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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. Into what has St. Augustine sunk?

2. What does Augustine teach?

3. Who does Augustine arrange to marry?

4. Which of Augustine's friends laughed at predicting the future through stargazing?

5. What is Augustine's native language?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Augustine feel about the Christianity he comes in contact with and what does he observe about the morals of Christians?

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

3. What do the Manicheans believe about food?

4. Where is Augustine a student in Carthage and why does he study so diligently?

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

6. What does Augustine fear about the effect of studying pagan myths when he was young?

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

8. What does Augustine foreshadow about philosophy and himself?

9. Basically, what is Confessions about?

10. What happens with Augustine and the Manicheans and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

It is mentioned in Book III that the Manicheans believe that when a fig is picked off a fig tree, it cries tears. Later, Augustine sees as ridiculous this idea and many others that the Manicheans believe. Discuss the following ideas:

1. Just because humans cannot measure how a plant experiences life, is that reason to believe that a tree cannot cry when its fruit is picked?

2. Many people (particularly Aboriginal peoples) do not adhere to the Judeo-Christian ideas of human beings as superior to all other of the created earth. When Augustine becomes a Christian, he seems to move from a nature-centered belief system to one that is man-centered. Do you see this as a step forward?

3. The second part to the Manichean beliefs of the fig tree is that they give the fig to their "Elect" people, who by eating it, the Manicheans believe, release angels from the fig. If what thought of this as a metaphor, what do you think the metaphor could represent?

Essay Topic 2

When Moses wrote down the Holy Scriptures, he had to make them understandable, says Augustine. Moses also needed them to convey a deeper meaning to scholars and truth-seekers. The simple people think of the story of creation in a simple way, which is literal and materialistic.

1. Do you believe scholars are better able to understand religious writings than lay people? Why or why not?

2. Explain a situation in which you have read something you didn't understand.

3. What do you think Augustine means by "literal and materialistic" in the above sentence?

Essay Topic 3

In book V, Augustine wants to move to Rome, in Italy. He hears that the students are much more disciplined there. In Carthage, students would walk in and out of class during a lecture and certain students would be very disruptive. Augustine hears that this type of behavior is not tolerated at schools in Rome.

1. Compare and contrast students in that age to those in the present day.

2. What do you think it means to be a "student?" Give examples and think about this idea "outside the box." Can you relate your ideas to Augustine as a student?

3. What do you think it means to be a "teacher?" Give examples and think about this idea "outside the box." Can you relate your ideas to Augustine as a teacher?

(see the answer keys)

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