The Problem of Pain

Rating:
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.

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: Amazingly deep book!
Review: Pain is such a hard subject to ponder and yet that is just what this amazing Christian apologist does! This book is very moving and will move you in ways you didn't dream possible. I cherish this book in my personal library.

Rating:
Summary: Answering The Biggest Questions
Review: Reading anything by C.S. Lewis is an uplifting experience because it gives one a chance to witness a great intellect at work. In this book he explains why there is pain in the world in spite of a loving and all-powerful God. C.S. Lewis can be very helpful to anyone who is seriously seeking Christ and answers to some of the biggest questions.

Rating:
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.

Rating:
Summary: Lewis tackles one of the chief objections to Christianity
Review: The Problem of Pain is the first of C.S. Lewis's apologetic works. Having been an athiest(or maybe just a skeptic?) ten years before, Lewis certainly had walked through this problem on his own and in 1940 wanted to help many of his fellow British skeptics through it, too.

The book starts, after a disclaimer on his lack of theological schooling, with an explaination of selves that are distinct from God and a description of the fall of man before tackling human pain. His basic argument is that, while human pain is a result of Adam's Fall, God uses it for our good to A)alert us that something is wrong with the universe and B)to refine Christians into better people. Lewis does admit that while pain can "rouse the bad man to a knowledge that all was not well" it can also "lead to final and unrepented rebellion". He finishes with a very good explaination of Hell,"the doors of hell are locked on the inside" and an equally good chapter on Heaven.

This is a book for those who are struggling with the "idea" of pain; in other words, "If God is so good why does allow people to be in pain and even send some of them to Hell?" But if your question is more concrete, like "Why did God allow my husband to die from a fatal illness?" you will probably find this book to be like salt in a wound. If that's you I would recomend Lewis's other book on pain, A Grief Observed, or Philip Yancy's Where is God when it Hurts. The Problem of Pain is certainly an excellent piece of apologetics, however, and I found it to be very helpful.

Rating:
Summary: Problem of The Problem of Pain
Review: The Problem of Pain was good in some areas and not so good in others. C.S. Lewis makes quite a few assumptions without any Biblical basis. Some of the things he mentions make completely no sense. Here's a quote; "Our Lord while stressing terror of hell with unsparing severity, usually emphasises the idea, not the duration but of finality. Consignment to the destroying fire is usually treated as the end of the story - not the beginning of a new story. That the lost soul is eternally fixed in its diabolical attitude we cannnot doubt: but whether this eternal fixity implies endless duration-or duration at all we cannot say." What exactlly is he suggesting? That those in hell will not suffer eternally? Revelations 14:11 says "The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night for they have worshipped the beast..." Aside from this there are many other things he says which make no sense. Yes, he does make some good points, but not many. I guess this is to be expected considering his apologetics are about 60 years old. I highly respect C.S. Lewis and he was definitely one of the geniuses of his time. Sadly since there is such a lack in good Christian apologetics these days with a few exceptions; we are left with only the long and gone apologetics of C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaffer. More recent apologetics would be Hugh Ross, William Dembski, and Michael Behe, who are very underappreciated for there hard work. C.S. Lewis wrote very good fiction which can still be highly appreciated by today's society. I'm not saying his apologetics are terrible; not at all. Merely that they are old and a lot of the theory's can be easily debunked. If you love to read, then I'm sure his work is well worth your time. If your merely looking for answers to certain problems; I would suggest something a bit more recent, or maybe searching for the answer yourself.

Rating:
Summary: I never fail to learn something new from Lewis
Review: The wonderful thing about C.S. Lewis was that he put an amazing amount of thought into his faith. He understood better than most that becoming a Christian meant constantly trying to understand more, to examine both one's self and one's relationship to God. His penetrating intellegence towards Christianity is something that is often lacking in religion, and every time I read Lewis I learn something new, both about myself and my faith. Lewis is a true master. Another author who I'd highly recomend to anyone who enjoys Lewis, one who explores the Christian faith as brilliantly as Lewis, is Brian Caldwell. His novel, We All Fall Down is breathtaking. I'd put him on a par with Lewis, both for writing ability and theological brilliance. His novel is one of the few Christian masterpieces. Both Lewis and Caldwell should be read by those who have discovered God and want to explore that faith as deeply as possible, and perhaps more importantly, by those who have not.

Rating:
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.

Rating:
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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