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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 is Lewis' stance on compulsory religious activity?

2. Lewis credits the work of what famous thinker with causing rational people to be concerned mainly with why things are true, rather than whether or not they are true?

3. The letter that Lewis passes on in Part IV, Letter 5, "A Village Experience" is from what kind of person?

4. Lewis fears that doctrinal issues will be settled with changes in what?

5. Lewis recommends that Christians regard rulers in what way?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Lewis' opinion about Christian literature?

2. What is the problem in the village described in Part IV, Letter 5, "A Village Experience"?

3. According to Lewis, how might vivisection be justified?

4. Why does Lewis believe that the decline of religion occurring at his time was less dramatic than it appeared?

5. According to Lewis' writings in Part II, Essay 15, "Before We Can Communicate", what challenges do Christians face in dealing with non-believing Englishmen?

6. Why does Lewis reject the creation of a Christian political party?

7. Explain one example of the problem with trying too hard to look at a problem "behind the scenes".

8. What practical reasons does Lewis give to reject the idea of women serving as priests?

9. Explain the logical fallacy that Lewis cautions against in Part III, Essay 3, "The Sermon and the Lunch"?

10. What problem does Lewis identify in the rules discussed in Part IV, Letter 1, "Conditions for a Just War"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

National repentance is the phenomenon of a nation's citizens feeling as if they must each personally atone for the wrongs of the nation as a whole. Although this guilt and the consequent repentance often makes people feel good, Lewis argues that it is undesirable and dangerous.

1) Explain the concept of national repentance and why it was prominent in Lewis' time.

2) Discuss the positive aspects that Lewis believes national repentance can bring about and what it is intended to achieve.

3) Discuss the problems that Lewis sees in national repentance. Explain how it can act as a distraction from real spiritual matters, and detail Lewis' arguments against it.

Essay Topic 2

Although he is not primarily concerned with politics, the subject is unavoidable, and Lewis discusses the relationship between Christianity and politics in several different ways throughout the book.

1) Explain the unusual connection between church and state that existed in England during Lewis' time.

2) Discuss Lewis' opinions about compulsory religious activity forced on citizens by the state. Provide and explain some examples from the book.

3) Many have called for Christians to form a political party. Explain the argument Lewis uses to reject these concept.

Essay Topic 3

Lewis recognizes the supreme importance of a human being's right to pursue happiness, but he loudly opposes anyone's explicit right to happiness itself.

1) Discuss the concepts of a "right to happiness" and a "right to pursue happiness" according to Lewis, and explain their differences.

2) Explain Lewis opinion regarding the importance of the right to pursue happiness within a free, democratic, and capitalist society.

3) Explain the way that Lewis believes that attempting to guarantee a right to happiness will lead inexorably to severe social problems.

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