In the Preface, Lewis informs the reader that he is writing at the suggestion of a colleague, and that this work will be an attempt to “solve the intellectual problem raised by suffering” (vi). Lewis is quick to manage the reader’s expectations, stating that he is not a theologian, but rather a “layman and an amateur” (vi). Furthermore, Lewis says, the book will not follow the usual pattern of an academic tome, footnoting sources and tracing ideas back to their origins. Having established what the reader can expect from the work, Lewis is prepared to tackle an ancient question: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?

Lewis informs the reader that he was an atheist not many years prior to writing this book, and part of his lack of belief in God was the presence of pain. Speaking of the existence and order of the Earth, Lewis writes, “It [the Earth] is so arranged that all the forms of it can live only by preying upon one another […]The creatures cause pain by being born, and live by inflicting pain, and in pain they mostly die” (1). Lewis then explains how Christianity developed, even in the face of human suffering.