Date

8-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (MA)

Chair

Douglas Blount

Keywords

C. S. Lewis, intellectual problem of evil, problem of evil, human suffering, theodicy, divine goodness, divine omnipotence, human sin, free will, The Problem of Pain, The Great Divorce, The Magician’s Nephew, The Horse and His Boy, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Last Battle, Till We Have Faces

Disciplines

Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

C. S. Lewis was one of the 20th century’s greatest Christian apologists. Writing across multiple genres—from academic literary criticism to lay sermons, and from philosophical and theological analysis to several kinds of fiction—his impact on Christian thought remains profound. This thesis analyzes Lewis’s approach to the intellectual problem of evil in The Problem of Pain and demonstrates how he makes those starkly cold, prickly concepts more warm, human, and relatable in several of his works of fiction. It will first consider Lewis’s personal history with death, abuse, war, and grief, showing how his lived experiences with pain shaped his thinking and authority to speak on the topic of suffering. It then evaluates the key arguments and common criticisms of The Problem of Pain, including its reputation as being clinical, detached, and more theoretical than practical. Finally, by examining The Great Divorce, Till We Have Faces, and several books from The Chronicles of Narnia (The Magician’s Nephew, The Horse and His Boy, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Last Battle) this thesis demonstrates how Lewis framed the complex theological concepts surrounding evil and suffering with more warmth, understanding, and compassion in his fiction, allowing readers to spiritually and emotionally absorb the ideas surrounding the intellectual problem of evil.

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