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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Augustine identify as a necessary subject that a student must learn to understand Scripture?
(a) The Apocrypha so the hidden meaning of Scriptural signs can be illuminated.
(b) Records of the Council of Trent to know the points of sound doctrine.
(c) The working order of the Catholic Church to understand where to go for sound reference and guidance.
(d) The relevant languages and make all the translations he can find.

2. What does Augustine state the student must do once the figurative and literal passages have been separated from each other?
(a) The meanings must be harmonized.
(b) The language and grammar must be checked for accuracy and similarities.
(c) A second division needs to be made separating Old Testament from New Testament.
(d) The background of the passages needs to be compared.

3. What are the two categories of signs Augustine identifies in Book Two?
(a) Signs that are things and signs that are words.
(b) Natural signs and given signs.
(c) Signs that are given through special gifts and signs that are given through angels.
(d) Signs that can be used and signs that can be enjoyed.

4. What was the topic of Book Three?
(a) Learning as a discipline to prove Christian convictions.
(b) Learning how to handle unknown or unfamiliar signs.
(c) Learning the philosophy of Classic Greeks as a key to Scriptural interpretation.
(d) Learning how to overcome critics with well-reasoned and complete prose.

5. What facts of Scripture does Augustine set as the foundation for understanding it?
(a) All the teachings of Christ.
(b) Objects, times, places and people referred to in Scripture and the spiritual realm of the people in Scripture.
(c) The context of the miracles so they can understand the purpose of God in delivering them.
(d) All Scriptural history starting from creation.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does it mean that Augustine requires his students to have such broad knowledge to master his course?

2. What is an important omission that Augustine commits as it applies to moral rules in Scripture?

3. How will studying this subject help in understanding Scripture?

4. Of the areas that Augustine emphasizes, what area receives the most intense focus?

5. What does Augustine state an interpreter sometimes looks to to get the right meanings and right number of meanings from a passage?

(see the answer keys)

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