C.S. Lewis, one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century, is considered by many to be one of history's greatest apologists (logical defenders of the Christian faith). Out of many nonfiction works, The Problem of Pain stands out as one of Lewis's most streamlined, specifically focused, and concisely argued treatises. In it, Lewis considers the famous "problem of pain" objection to the Christian religion: God is said to be both all-good and all-powerful. If he is both good and powerful, then why does suffering exist in the world? If he is good, he would want to stop it, and if he is powerful, he would be able to, and yet it still persists. In order to respond to this objection, Lewis puts forward his take on the theodicy (answer to the aforementioned question).
The timing of this book was extremely intentional, and its message highly applicable to the time. Published in 1940, The Problem of Pain came near the beginning of WWII, the devastating conflict that spread terror throughout Western Europe and the world. In the face of such tragedy, how could people believe in a God? Lewis believes he has the answer, and in the course of this book argues that such an objection is not strong enough to disprove the Christian faith. It was largely unheralded on an academic and critical level, but it certainly had a strong impact on Lewis's readers, serving as a remarkable addition to Lewis's impressive canon.
