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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Book II, Chapter VI, how many kinds of pain result from the meeting of the divine and human?

2. In Book I, Chapter X, what can people become if they do not recognize they are going through the dark night?

3. Where do the afflictions of the second night of darkness affect a man, as stated in Book II, Chapter VII?

4. St. John says that almost all beginners will experience what?

5. How many important points are made in Book II, Chapter X, about the purification process?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the author quote the sufferings of Job and Jeremias in Book II, Chapter VII?

2. What is the purpose of the Dark Night of the Soul as described in the prologue?

3. Describe how the devil uses spiritual activity to place an impure thought in a believer's head, as described in Dark Night of the Soul.

4. What are the symptoms of the sin of pride, according to St. John?

5. What is the difference between a symptom of the dark night from sin and actually going through the dark night, according to St. John?

6. What does the author say is the sign that the dark night has begun?

7. As described in Book II, Chapter, I, can a person who has passed through the night of darkness still be afflicted with other periods of darkness? Why?

8. In Book II, Chapter X, how does the divine fire of God teach about the state of souls in purgatory?

9. How must a believer react when first realizing he has entered the dark night, according to Book I, Chapter X?

10. What does St. John say must change in a person in order for the divine and the human to exist within the same person?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The soul becomes transformed after passing through the dark night and starts to yearn and becomes overwhelmed with the power and depth of God. Answer the following with supporting examples:

1) How does the soul act after receiving a love for God after passing through the dark night?

2) Why does the soul enter into a restless state after understanding the power of God's love?

3) Why would the soul miss the spirit of God if it were ever to leave?

Essay Topic 2

After completely passing through the two dark nights of spirituality, a proficient Christian is at last unified with God. St. John explains that there are three properties that the soul gains as a result of passing through the purification of the dark night. Write an essay answering the following by using supporting examples from the text:

1) What are the three properties the soul gains after being purified by the dark night?

2) Do the senses or sin affect the spirit after the dark night has passed within a person's life?

3) How does a soul become transformed by these three properties? What does that mean in a Christian's relationship with God?

Essay Topic 3

The second night of darkness inflicts even greater pain upon the soul than the first night. Answer the following questions with supporting examples:

1) Why is the second night of darkness even more painful than the first?

2) What happens to the soul after periods of rest during this night? Why?

3) What examples from the Bible does St. John use to help illustrate the pain of the second night of darkness?

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