C. S. Lewis in the Problem of Pain

Lewis: The Problem of Pain

According to Lewis, there is a reason that a loving, caring, compassionate, and concerned God would still allow the suffering of the human beings that he created. In his book The Problem of Pain, Lewis states that human beings believe that living a life that was pain-free would mean that God loves us. When we suffer pain we think that God is angry with us and does not loves us and therefore we have a hard time reconciling the idea that He loves us so much but yet allows us to suffer. In truth, the idea of suffering has much more to do with God very much loving all of the individuals that he has created (Lewis, 104).

Lewis's argument continues in the idea that pain and suffering is what God uses to prepare us for the glories that Heaven will bestow upon us what we die. The old Christian doctrines used to talk a lot about suffering and about how it made individuals holy and blessed. Lewis merely expands on this by bringing it into modern-day language that is easier to understand. That does not mean that Lewis' arguments are correct or that everyone will believe him, but only that they are translated from a language and wording that was often archaic and difficult to decipher. The book also works to remind the readers that man, not God, was the actual creator of pain through the sins that began so long ago with Adam and Eve (Lewis, 65).

There are, however, some parts of Lewis's book that are somewhat odd. In chapter 5, for example, it seems as though he is agreeing with the idea of evolution which is contrary to the Christian beliefs of creation (Lewis, 72). Not all of the book completely clears up all of the questions that anyone would have about the ideas of where pain comes from and why God allows his creations to suffer. However, much of the book makes a lot of sense and he defends most of his arguments on the basis of sound Christian theology. However, for anyone who is not a Christian the book may not make sense and may still not answer the questions that an atheist or someone not of the Christian faith might have about where pain comes from and why people suffer.

The book is not really meant to be read and understood by those that do not have at least some interest and understanding of the Christian faith and principles. Lewis writes the book in the way that almost anyone of the Christian faith could understand it. Even though the book is thought-provoking, Lewis does not write it in such a way that it is above the heads of most individuals. It is not as open and honest as the book he wrote when his wife died, but that book was still over 20 years away when The Problem of Pain was written. Even so, Lewis still seems to have much of a grasp on what causes pain in the life of a Christian and how that opinion can be rationalized out to doctrines and principles that actually makes sense from a Christian perspective.