View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Augustine's position in his circle of friends?

2. At the beginning of this book, where is Augustine a student?

3. Though Augustine is proficient in learning the sciences and philosophy of his time what is he unable to formulate?

4. Instead of learning Christian stories, what does Augustine learn?

5. How does Augustine view the holy men of the Bible?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Monica feel about Augustine moving and how does he get around her?

2. What type of job does Augustine do and where does he get his money?

3. What does Augustine believe about the men in the Bible and how does he apply that to people in general?

4. What is Augustine's primary thoughts of when he arrives in Carthage and what does he do with them?

5. What does Augustine decide about reading Scripture and interpreting it?

6. What type of religion ensnares Augustine's interest?

7. What does Augustine's parents want for him?

8. Why did one of Augustine's friends abandon Christianity and what happens after that?

9. Augustine says he wrote Confessions for what reason?

10. What intensifies as Augustine grows into a young man and of what type of behavior does he indulge?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Augustine urges the church faithful to be righteous and to do good deeds, but not as a substitute for their faith. Their faith must be shown by their good deeds, and at the same time these good deeds must reflect their faith. This statement is a paradox.

1. Why do you think this statement could be classified as a paradox?

2. What do you think Augustine means by the statement above?

Essay Topic 2

Augustine asks questions such as, "whether I had any knowledge of myself when I was in the womb?" and, "where did I come from?" Augustine asks all these questions, but they do not shake his faith as they would modern skeptics, but rather strengthen his feeling about the mystery and omnipotence and infinite wisdom of God.

1. What do you think is meant by this statement? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Do you think these two questions Augustine asked are common questions? How important are these two questions to you?

3. How would you go about trying to find an answer to these two questions of Augustine's within yourself or your belief system?

Essay Topic 3

In book VII, Augustine rejects astrology after speaking to an old man Vindicianus, and also due to the arguments of his friend Nebridius. They both say that the predictions of astrologists are purely a matter of chance, plus taking into account a person's condition, wealth, and circumstances. Discuss one of the following ideas:

1. What do you think Augustine's Christian beliefs would say about the concept of astrology? Use examples from the text and your own knowledge.

2. Why do you think many people in those times believed in astrology? Do you think the people who believe in astrology today do so for the same reasons?

3. Do you think science has disproved the validity of astrology? Why or why not? Discuss thoroughly.

4. What do you think about the thoughts of Augustine's two friends who say that the predictions of astrologists are purely a matter of chance, plus taking into account a person's condition, wealth, and circumstances?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,051 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample