The problem of evil cs lewis pdf books

Lewis and the search for rational religion by john beversluis john loftus heartily agrees with a debunking of c. How can you believe in god when there is so much evil, pain, and suffering in the world. Antony flew examines his views on free will and evil it was in 1940 that c. Cs lewis on why evil does not disprove a good god blah. For instance, we have from lewis s pen straightforward apologetical works such as mere christianity and the problem of pain, theological satires such as the screwtape letters and the great divorce, and for lack of a better word his concealed christianity in the interplanetary novels and the chronicles of narnia. If god were good, he would make his creatures perfectly happy, and if he were almighty he. Spensers images of life 1969 a collection of lewiss lectures on spenser at cambridge 61 spirits in bondage. Lewis and a problem of evil, jerry root provides a holistic reading of lewis by walking the reader through all of lewiss published work as he argues lewiss case against in c. The skeptic then maintains that any being that allows pointless suffering cannot be loving or moral. This was followed in 1942 by the screwtape letters, in 1943 by the abolition of. If god were good, he would wish to make his creatures perfectly happy and if god were almighty he would be able to do what he wished.

The problem of pain is a 1940 book on the problem of evil by c. Dec 31, 2009 cs lewis, a noted christian apologist and author, takes on the problem of free will and the problem of evil. Lewis is a good person to turn to, to both feel the hammer at your head and also find some instruction on how to unravel the difficulty of pain. A cycle of lyrics 1919 originally published under the pseudonym clive hamilton. The tactic, therefore, is to swap the terms suffering, pain, or harm for the word evil, and contend that the world is filled with too much pain, harm, and suffering. In the problem of pain, lewis tackles all topics from the deity of christ, mans idea of pain, and the theology of hell. Come with me on a tour of your library or bookstore. Lewis 29 november 1898 22 november 1963 an irishborn british novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and christian apologist. Lewis and a problem of evil 9781498250870 by jerry root. I am not happy entirely with the paper, but due to the amount of time allotted i was able to fulfill my intent.

The problem of evil is often formulated in two forms. Cs lewis, a noted christian apologist and author, takes on the problem of free will and the problem of evil. The best take on narnias susan is from jo walton, who posted this years ago. He is best known both for his fictional work, especially the screwtape letters, the chronicles of narnia, and the space. Lewis here tackles the strongest objection to god there is. Lewiss essays, poems, and sermons the pains of animals, vivisection, and a reply to professor haldane. For instance, we say in the creed i believe in the forgiveness of sins. Lewis offers his insight on the problem of evil how can a wise loving and allpowerful god allow his creatures to suffer.

Lewis, i submitted a few possible topics for the hosts choice. Among the topics were the importance of imagination and the problem of evil. The problem of evil is an extensive topic that cannot be examined in full in this paper. Therefore god lacks either goodness, or power, or both. Lewis was concerned about an aspect of the problem of evil he called subjectivism.

Some of the primary sources you will explore include. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. God created the possibility of evil, in that he created us with the freedom to choose. S lewis s narnia series has been a childrens classic for more than half a century, theres a good chance that most of us read the book in that particular stage.

In this novel, the writer argues that human pain, animal pain, and hell are not sufficient reasons to reject belief in a good and powerful god. Since the skeptic knows that some suffering could be morally justified, he is forced to argue against the biblical concept of god by claiming that at least some of the suffering in this world is pointless or unnecessary. Once when asked to speak at a series of seminars on c. The problem of pain is a 1940 book on the problem of evil written by c. The first edition of the novel was published in 1940, and was written by c. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 176 pages and is available in paperback format. Lewis and a problem of evil, jerry root provides a holistic reading of lewis by walking the reader through all of lewiss published work as he argues lewiss. Furthermore, the book reveals that lewis consistently employed fiction to make his case, as virtually all of his villains are portrayed as subjectivists. Sep 15, 2010 lewis s classic is still the most wideranging, accessible, and cogent response to the problem of evil. Lewis and the search for rational religion by john. The main characters of this christian, non fiction story are. Lewiss classic is still the most wideranging, accessible, and cogent response to the problem of evil.

Lewis and a problem of evil, jerry root provides a holistic reading of lewis by walking the reader through all of lewiss published work as he argues lewiss case against subjectivism. His books still top the charts in christian bookstores. The content of this book was adapted from a series of bbc radio talks made by lewis between 1942 and 1944. For instance, we have from lewiss pen straightforward apologetical works such as mere christianity and the problem of pain, theological satires such as the screwtape letters and the great divorce, and for lack of a better word his concealed christianity in the interplanetary novels and the chronicles of narnia. Lewis on suffering and what it means to have free will.

