View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the title of the essay in Part II, Essay 12, "God in the Dock", the term "in the dock" refers to a condition in which what happens?

2. What does Lewis believe about the story of Jesus turning water into wine?

3. In Part II, Essay 14, "Revival or Decay?" Lewis warns against the danger of the increasing worship of what potentially sinful activity?

4. In Part II, Essay 14, "Revival or Decay?" Lewis warns against a brewing religion centered around what?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. Why is Lewis opposed to giving all men a "right to happiness"?

6. According to Lewis' writings in Part II, Essay 1, "Dangers of National Repentance", what dangers does national repentance present?

7. Why did Lewis believe that the Nazi emphasis on Nordic myth was absurd?

8. According to Lewis, how do most modern people approach the subject of God, and how should the subject be approached?

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

10. What reasons does Lewis give to support the idea of women serving as priests?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lewis suggests that Christmas is the most important spiritual holiday in the year for many Christians. However, he complains that it has been co-opted by commercial interests, a phenomenon that he views as destructive and undesirable in many respects.

1) Discuss the commercial impact of Christmas according to Lewis and use his arguments to assess whether or not the commercial aspects of the holiday have a net positive or negative impact on the wider culture that they occur in.

2) Discuss Lewis opinion about the impact that the commercialization of Christmas has on Christians and their observance of this important holiday.

3) Summarize the unusual arguments that Lewis puts forward to denounce the commercialization of Christmas.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

Bulverism is the flawed argumentative technique of assuming that the opponent is wrong and then merely explaining how that person came to that flawed belief. Although this technique may sway audiences, and even cause a person to question their beliefs, it does nothing to determine the relative truth of an issue.

1) Explain the concept of Bulverism, how it is employed, and why it is flawed as a method of argument.

2) Discuss some of the common uses of Bulverism in debate, including a discussion of particular subjects that are especially vulnerable to this type of attack.

3) Speculate as to why a person might resort to Bulverism, and whether or not one who argues in this way is arguing honestly and in good faith.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,093 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample