The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast C.S. Lewis on Christianity: Suffering and Death
Dec 17, 2025
The discussion delves into C.S. Lewis's profound insights on suffering and death. Lewis's childhood losses and wartime experiences shape his views on pain, highlighting how it can awaken self-awareness. His concepts of God’s love as demanding and the importance of Christ's suffering provide a framework for understanding human experience. A Grief Observed offers a personal glimpse into Lewis's grief after losing his wife, revealing his raw questions about God's presence. Ultimately, the conversation explores how hope in resurrection offers perspective amid suffering.
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Early Encounters With Death
- C.S. Lewis first faced death at nine when his mother died and later saw horrific battlefield casualties in World War I.
- He carried physical shrapnel and emotional scars that shaped his honest responses to suffering throughout life.
Pain As Divine Wake-Up Call
- Lewis argues pain is a tool God uses to wake humans from self-sufficiency and illusion of control.
- Pain forces recognition of mortality and dependency, prompting moral and spiritual correction.
Christ's Passion Framing Human Suffering
- Lewis anchors suffering in Christ's passion: human suffering should be heard against the cross.
- Christ's suffering provides the pattern that makes human sufferings intelligible and potentially redemptive.