A Grief Observed

By C. S. Lewis

Catholic-ometer: 4 of 5

Enjoyability: 2.5 of 5

In addition to authoring the Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis also wrote a number of other good books about the various aspects of Christian life, and the major issues faced by Christianity in the modern age; most of which are even more problematic today.  Those books are enlightening, clever and informative.

This book, by contrast, is really more of a story about his own spiritual journey through a time of great difficulty for him; the passing away of his wife.  The book is therefore, not as instructive to serious students of theology, or to people trying to discern what the true Christian teachings about God, faith and the afterlife really are.  It does, however, paint a very vivid picture of what can go through the mind of a suffering Christian.

Chapter 1 is the chapter with all the insulting guesses about God.  When one suffers badly, one often does this.  Even very faithful people sometimes question whether God enjoys watching them suffer, or whether it's possible for God to be evil.  This diminishes through chapters 2 and 3, as Lewis continues to reflect on his loss, and to gradually recover from it.  Chapter 4 is clearly meant to end on a ray of hope.

I say "meant to," because I don't really believe that chapter 4 was written after the grief had passed.  Much of what Lewis suggests about souls, the afterlife and our relationship with God in this chapter is, I think, theologically-questionable.  In fact, I overcame many of these same questions and worries only very recently.

In a way, though, I think the fact that I can sympathise with Lewis on his journey of rediscovering the truths of the faith after a shattering tragedy makes it easier for me to appreciate what went into this book.  I just don't feel the finished product should be quoted as instructions on anything.

I've been in tough times, where I agonized over everything, and some of the stuff I wrote back then, I can barely stand to read anymore.  I think our worst writing comes out of the times when we suffer, and while I'm sure this book is a tremendous comfort to many people in their own times of suffering, I found it kind of tough to get through.

This may or may not be a reflection on the quality of the book, however.  Maybe I'm just not in the right kind of mood to appreciate it.  One thing's for sure; the issues raised in the various chapters of this book correspond very closely to the questions that I myself have worried over in the course of my own life; the issues that have gotten between me and the faith.

I guess that's a good point in favor of this book.  It seems to ask all the right questions.  I just wish it offered better answers to them.