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The Problem of Pain

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The Problem of Pain

By: C. S. Lewis
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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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?” Is there justice or wisdom to be won by suffering, or some reward beyond understanding? And what of the suffering of animals, which neither deserve pain nor can be improved by it? Is the quantity and variety of suffering in the world inconsistent with, or evidence against, an omnipotent and perfectly loving God?

The greatest Christian thinker of all time sets out to disentangle this knotty issue. With his signature wealth of compassion and insight, C. S. Lewis offers answers to these crucial questions and shares his hope and wisdom to help heal a world hungering for a true understanding of human nature, free will, and the will of the Divine.

©1940 C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. (P)2000 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Bible Study Bibles & Bible Study Christianity Religious Studies
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Critic reviews

“This is an incredibly lucid and unprejudiced work…Lewis’ treatise on suffering, read by [Simon Vance], is like listening to a very interesting, yet intellectually revered, friend talk about a thorny subject over a cup of tea.”

(Paradise (audio review))

“It is really a pleasure to be able to praise a book unreservedly, and that is just what I can do with The Problem of Pain.”

(Guardian (London))

“The point about reading C. S. Lewis is that he makes you sure, whatever you believe, that religion accepted or rejected means something extremely serious, demanding the entire energy of the mind.”

(Harper’s)

“Lewis succeeds in lifting the reader from his frame of reference by artfully capitulating these topics into a conversational tone, which makes his assertions easy to swallow and even easier to digest…The fortune lies in Lewis’s inclination to set us straight with his charming wit and pious mind.”

(Amazon.com)
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Most relevant
This age old argument of arbitrary and visibly random affliction of pain on earth in order to achieve salvation is a cornerstone of atheist argument.

It is however also one of the most crucial routes to understanding faith.
True faith can only be accomplished by Free Will not by miracles and proof or the enforced beliefs of the authoritarian medieval church and the inquisitions.

With Free will comes the choice between good and evil. The world must contain evil in order for there to be choice.
Ergo a world with Evil must involve bad things happening both as a result of man's actions and both by acts of God (tests). Every child of God will be tested in different ways because of the random nature of pain in the world.
God's Judgement will undoubtedly take into account the suffering of innocents as a result of this random world.

Our task as Christians is to acknowledge our own suffering as a clear route to God that those who suffer less and enjoy all worldly goods will not see so easily. Ironically for them the route is less clear and their fight for faith is much harder.
Our other task alongside faith is to help those others who are suffering through good works, to ease their journey to God and to share with them the riches of faith and the light it brings.

We must not confuse earthly pain and suffering as however a punishment from God. God will only judge us on judgement day when the Lord comes again.

Why does a benign God allow suffering.?

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Love his work , wish I’d been introduced to this part of C S Lewis 50 years ago !

Another thought provoking book

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Highly recommended. some dated language and terms but relevant today. Well thought out, heart felt, provoking, humorous and inspirational. I'm delighted that Amazon offers this important book.

The Problem of Pain

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Chapters two and three are my favourites, the way he talks of love is beautiful while also being sad. If that is truly what love is, I doubt many experience such a thing.

Never has the Christian god been explained so well

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This is a great little book and CS Lewis was an exceptional thinker. The Problem of Pain was written eighty years ago and in a particular style that is difficult for readers to engage with today. This audio book brings it to life.
Some of the text is a little dated. However many of the arguments Lewis addresses are precisely the same as those the New Atheists raise today. Which leads you to realise there is nothing new going on there. They should listen to this book.
Simon Vance presents Lewis' words with style and conviction. It is an outstanding performance of a book that is densely argued at times and difficult to read.

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