I love Thomas A Kempis' anti-intellectualism in the Imitation of Christ.
It was necessary at the time he wrote because of the dominance of scholastic theology.
Like much theology of today scholasticism had nothing to offer the needs of the human heart.
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To imitate Christ it is necessary first of all to meditate upon the account of Christ in the Gospels: 'Let our chiefest endeavour be to meditate upon the life of Jesus Christ'. 'What will it profit you to dispute profoundly on the Holy Trinity if you are devoid of humility and are thereby displeasing to God, the Trinity?' It is better to feel remorse for sins before God than to be able to define the dogma of the Trinity. For 'all is vanity except to love God and serve him only'.
:- Thomas A Kempis
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Both to meditate upon and to take up the Cross are important: 'In the Cross is salvation, in the Cross is life; in the Cross is protection against our enemies; in the Cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness; in the Cross is strength of mind; in the Cross is joy of spirit; in the Cross is the height of virtue and in the Cross is perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of the soul, nor hope of everlasting life, but in the Cross.'
:-Thomas a Kempis
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