The Problem of Pain

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Summary: Clarifying experience
Review: This book clarified many issues in my life and turned my God from One that was a bit of a stretch to fit into my everyday world, into a God which makes himself evident in every aspect of the earth, evil and pain included. I think this book frankly is a better apology for Christianity than Mere Christianity. Definitely a good introduction to the problem of pain, and the clearest exposition of the free-will defense I have read. C.S. Lewis deals with a concept lofty and philosophical in a manner that grips my attention and bolsters my faith. I recommend this book first above all Lewis' other books on theology.

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Summary: Clear as a bell. . .
Review: Many times through my second reading of the book (first time a decade ago), I felt-"this is what language was made for." Of course, no apologist can posit an argument without counter. However, Lewis shows himself vested with not just "divine" insight, but also with his unique, unmatched grasp of the human condition, primarily as expressed in literature and linguistics. This book echoes many themes from his earlier writings, he reveals himself consistent throughout. His intellectual foundations (he might not call them quite philosophical) are strong. His discussion of the "neutral field" as a requirement for interaction is masterful. Anyone that doubts the validity of his comments on free will won't be convinced of such by any arguments. For the rest of us, Lewis clarifies a conviction consistent with the broadest sweep of churchdom-what he would most certainly call "mere" Christianity. If one sees contradiction between his comments here and his own "A Grief Observed" then rest assured you are sitting at the feet of a human teacher. His writing is intensely personal-his comment "how can I say with sufficient tenderness what here needs to be said" reveals his heart for humanity in the comments that follow. Furthermore, he takes the high ground decades ahead of the animal rights movement in his ideas about animal pain, to which he devotes an entire chapter. He is an able voice to promote real care-stewardship-of animals long before the issue became so trenchant. His final chapter on heaven is best illustrated by reading his adult fiction "Perelandra" where he re-creates Eden, and to stages their triumph over original sin.

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Summary: Doesn't give adequate answers for a modern
Review: The problem of pain is an enormous one that can lead directly to atheism. Jack Lewis tries to give a theological answer and succeeds within his own frame of reference. But he depends on the doctrine of the Fall and this is not one easily accepted by a modern audience.

Those looking for a rational explanation that squares with history and science will not find it here. Unknown in the US, I would suggest Peter Vardy's 'The Puzzle of Evil' for an introduction and part answer to the problem.

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Summary: Great spiritual food
Review: "The Problem of Pain" contains such extraordinary spiritual nourishment. Through the process of wrestling with the role of pain, Lewis gives a truly inspirational explanation of the interaction between God and humans (while also giving wonderfully realistic descriptions of most Christians' struggles!) That said, I would agree with reviewers who said that this book in *not* particularly comforting for those suffering from great grief (Lewis himself said much the same, late in his life.)

This book has given me so much encouragement and, at the same time, challenged me greatly. I am a better Christian for having read it. My copy is underlined, often quoted, and much loved.

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Summary: Brilliant and profound.
Review: While some (including myself) would disagree with Lewis on some parts of the book, the profound insights more than make up for the differences. The chapter on Heaven somehow manages to describe, in clear and flowing prose, the normally indescribable longing of the spirit.

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Summary: A brilliant, reasonable answer to an old question
Review: This is for me one of Lewis's greatest and most challenging works. The questions he tackles are among the most profound that human beings face, and Lewis approaches them with characteristic logic, sensitivity, and humility. I found myself nodding in agreement time and again, and I marveled at Lewis's ability to get straight down to the heart of the matter. His "solutions" (and he would not call them solutions) are not easy but they are very sensible and true to his faith. I continue to grapple with the issues he raises and find that this book makes more and more sense with the passing of time. That such a little book can contain so much wisdom is testimony to Lewis's genius. No other modern religious writer can come close to him in my estimation. He has helped me more than I can say.

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Summary: My favorite Lewis book of all time
Review: A question which so often plagues us is what Lewis attempts to answer. His examples, as good as they have been in the past, have never been better, cornering us at every position, until we can't help but admit that he was right, even if we don't want to. And, when you read this book, as in so many others of his, you are surprised by the internal joy you feel which makes you never want to lose the memory of even the moment you are in.

If you have the patience to re-read every page a few times, then get started as soon as possible; if not, then read Mere Christianity first to get an understanding of why people love this author so much, and then you'll know why it's worth going over each page several times.

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Summary: Addendum to earlier review
Review: In an earlier review of this work, I noted that the material should be acceptable to any Christian denomination. This is not exactly true, as there are a few denominations which deny the existence of free will... a main staple of Lewis' apologetica. A member of these congregations reading any of Lewis' work will either reject his conclusions, or be convinced by him that free will actually exists in a Christian context (thus probably removing the reader from that congregation.) TPoP does not bother arguing in favor of free will; so members of these congregations will not be likely to get anything useful out of it. (Lewis' best treatment of the free will issue is probably in the 2nd edition of _Miracles: A Preliminary Study_.)

On the related issue of predestination: Lewis uses a modified version of this theory which transcends the limitations of predestination (ie, providing for free will) while concurrently keeping the idea of God as omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Denominations where predestination is not an issue will find Lewis easy to deal with. Denominations where predestination is definitely an issue will have a tougher time, as Lewis' ideas on the matter are very complicated. As someone who has believed in predestination, I can vouch that Lewis' work keeps the essentials while solving most (perhaps all) of the philosophical problems... it has worked for me.<g>

Finally, Lewis' major work does not largely reflect his Anglicanism; in fact, he caught a lot of heat from some Anglican clergy because of this. M:aPS, MC and TPoP are written from a non-denominational standpoint, which is why I wrote that any denomination will find them useful, and which is what Lewis specifically intended. However, there are very many Christian denominations in the world--every Baptist church, for instance, has the potential to be its own 'denomination' if it wishes--so please take this recommendation as the generalization it was intended to be, not in a rigorous sense.

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Summary: A good place to start
Review: There are better books about the theological problem of pain (the biblical book of JOB, Paul Brand's PAIN: THE GIFT NOBODY WANTS, and Philip Yancey's WHERE IS GOD WHEN IT HURTS?, to name three), but Lewis's book is a good place to start. Lewis himself makes it clear in the introduction that this book only addresses the intellectual problem arising from suffering, and as such does not pretend to give advice about living with pain. Lewis offers this by way of observation, that "when pain is to be borne, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than much courage, and the least tincture of the love of God more than all." As a catalyst for considering the theological difficulty of resolving the idea of a good God with the pain and suffering in His creation, this book is worth reading.

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Summary: If you like C.S. Lewis . . .
Review: . . . like I do, I strongly suggest We All Fall Down, by Brian Caldwell. Like Lewis, Caldwell takes an intellectual aproach to the concept of Christianity. His novel is very much in the vein of The Screwtape Letters and The Great divorce. I highly recomend it for discriminating Christian readers.