#1277
Mentioned in 18 episodes

The Problem of Pain

Book • 1940
In 'The Problem of Pain', C.S.

Lewis addresses the age-old question of how a good and all-powerful God can permit pain and suffering.

Lewis argues that human suffering is a consequence of the existence of evil and free will, and that God uses suffering as a tool to draw us nearer to Him. He categorizes pain as both physical and emotional, serving as a warning signal that alerts us to potential harm and compels us to make necessary changes.

Lewis also discusses the Fall of Man and how it led to chaos and disaster, emphasizing that God's goodness is not negated by suffering but rather evidenced through His merciful intervention.

The book concludes by reassuring that God's wisdom is infinitely superior to ours and that pain eventually leads us back to a loving relationship with our Creator.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 18 episodes

Mentioned by
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John Dickson
as a book written by C.S. Lewis.
94 snips
147. On Hell
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Justin Brierley
as an example of an author who masterfully combined rational apologetics with imaginative storytelling.
48 snips
CNLP 713 | The Decline of the New Atheism: Justin Brierley on The Openness of Thinkers Like Jordan Peterson and How to Have Conversations With Spiritually Open People
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Matthew Syed
when discussing the theme of suffering and meaning in spiritual and religious texts.
22 snips
68. Bliss in Suffering
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John Ortberg
when he reads words about joy from it.
17 snips
8. Social Media is Stealing Your Joy | John Ortberg & Chuck Bergstrom
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Joseph Lee
for its evocative description of the numinous.
15 snips
Sacred Symptoms: How the Numinous Heals
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Ruth Jackson
as one of the two most seminal works around pain and suffering.
14 snips
#08 C.S. Lewis on the problem of pain
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Mark Phillips
and
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Eric Margrave
when discussing the problem of pain and suffering, and how faith can be maintained in the face of adversity.
11 snips
CS Lewis’s Problem of Pain, with Eric Margrave
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John Eldredge
in the discussion of God's will and human choice.
E820 | John Responds to Your Questions
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Caitlin West
when discussing the topic of suffering and healing.
23 - The Anointing of the Sick
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Michael Ward
as a book where the author explores the nature of love and vulnerability.
Bonus Episode: C.S. Lewis, God, and Tears (feat. Michael Ward)
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John Ortberg
while discussing the concept of pruning and God's work in our lives, referencing Lewis's perspective on pain and suffering.
20. Pruning! | John Ortberg
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Fr. Mike Schmitz
as a book C.S. Lewis wrote about the mystery of suffering.
Day 206: Healing the Sick (2025)
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Timothy Paul Jones
while discussing C.S. Lewis's letters and his views on cats.
How True Crime Reveals the Truth of God, with J. Warner Wallace
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Erik Rostad
as another of C.S. Lewis's well-known books on Christian apologetics.
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
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Paul Vanderklay
as a book discussing morality and its connection to belief in God.
Jordan Peterson's Bible Archetypes Meets Scott Adam's Pandeistic Affirmation Magic
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Gavin Ortlund
in the context of discussing animal suffering and theodicy.
Alex O'Connor on Animal Suffering: Christian Response
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John Dickson
when discussing the problem of pain and faith.
152. God Laments
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Ron Squire
as the writer who states the problem of pain is not that good people suffer, but that some people do not.
Why God Let Me Fall off A Cliff—Purpose in The Pain | Ron Squire E0033
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Stephen Meredith
in relation to his book 'The Problem of Pain,' which addresses the problem of animal suffering.
Disease and the Problem of Evil | Prof. Stephen Meredith
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Simon Horobin
in connection to the Socratic Club and Lewis becoming a well-known apologist.
C.S. Lewis's Oxford w/ Dr. Simon Horobin

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