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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. To what conclusion does Metaxas report Bonhoeffer arrived in a journal entry regarding his observations of art and his criticism of art historians?

2. What was the politically dangerous message that Metaxas reports Bonhoeffer made in a sermon at Trinity Church in Berlin one month after Hitler became Chancellor?

3. What was the objective that Bonhoeffer put to the attendees of the youth conference that began the ecumenical conference at Fano?

4. Why does Metaxas claim Reformation Sunday is a patriotic holiday in Germany?

5. Who does Metaxas report to be the professor who became the greatest influence over Bonhoeffer's life?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Metaxas claim that Bonhoeffer suggested Christians' treatment of Christ while he was in Barcelona?

2. How did Bonhoeffer's parents hear of his death, according to Metaxas?

3. According to Metaxas, why was Reformation Sunday an important celebration for churches in Germany?

4. What event during Bonhoeffer's trip to Rome does Metaxas suggest to have begun developing Bonhoeffer's understanding of the concept of "church"?

5. What does Metaxas report to be the "Aryan Paragraph" that was enforced by the Nazi regime shortly after they took control of the German government.

6. What does Metaxas report to be the "Night of the Long Knives"?

7. Who does Metaxas claim to have inspired Bonhoeffer to desire to travel to Rome?

8. How did the opponents to Reichbischof Muller's position consider the term "German Christians" to be oxymoronic?

9. What were the liberal theological ideas promoted by Adolf von Harnack with which Bonhoeffer disagreed, according to Metaxas?

10. What does Metaxas report happened to the German mark beginning in 1923?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

During his time in Rome, Bonhoeffer made several observations of the Catholic church that he carried into his theological vies and his involvement with the ecumenical movement. Choose two observations that Bonhoeffer made regarding Catholic worship and dogma that helped to shape Bonhoeffer's theological views. In your essay, demonstrate:

1. The cause-effect of the observation on Bonhoeffer's thinking.

2. How the two observations manifested themselves in Bonhoeffer's life and ministries.

Essay Topic 2

As the Nazis began their agenda of persecution against Jews and various religious groups, conflicts arose in the church between who felt that the Nazis needed to be defied and others who felt they could be dealt with. Compare and contrast the two views and use information from the book that the sides used to support their position. Finally detail the consequences for choosing one of the two positions.

Essay Topic 3

As the Nazis became more assertive over the affairs of the church, Bonhoeffer and Hermann Sasse constructed the Bethel Confession which Metaxas claims, "...was to spell out the true and historic Christian faith, which contrasted with Ludwig Muller's facile and inchoate "theology." Identify the main points of the confession and the its ultimate fate after it was circulated among Germany's top clergy. What were the motivations of various clergymen to act in the fashion they did to the language of the Confession? Were their action dedicated to the defense of Christianity? Why or why not?

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