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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. Who does Chesterton claim to be the best judge of Christianity?

2. Why does Chesterton say men fight?

3. Which of the following is a statement Chesterton makes about paganism?

4. What does Chesterton think of the theory that mankind is solely motivated by economic reasons of subsistence?

5. What does Chesterton say is the simplest truth about mankind?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the beginning of the introduction, Chesterton uses an analogy of a boy leaving his farmland home and looking back on his homeland as he does so. What is he trying to explain or make clear with this analogy?

2. Explain how, according to Chesterton, monotheistic religion becomes polytheistic.

3. How does Chesterton refute the idea that religion came from people's experiences with authority, dreams, and the cycles of life?

4. How does Chesterton describe the religious experience of the Romans?

5. Explain how and why, according to Chesterton, the pace at which things move changes our perception of them.

6. Summarize Chesterton's explanation of the battle between Carthage and Rome.

7. Explain what Chesterton was trying to explain with his example of the horse and rider.

8. What concept regarding civilization and barbarism throughout history does Chesterton refute? What does he say?

9. What is Chesterton's analysis of symbols such as the circle, the swastika, and the cross?

10. As a way to demonstrate the potential deficiencies in deductive reasoning, Chesterton uses an example of 20th Century initials being carved in a rock. Explain this example and what it is meant to convey.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the chapter titled "The Witness of the Heretics" Chesterton talks about Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science. Write an essay about Christian Science and its founder.

Part 1. Write a short biography of Mary Baker Eddy and what led her to create Christian Science.

Part 2. Provide details about the beginning of Christian Science, including its inception and founding ideologies.

Part 3. How widely is Christian Science practiced today? Explain the spread and evolution of Christian Science.

Essay Topic 2

Chesterton's arguments that Buddhism is not a religion and does not have ethics, and that the church is unique in its ability to endure social change is thrown into question by Buddhism itself. Write an essay on Buddhism.

Part 1. Write about the historical spread of Buddhism - when and where it was founded, its subsequent existence and spread throughout history, and its various different types.

Part 2. Who was Buddha? Describe the founder of Buddhism and his teachings.

Part 3. Describe the five precepts, or the code of ethics, in Buddhism.

Part 4. Analyze Chesterton's position on Buddhism in light of your research.

Essay Topic 3

Chesterton describes the history of Asia as flat and uneventful, but a brief look into Asia's history shows a land of color and change. Write an essay about the history of Asia over the last two thousand years or so.

Part 1. What was Asia like at the beginning of Christendom? Which religions were most widespread?

Part 2. Write a history of Asia that includes the rise and fall of the major empires, the spread of religions, and the various occupations of different parts of Asia throughout history. Make sure to include the rise and spread of Buddhism.

Part 3. How does this history compare to Chesterton's portrayal of the history of Asia? How does it affect his arguments?

(see the answer keys)

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