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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 does the faithful begin doing under the guidance of Ambrose?

2. How can things deeply hidden in memory be recalled?

3. How does Augustine create his own image of the Heaven of Heavens?

4. Into what can the devil make himself?

5. From what is a human being, no matter how saintly, never fully free?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Augustine say about the heavens?

2. What does Augustine say about writing his confession?

3. What does Augustine think of the term formless matter?

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

5. Discuss the idea Augustine had about the beginning of all and on time.

6. What does Augustine say about his mother's upbringing and some of her behaviors as a married woman?

7. What does Augustine decide to do by the end of Book VII and how does his mother feel about his decision?

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

9. Who is Victorinus and what has he done in his life?

10. Why does Augustine feel a sort of schizophrenia?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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