllis G. Jestice 2004 ISBN 1-57607-355-6, pp. 393–394.

[Bowden285-4] The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology by Alan Richardson, John Bowden 1983 ISBN 978-0-664-22748-7, pp. 285–286.

[Augustine_page_218-5] Augustine's early theology of the church by David C. Alexander 2008 ISBN 978-1-4331-0103-8, p. 218.

[Augustine'_page_48-6] Augustine by Mary T. Clark 2005 ISBN 978-0-8264-7659-3, p. 48.

[Miles160-7] Cite error: The named reference Miles160 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Goff-8] Cite error: The named reference Goff was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[espin-9] An introductory dictionary of theology and religious studies by Orlando O. Espín, James B. Nickoloff 2007 ISBN 0-8146-5856-3, p. 609.

[Phyllis661-10] Cite error: The named reference Phyllis661 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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