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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was the third type of criticism that Augustine suggests "On Christian Doctrine" would face?
(a) Criticism from those who claim that Augustine relied too much on training and not enough on divine guidance.
(b) Criticism from those who cannot grasp his teaching.
(c) Criticism from those who believe it is not needed.
(d) Criticism that his demands for linguistic studies were too exclusive.

2. What is the first important distinction that Augustine makes in Book One?
(a) The distinction between discovering what Scripture teaches and communicating it.
(b) The distinction between the Christian conception of love and the pagan conception of love.
(c) The distinction between "enjoy" and "use."
(d) The distinction between learning and teaching.

3. What is the source of teaching Augustine most advocates?
(a) Angels guiding human teachers in spiritual communities.
(b) God directing the student to understand His role in Scripture.
(c) Human teachers in human communities.
(d) Christ dispensing special gifts without communities.

4. How does Augustine relate Truth and God?
(a) God creates things and Truth, but the way humans use things and accept Truth determines whether humans enjoy the experience.
(b) God created truth, but humans misuse things to reject truth.
(c) God creates things and things can be used to prove truth.
(d) Truth is based upon an unchanging standard and God is that unchanging standard.

5. What is the primary tool for interpretation for the critics that Augustine primarily focuses on in the Preface?
(a) Trial and error application to the situations for which they need Scriptural guidance.
(b) Intense study of Scripture.
(c) A "special gift" from God.
(d) Investigating commentaries produced closer to the time of the authors of Scriptures.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Augustine's perception of God's dispensation of "special gifts" of interpreting Scripture?

2. What is the nature of the second important distinction Augustine identifies in Book One?

3. Based on Augustine's Preface, what is the perception of critics toward learning?

4. With what prediction does Augustine start "On Christian Doctrine"?

5. What does Augustine conclude are the only things that can be enjoyed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What relationship does Augustine write humans should have with God? What does Augustine write must humans do before they can enter this relationship?

2. Why does Augustine claim the topic of Book Three is so difficult?

3. To what sect of Christianity did Tyconius belong and and why is it ironic that Augustine references his rules of interpretation?

4. What is Augustine's focus in Book Two?

5. What does Augustine identify as an important consideration when determining how many ideas words or phrases from Scripture contain?

6. How does Cicero detail an orator speaking in proportion with the gravity of the subject matter?

7. What does Augustine claim are the two types of signs and how are they defined?

8. Why does Augustine suggest that Scripture reports the great sins of holy men?

9. What inference can be made from the extensive training that Augustine recommends to interpret Scripture?

10. What subjects does Augustine recommend that students lea to interpret scripture?

(see the answer keys)

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