My top 5 books on the problem of evil christianity today. 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. Lewis and a problem of evil by jerry root, hardcover. He is best known for his works of fiction, especially the screwtape letters, the chronicles of narnia, and the space trilogy. God and the problem of evil with john lennox duration.

His book the problem of pain 1940 and a grief observed 1961 are helpful guides to working through suffering theologically and emotionally. The pascal lectures on christianity and the university,541 views 1. An apologetic examination of the problem of evil, suffering, and death. A world in which humans could not make moral choices is a world without humans. Antony flew examines his views on free will and evil. Chapter 2 the problem of pain is a book on the philosophical problem of evil by c. 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.

Later books on literature include a preface to paradise lost 1942, the personal heresy. In the book the problem of pain, coming at the heels of wwii, lewis deals headon with the problem of evil. Lewis offers his insight on the problem of evil how can a wise loving and all. Lewis, author of the lion, the witch and the wardrobe, was a tireless academic defender of christianity. Lewis begins with a terse statement of the problem of evil. The problem of pain, the abolition of man, miracles, mere christianity, the screwtape letters, the great divorce written in the spare time between his oxford tutorials fully engage modernity and, for that reason, strike a cord with all those who share modernist assumptions that is, with almost everybody. Lewis, in full clive staples lewis, born november 29, 1898, belfast, ireland now in northern irelanddied november 22, 1963, oxford, oxfordshire, england, irishborn scholar, novelist, and author of about 40 books, many of them on christian apologetics, including the screwtape letters and mere christianity. The book buyer in you is fortunate in the fact that most of lewiss books are in paperback.

Lewiss books the problem of pain, a grief observed, the screwtape letters, and the great divorce. Browse a complete collection of his books, sign up for a monthly enewsletter, find additional resources, and more. The logical form of the argument tries to show a logical impossibility in the coexistence of god and evil, 1 4 while the evidential form tries to show that given the evil in the world, it is improbable that there is an. Lewis attempts to deconstruct the objections of critics and explain why free will is. Dont let its analytical tone make you forget, as many do, that its author lost his mother in childhood and fought on the frontlines of the first world war. How beversluis tackles lewis argument is probably best summed up by christian philosopher victor reppert, who wrote. One common reason people question the existence of god is the presence of evil in this world. He held academic positions in english literature at both oxford university magdalen college, 19251954 and cambridge university magdalene college, 19541963. Clive staples lewis 29 november 1898 22 november 1963 was a british writer and lay theologian. Clive staples lewis was a novelist, poet, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian, and christian apologist. Born in belfast, ireland, he held academic positions at both oxford university magdalen college and cambridge university magdalene college. Dont let its analytical tone make you forget, as many do, that its author lost his mother. Therefore, god lacks either goodness, or power, or both.

Lewis and a problem of evil, jerry root provides a holistic reading of lewis by walking the reader through all of lewis s published work as he argues lewis s case against subjectivism. 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 lewis summarizes the problem of evil as follows. Lewis has had an enormous impact on the evangelical mind. Lewis and a problem of evil, jerry root provides a holistic reading of lewis by walking the reader through all of lewis s published work as he argues lewis s. In this work, lewis starts off with an empathetic understanding that the problem of pain is a difficult one and not something to write off flippantly. Lewis, when reflecting on his previous rejection of christianity, stated, my. I had been saying it for several years before i asked myself why it was in the creed. If the word good must mean approximately the same thing when we apply it to god as what it means when we. For many people, this is an emotional issue, rather than an intellectual one. Lewiss the problem of pain a summary logically faithful. A study in medieval tradition 1936, was highly praised and established his reputation as a leading figure in british literary studies. As we step through the door, let me tell you briefly how i started to read lewis.

Still she stood at the graveside, calm, composed, palefaced, with folded hands, her shoulders back, shed been a queen onceina. Lewis s essays, poems, and sermons the pains of animals, vivisection, and a reply to professor haldane. Lewis, we develop wholehearted disciples of jesus christ who will articulate, defend, share, and live their faith in personal and public life. Lewis considers with an elegant sidewise gleam in an essay titled divine omnipotence from his altogether fascinating 1940 book the problem of pain public library a scintillating examination of the concept of free will in a material universe and why suffering is not only a natural but an essential part of the human. Such a world would be one in which wrong actions were impossible, and in which, therefore, freedom of the will would be void. When the problem of evil is presented, it quickly becomes apparent that the term evil cannot be used in any meaningful way by an atheist. Pain the only real evil 12 if god exists and allows suffering, god must be grotesque.