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
The theme of imitation of Christ existed in all phases of
Early period
The word imitate does not appear in the
For Paul the imitation of Christ involves readiness to be shaped by the Holy Spirit as in Romans 8:4 and Romans 8:11, and a self-giving service of love to others as in 1 Corinthians 13 and Galatians 5:13.[1] The imitation of Christ, as in Ephesians 5:1 is then viewed by Paul as a path to the imitation of God: "Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you".[2]
The earliest concepts of imitation focused on the works of the
By the 4th century, the ideal of the imitation of Christ was well accepted and for
Book 7 of the
Middle Ages
The 895 Council of Tribur considered triple immersion in baptism as an imitation of the three days of Jesus in the tomb, and the rising from the water as an imitation of the Resurrection of Jesus.[3] This period also witnessed a growing trend towards the denial of the flesh in favor of the soul among the monastic communities, who saw the rebuffing of the physical body (as an imitation of the sufferings of Christ) as a path to a higher level of spiritual achievement.[3]
In the 12th century, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux considered humility and love as key examples of the imitation of Christ.[3] Bernard argued that the Father sent his Son, who in turn sent the Spirit to the Church, and that those who, in imitation of Christ, humble themselves and serve the Church will obtain intimate union with God.[13]
Early in the 13th century, groups of
Later in the 13th century, Saint Thomas Aquinas (who advocated the perfection of Christ) considered imitation of Christ essential for a religious life. In Summa Theologica 2.2.186.5, Aquinas stated that "Religious perfection consists chiefly in the imitation of Christ" and in 3.65.2 he positioned the "perfection of the spiritual life" as an imitation of Christ, with baptism as the first step in the path towards the imitation of a perfect Christ.[3]
The theme of imitation of Christ continued to exist in all phases of
In the highly influential book The Imitation of Christ first issued in 1418, Thomas à Kempis provided specific instructions for imitating Christ.[3] His book is perhaps the most widely read Christian devotional work after the Bible.[17] The approach taken by Kempis is characterized by its emphasis on the interior life and withdrawal from the world, as opposed to an active imitation of Christ (including outward preaching) by other friars.[9] The book places a high level of emphasis on the devotion to the Eucharist as key element of spiritual life.[9]
Reformation
The Reformation saw a multi-directional shift in focus on the concept of imitation. In the 16th century, Martin Luther initially made the connection between baptism and imitation even stronger.[3][4] But in time Luther came to dislike the term imitation, and preferred the term "conformation", seeing imitation as an attempt to conceal a doctrine on the "works of Christ".[3][4] However John Calvin gave a prominent place to the imitation of Christ in his writings and worked out the ideal of a "mystical union" with Christ in a way that resonated with the New Testament.[4]
But the 16th century also witnessed a continuing interest in the imitation of Christ. Saint Ignatius of Loyola continued to advocate the path towards imitation and encouraged a sense of "being with Christ" and experiencing his humanity, e.g. in his Spiritual Exercises he asks the participant to imagine being in Calvary at the foot of the Cross, communing with Jesus on the Cross.[3][18]
Christology
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Christology |
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The concept of the imitation of Christ has had a Christological context and implications from the very early days of formalized Christian theology. In the context of the
The acceptance of a human (as well as a divine) nature for Christ by many Christians allowed the pursuit of the goal of the imitation of Christ, but with the realizations that it had inherent limits, e.g. that Christ's death in obedience to the will of the Father had a redemptive value beyond human potential.[20][21]
While Western Christology of the "imitation of Christ" has had a focus on the sacrifice at
A further Christological issue that differentiates the Eastern and Western approaches is that the Eastern approach sees the Father as the sole hypostatic source of the Holy Spirit.[22] Thus in contrast to Augustine and Aquinas, Eastern Christology does not see the Holy Spirit as the bond of love between the Father and the Son and hence the imitation of the Son does not have the same implications in terms of a unity with the Father.[22]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-567-08354-3, p. 115.
- ^ ISBN 0-8028-4458-8, pp. 142–145.
- ^ ISBN 1-57607-355-6, pp. 393–394.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-664-22748-7, pp. 285–286.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4331-0103-8, p. 218.
- ISBN 978-0-8264-7659-3, p. 48.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4051-0846-1, pp. 160–161.
- ^ ISBN 0-415-28473-2, p. 44.
- ^ ISBN 0-8146-5856-3, p. 609.
- ^ ISBN 1-57607-355-6, p. 661.
- ISBN 0-8139-2292-5, p. 43.
- ^ ISBN 0-7914-7523-9, p. 91.
- ISBN 0-8091-2917-5page
- ^ Christian Brotherhoods by Frederick Deland Leete 2003, p. 44.
- ISBN 978-0-8264-6508-5, p. 104.
- ISBN 0-913836-12-5, p. 129.
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Imitation of Christ". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^
Christian spirituality: an introduction by Alister E. McGrath 1999 ISBN 978-0-631-21281-2, pp. 84–87.
- ^ ISBN 0-8146-5078-3, pp. 4–7.
- ISBN 0-664-24351-7, pp. 99–101.
- ISBN 81-8324-007-0, p. 178.
- ^ ISBN 0-8091-4657-6, pp. 27–29.