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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. How does Augustine characterize things in Book One?
(a) They are the items that God puts before Christians to enjoy.
(b) They are the items that God puts before Christians to use.
(c) They are ordinary objects that are not used to signify something.
(d) They are all items that fall under God's authority.

2. Why does Augustine expect the method of accessing knowledge he lacks to be successful?
(a) Augustine is familiar with the classification system of the library at Hippo Regius.
(b) Augustine has great respect for other learned Priests within his sphere.
(c) Augustine believes that God will give to him because God gives to those who "give away," as does Augustine when he teaches.
(d) Augustine believes God guides those who gather in Christian community.

3. What does Augustine reason is the consequence to human teaching if learning comes from Divine gifts?
(a) That there is no point to human teaching if learning only comes through Divine gifts.
(b) That Divine gifts work as a validation of human teaching.
(c) That Divine gifts become the standard against which all teaching is measured.
(d) That human teaching becomes a validation of Divine gifts.

4. What does Augustine claim to be the central law of love and the message of Christianity?
(a) That one should love God and love thy neighbor.
(b) That the one illuminated truth is to love thy neighbor who loves God.
(c) That one should find illuminated truth to love God and thy neighbor.
(d) That one thing that is illuminated truth is loving God and then thy neighbor.

5. With what prediction does Augustine start "On Christian Doctrine"?
(a) The work will face three kinds of criticism.
(b) Christians will gather around a uniform doctrine.
(c) God will assure that the Church will become the primary social force in the world.
(d) Christians will transform society through piety and rhetorical skill.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. What are the two primary reasons that Augustine devotes his time to those questions?

3. Augustine wrote that the critics he mainly focuses on in the Preface base their positions on what belief?

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

5. What is an important distinction that Augustine teaches students to understand through three Books of "On Christian Doctrine?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Augustine recommend as the best method for acquiring rhetorical skill?

2. Augustine supports students learning in a certain human gathering. What are these human gatherings called and what can students get from them that they cannot get from "special gifts"?

3. What does Augustine recommend to the pastor who cannot acquire the skill of rhetoric?

4. What term does Augustine apply to the subjects he recommends for study to learn Scriptural interpretation and why does he use this term?

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

6. Augustine refutes his critics from the Preface with a common example. What was that example and how does Augustine use it to support his position?

7. What are the two items that Augustine writes that students must differentiate to learn what Scripture teaches?

8. What are the seven rules of interpretation that Augustine used from Tyconius' book of Rules?

9. What does Augustine identify as the two types of passages interpreted from Scripture?

10. How many types of criticism does Augustine predict he will face over "On Christian Doctrine"?

(see the answer keys)

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