C. S. LEWIS / COURSE 3
The Problem of Evil
Got a problem with evil? So did C. S. Lewis. In fact, for years it prevented him from believing in God.
Enquire about this course ↗
THE APPROACH
A question worth pursuing.
If God is both good and powerful, why is there so much suffering in the world? Why do good people suffer? Why do animals suffer? What can be done to ameliorate the problem?
As a student, you can take the course as a major or as a minor. If you take it as a minor, you will write on the first four topics. If you take it as a major course, you will write on all eight topics.
Jason will provide a course pack containing a detailed syllabus with primary and secondary sources and an essay prompt for each tutorial, along with detailed instructions and practical tips on essay writing and preparing for and participating in tutorials. From there, develop your own ideas through reading, a written paper, and a conversation with your tutor.
YOUR PAPERS
What you’ll explore.
The minor covers the first four topics. The major covers all eight.
- 1Lewis on moral evilCORE
- 2Lewis on natural evil (and animal suffering)CORE
- 3Lewis on diabolical evilCORE
- 4Lewis’s understanding of hellCORE
- 5Lewis and belief in purgatoryMAJOR
- 6Lewis a prophet? Lewis vs. John HickMAJOR
- 7Lewis’s mistake? Lewis vs. Thomas OordMAJOR
- 8Evil in The Chronicles of NarniaMAJOR
ON THE READING TABLE
Texts to think with.
Some of the primary sources you will explore include: C. S. Lewis’s books The Problem of Pain, A Grief Observed, The Screwtape Letters, and The Great Divorce; and C. S. Lewis’s essays, poems, and sermons ‘The Pains of Animals’, ‘Vivisection’, and ‘A Reply to Professor Haldane’.
Some of the secondary sources you will explore include: Nature Red in Tooth and Claw by Michael Murray; The Uncontrolling Love of God by Thomas Jay Oord; ‘A Hell of a Choice’ by Jerry Walls; and ‘Williams’ Descent Into Hell’ by Holly Ordway.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN
Choose your depth.
Four tutorials
Four papers, four conversations.
US$800Eight tutorials
More time to develop your thinking.
US$1,500Weekly, fortnightly, or monthly meetings can be discussed.
More about the tutorial format ↗YOUR NEXT CHAPTER