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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. How should the spiritual faults of others be viewed, according to Lewis?

2. According to Lewis, what is the most important miraculous event in Christianity?

3. The content of Part I, Essay 20, "The Pains of Animals" is mostly concerned with what?

4. Why should the Gospels not be considered legend?

5. What does Lewis cite as being an important part of the intellectual challenge of faith?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is an "animal stage"?

2. What two premises are necessary for belief in miracles, according to Lewis' argument in Part I, Essay 2, "Miracles"?

3. According to Lewis' argument in Part I, Essay 12, "Man or Rabbit?", what are the difficulties of using Christianity to become a better person ?

4. According to Lewis, what distinction does Christianity carry, compared to other religions?

5. Explain the distinction that Lewis makes between thinking and imagining.

6. What is the purpose of the prayer books according to Lewis?

7. Explain Lewis' argument that science does not undermine the occurrence of miracles.

8. How are schoolboys taught Christianity in England?

9. Why does the answering of prayers not always necessitate supernatural intervention?

10. According to Lewis' writings in Part I, Essay 19, "What Are We to Make of Jesus Christ", what possible contradiction makes it difficult to discount the miracles associated with the life of Jesus?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lewis concedes that animal pain is a major problem for theist belief. Although there are many classical arguments to explain the experience of pain by humans, who are able to learn and grow as a result of suffering, there are very few ways to explain the necessity for animals to suffer.

1) Summarize the "problem of pain" for Christianity specifically and for theist belief as a whole that Lewis outlines. Explain how Lewis resolves this problem in the case of human beings.

2) Discuss why the experience of pain by animals remains problematic for Christian apologists.

3) Describe Lewis' theory of "animal stages" and how it acts to explain away some of the problem of animal pain.

Essay Topic 2

According to Lewis and the scholars he shares correspondence with, suffering appears to be nearly universal in the world. It is not difficult to find human suffering, even in wealthy first-world nations, and animals suffer both in the wild and in human captivity. These scholars agree that the problem of suffering is a significant and important one for Christians, who believe that God is loving and moreover, pure good.

1) Explain the argument that some use to explain how suffering shows that the Christian God does not exist.

2) Describe the counter-arguments made by Lewis and others on this subject, to show that suffering may be an important and necessary component of the world.

3) Assess whether or not suffering is inherently evil, and which position this quality of suffering supports.

Essay Topic 3

Lewis discusses the arguments that many have made, believing that females should be allowed to serve the Christian church as priests. He suggests that this reform has been enacted in very few denominations for good reasons, and he cites practical and theological reasons to advise against it.

1) Discuss some of the practical difficulties that Lewis brings up regarding allowing women to serve as priests, and the theological basis behind this restriction.

2) Explain the arguments that Lewis explains that speak in favor of allowing females to serve as priests.

3) Using Lewis' predictions and warnings, speculate about what the consequences would be for a major denomination within Christianity to allow females to serve as priests.

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