The Problem of Pain

For centuries Christians have been tormented by one question above all – “If God is good and all—powerful, why does he allow his creatures to suffer pain?” In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis sets out to investigate this paradox that lies at the heart of Christianity.

The author of Mere Christianity and A Grief Observed questions the pain and suffering that occur every day and how this contrasts with the notion of a God that is both omnipotent and good. Lewis is not afraid to confront the most difficult questions in Christian theology, but wisely concludes that in the end, no intellectual solution can dispense with the necessity for patience and courage.

Clive Staples Lewis (1898—1963) was born in Belfast. He was a fellow and tutor in English Literature at Magdalen College, Oxford, and was later Professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, where he remained until his death. Lewis’s most distinguished and popular accomplishments include The Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, The Four Loves, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity.