Founders of the New Devotion: Lives of Gerard Groote and His Followers

Name: Founders of the New Devotion: Lives of Gerard Groote and His Followers
Author: Thomas à Kempis

Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471) was a German-Dutch canon regular of the Windesheim Congregation, part of the Modern Devotion movement begun by Gerard Groote and the Brethren of the Common Life. He spent most of his life at the Mount St Agnes monastery near Zwolle, copying manuscripts, training novices, and writing. His Imitation of Christ, found in our library, is among the most widely read devotional books ever written.

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First published: 1450
Category: Biography
Length: 81k words · about 5 hours
Chapters: 66

About this book

Thomas à Kempis's lives of Gerard Groote and the first followers of the New Devotion, the movement better known as the Devotio Moderna. Written in the fifteenth century, these sketches portray men and women who pursued humility, prayer, and the imitation of Christ in common life. They open a window on the spiritual world that produced The Imitation of Christ.

Commentary.
Dedication.
Preface.
Introduction.
Preface. 🔒
Chapter I. Of the origin and interpretation of Gerard’s name. 🔒
Chapter II. Of his rapid progress at the University of Paris 🔒
Chapter III. How his conversion was revealed to a hermit in Cologne 🔒
Chapter IV. How be was drawn to God by the Carthusian 🔒
Chapter V. Of his change of garb and character 🔒
Chapter VI. How he separated himself from fellowship with worldlings 🔒
Chapter VII. Of his abstinence, and the shirt of hair which be wore 🔒
Chapter VIII. How, by the advice of the Monks, he began to preach the word of God 🔒
Chapter IX. Of his labours, and his patience toward his enemies 🔒
Chapter X. Of his journey to the parts about Brabant 🔒
Chapter XI. Of his austerity in food and clothing 🔒
Chapter XII. Of his devoutness in prayer and in hearing Holy things 🔒
Chapter XIII. Of his great love of reading the Holy Scriptures 🔒
Chapter XIV. Of the abundant fruit which he bore in the conversion of men 🔒
Chapter XV. Of the devout communities and monasteries which arose through him 🔒
Chapter XVI. Of his happy death and burial 🔒
Chapter XVII. Of the noble eulogy passed upon Gerard by a Cantor at Paris 🔒
Chapter XVIII. Of his public profession of faith, and of his delivering the true Gospel in his preaching 🔒
Appendix to the Life of Gerard Groote 🔒
Preface 🔒
Chapter I. Of the humility of Christ which Florentius studied to imitate 🔒
Chapter II. Of the interpretation of the name Florentius and its three glorious meanings 🔒
Chapter III. Of the interpretation of his father’s name Radewin 🔒
Chapter IV. Of his native land, and bow be went to study at Prague 🔒
Chapter V. Of his honourable character in the world 🔒
Chapter VI. Of his conversion through the preaching of Master Gerard 🔒
Chapter VII. How he despised the life of the world and joined himself to Master Gerard 🔒
Chapter VIII. How Florentius himself, now fully converted, did convert many others 🔒
Of the burdens that he bore, and the wrongs that he suffered 🔒
Chapter X. Of his promotion to the priesthood and the abasement of his humility 🔒
Chapter XI. How seldom be went out, and of his instructive demeanour as he stood in the Choir 🔒
Chapter XII. Of the simplicity of his garb 🔒
Chapter XIII. Of his humble service among the Brothers 🔒
Chapter XIV. How he laboured with his hands for the common good 🔒
Chapter XV. Of his compassion toward the poor, the sick, and the friendless 🔒
Chapter XVI. Of his feeding the poor, and washing beggars 🔒
Chapter XVII. Of his abstinence and the infirmities which came upon him by reason of his austerity 🔒
Chapter XVIII. How he often recovered by the aid of the prayers of the devout 🔒
Chapter XIX. How upon an Easter Even he was healed by a Vision of Angels 🔒
Chapter XX. Of one who fell into a well and was drawn out unhurt 🔒
Chapter XXI. Of the vision of the Rood which appeared over his house 🔒
Chapter XXII. Of his patience, gentleness, and love toward all men 🔒
Chapter XXIII. Of his devout exhortation to spiritual prayer 🔒
Chapter XXIV. Of his effectual preaching and his knowledge of the Scriptures 🔒
Chapter XXV. How he set a guard upon his tongue and avoided oaths 🔒
Chapter XXVI. Of three temptations that are full of peril to the devout 🔒
Chapter XXVII. Of his sending forth the Brothers to gather fruit in divers places 🔒
Chapter XXVIII. Of his happy passing from this world and his burial in the Church 🔒
Chapter XXIX. Of a vision which was seen after his death, and of the great glory which he attained. 🔒
A Letter and Certain Notable Sayings of Florentius 🔒
Preface 🔒
Chapter I. Of the first Congregation of Clerks in Deventer 🔒
Chapter II. Concerning John Gronde 🔒
Life of John Brinckerinck 🔒
Life of Lubert Berner 🔒
Life of Henry Brune 🔒
The Life of Gerard of Zutphen 🔒
The Life of Amilius of Buren. 🔒
Life of James of Viana 🔒
Life of John Cacabus 🔒
Life of Arnold of Schoonhoven 🔒