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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. What differs for each individual and even at different periods of a person's life?

2. What does the faithful begin doing under the guidance of Ambrose?

3. What phrase does Augustine use as an example of different interpretations?

4. What does Augustine think would happen if there was really a kingdom of light versus a kingdom of darkness?

5. What can the mind remember though it doesn't exist anymore?

Short Essay Questions

1. Augustine says why people hate the truth. What does he say about the truth?

2. What is the story Augustine hears from Ponticianus and what does the story do to Augustine?

3. What does Augustine say about memory?

4. What is Alypius' view of Jesus and what is Augustine's?

5. What does Augustine say about writing his confession?

6. Explain why Augustine rejects astrology.

7. What does Augustine say about music and pleasure?

8. Why does Augustine feel a sort of schizophrenia?

9. What happened at the church in Milan and what Christian tradition was started there?

10. How does Augustine see evil?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Augustine compares the Trinity to these three things: existence, knowledge, and will. Augustine does this because he is a being that exists, and that both knows and wills.

1. What do you think Augustine means by existence, knowledge and will?

2. Do you agree with Augustine that he can know what the Trinity is because he has existence, knowledge, and will? Why or why not?

3. Do you think only humans have existence, knowledge, and will or do animals? Explain your reasoning.

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

Augustine recalls that he was under a lot of peer pressure to seek sexual pleasure and to applaud those who seek it from his peers that he knew from his town and from school. Augustine remembers even inventing sexual exploits to tell his peers, just to impress them.

1. Do you think Augustine's feelings of pressure from his peers was valid? Why or why not?

2. Do you think young men today feel the same peer pressure Augustine felt? Why or why not?

3. Discuss your beliefs about how young people are subjected to peer pressure and what a young person can do about it.

(see the answer keys)

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