The Problem of Pain

Rating:
Summary: Profoud Ideas
Review: In this book, C. S. Lewis makes an attempt to explain the causes and purposes of pain. He explains its necessity in the universe in which we live and how God makes use of it. Out of the nature of both God and the universe, Lewis tells of how we have helped to usher pain into our existence. In doing so, he touches on the very essence of creation and the relationship between God and man. There are some very poignant notions in this book. The reader will develop a greater understanding of how we relate to God. The Problem of Pain will probably not comfort someone who is in the midst of dealing with his or her own suffering or heartbreak. It appears that it was intended for more of an intellectual approach to the subject. There are, however, some cumbersome and awkward moments in the book. Lewis makes what seem to be some largely unsubstantiated claims that are outside his realm of expertise, such as man's ability to control all his own biochemical processes before the fall and how animals come to God through man. These ideas seem to come at best from Lewis's imagination. He is humble in his consciousness of his own imperfection. In the preface, Lewis states, "If any real theologian reads these pages he will very easily see that they are the work of a layman and an amateur." His writing style is like free flowing thought which can be difficult to read at times. Nonetheless, the work is in no way incomprehensible. Overall, the profound ideas Lewis has on the nature of pain have deepened my own spiritual understanding, and I considered it a privilege to have read his work.

Rating:
Summary: C. S. Lewis calls himself a "layman" -- Its a lie!
Review: C.S. Lewis, once again, proves himself the master apologist. This book gives many thought-provoking answers to the Question "Why, if 'God is Love', is there pain and suffering in the world we inhabit?" He goes on to explain the difference between Godly and human love. He has chapters explaining the subjects of Heaven, Hell, and Animal pain and all his arguements are very well presented. I would be a good idea to read this book with a dictionary (I had to!), because he writes on a really high level

Rating:
Summary: Lewis in Essay Form
Review: In the Problem of Pain Lewis tackles a question that has morally plagued society for centuries, "Why does bad things happen to good people?"
Lewis using his logic to answer this question rewrites alot of things modern man thinks he already knows!
He does a fine job of answering this question, and explaining why a loving God would allow people to suffer, though the first few chapters come accross wordy, and the obviousness that Lewis wasn't up for the battle of this book is prevelant in the first chapter.

Rating:
Summary: Touches on more than just pain
Review: While I read this book (in fact, an old, battered version of my mother's) in order to answer some questions regarding pain and why it exists in a universe created by a loving God (if one accepts this hypothesis), Lewis not only convincingly answered those but also dug into topics such as free will and election, clarifying many other not necessarily pain-related questions in the process. I am now convinced (my apologies to all the Calvinists out there) that free will is an essential ingredient to human being and that it is necessary in order for Christian self-surrender to have any sense at all.

I usually don't riposte to other reviews, but I don't believe the reviewer was correct in saying Dr. Lewis chickened out, largely because his concept of innocent children seems erroneous to me. I remember my younger brother was fully capable of scheming before he could even talk. The helplessness of children does not make them innocent.

I fully recommend this book to anyone grappling with problems of pain.

Rating:
Summary: Doesn't answer all the questions: just the most popular.
Review: Not the best place to start if you want to see the strongest logical underpinnings of Christianity (_Miracles: A Preliminary Study_, post-1960 edition, would be the best; _Mere Christianity_ would be the most popular and easiest to digest). However, _The Problem of Pain_ (TPoP) does fully address the most popular theological question of all: if there's a good God, then why do we suffer? The question is deep, and the answers here are logically strong (although any serious sceptic of Christianity will probably rankle at them... go read one of the other two books, first!) This is not a book to read if you've just suffered a personal disaster and want to be comforted (although Lewis himself published the final edition of the book just after his wife's death from bone cancer.) It is, however, an essential book for Christians who want to be forearmed in advance when tragedy strikes: remember that strength of will is an intellectual asset that must be developed unless you're a prodigy, and that our reason is our prime (perhaps only) defense against the overwhelming sorrow of our personal tragedies. Lewis' book places the answers squarely within Christian perceptions, and any ideas in the book should be acceptable to members of any denomination. I'll gladly field any questions or comments (or corrections) at the above address, but take note: hatemail will be immediately deleted (so be polite!), and sceptical non-Christians will probably be referred back to one of the earlier books (which I'll also gladly help out on.) As Lewis himself once wrote, "If I _am_ wrong, then the sooner I find out, the better off I'll be." Just remember it works both ways.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Christian Exposition - Proceed with Caution
Review: A quick warning to those who have been pointed to this book but are not Christian: you are not the audience Lewis is speaking to. This book cannot be fully grasped in its original context without some degree of belief or acceptance of Christian doctrine. It is apologetics at its best, but cannot be considered in the "self-help" category like many contemporary titles are.

