The Problem of Pain
1940 book by C. S. Lewis on the problem of evil and the existence of God / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Problem of Pain is a 1940 book on the problem of evil by C. S. Lewis, in which Lewis argues that human pain, animal pain, and hell are not sufficient reasons to reject belief in a good and powerful God.
This article is written like a personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic. (June 2022) |
This article possibly contains original research. Nearly all of it is an extended summary of the book, without citing any secondary reliable sources. (June 2022) |
Author | C. S. Lewis |
---|---|
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Published | 1940 |
Publisher | The Centenary Press |
Media type | |
Pages | 148 |
ISBN | 9780060652968 |
Current edition published by HarperCollins |
Lewis states that his writing is "not primarily arguing the truth of Christianity but describing its origin - a task ... necessary if we are to put the problem of pain in its right setting".[1] He begins by addressing the flaws in common arguments against the belief in a just, loving, and all-powerful God such as: "If God were good, He would make His creatures perfectly happy, and if He were almighty He would be able to do what he wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both."[2] Topics include human suffering and sinfulness, animal suffering, and the problem of hell, and seeks to reconcile these with an omnipotent force beyond ourselves.