That said, this must be the finest treatise on the apparent contradiction between the existence of pain and the existence of a supposedly loving God that has been written.

Succint, well-organized, thorough, yet "The Problem of Pain" still reads like it was written by a human being rather than a scholar. Some chapters bring conviction. The chapter on Hell brings fear and dread, and respect for Him who can "destroy both body and soul in Hell". The chapter on Heaven, which Lewis admits is his own philosophical foray, no one else's -- brings hope and reassurance that Heaven is your true calling, your one True Home.

This is not light reading, at least not at first. This may not be a book to recommend to someone at the height of a crisis; Lewis taxes your attention and does not take any short cuts. A "Cliff Notes" version of this book would miss the point. Pain is one of the toughest theological problems a Christian can face, either in their lives or the life of another person they know -- and Lewis does not want you going in armed with half an argument or some "Precious Moments" sentiment.

From a non-Christian POV, I would be surprised if this book made much sense -- so many of the pillars are set on Christian theology, philosophy, and tradition. If you cannot (or will not) accept the possibility of the existence of Heaven, Hell, or God, this book will be just so much incomprehensible babble.

But, as I said, it is not written for that segment of the market. This book is best read by the thinking Christian who has reservations about aspects of Christianity that seem to gloss over, avoid, or ignore the issue of human suffering.

Rating:
Summary: C. S. Lewis calls himself a "layman" -- Its a lie!
Review: C.S. Lewis, once again, proves himself the master apologist. This book gives many thought-provoking answers to the Question "Why, if 'God is Love', is there pain and suffering in the world we inhabit?" He goes on to explain the difference between Godly and human love. He has chapters explaining the subjects of Heaven, Hell, and Animal pain and all his arguements are very well presented. I would be a good idea to read this book with a dictionary (I had to!), because he writes on a really high level

Rating:
Summary: Lewis in Essay Form
Review: In the Problem of Pain Lewis tackles a question that has morally plagued society for centuries, "Why does bad things happen to good people?"
Lewis using his logic to answer this question rewrites alot of things modern man thinks he already knows!
He does a fine job of answering this question, and explaining why a loving God would allow people to suffer, though the first few chapters come accross wordy, and the obviousness that Lewis wasn't up for the battle of this book is prevelant in the first chapter.

Rating:
Summary: The theoLOGICAL reason we suffer.
Review: If God loves us, why do we suffer? Why is there pain? Why? Christian Apologist extraordinaire C.S. Lewis studies the possible answer to these questions. The answers are intellectually stimulating and thought provoking, to say the least, for those interested in the direction (Christian, primarily orthodox) Lewis's argument takes. What is more fascinating about the text is the rigid emotional distance Lewis has to the subject, his own personal experience with Pain (told in A Grief Observed) still many years away. Those wanting a more easy to relate to study should read Grief. Those wanting a strictly intellectual and emotionally distant look at the concepts and Christian answers could do a lot worse than The Problem With Pain. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking, although not wholly satisfying
Review: "The Problem of Pain," by C.S. Lewis, is a non-fiction work that looks at the title phenomenon in a Christian theological context. The chapters in the book look at human pain, animal pain, divine omnipotence, human wickedness, and other theological/philosophical concepts.

I found "Problem" to be a curious book. Some parts are well-written and thought-provoking, some parts are dull. Some parts just seem self-indulgent and even silly; at its worst the book reads like an eggheaded parody of theology. The chapter on hell is particularly unsatisfying; I found it to sound patronizing and frustratingly vague at times. But the book as a whole is thankfully enlivened by delightful flashes of wit.

Theologically, Lewis seems to be at odds with strict biblical literalism; in chapter 5 he appears to endorse the idea of biological evolution, for example. Despite my reservations, I feel that this is a worthwhile book for both Christians and those of other belief traditions.