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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. How does Chesterton characterize the wanderings of Jesus?

2. What does Chesterton say Europe would look like if it had continued in paganism?

3. What does Chesterton intend his concluding chapter to be?

4. What does Chesterton say about the story of Good Friday?

5. To what does Chesterton compare early Christianity?

Short Essay Questions

1. What significance does Chesterton assign to the Christmas story happening in a cave?

2. Explain how Chesterton comes to the conclusion that Christ was an intellectually apt and astute man?

3. Explain how the Christian creed is like a key, according to Chesterton.

4. Why does Chesterton attempt to look at the Gospels as one who had never seen them before?

5. Explain Chesterton's statement, "I do not believe that mythology must begin with eroticism. But I do believe that mythology must end in it." To what was he referring?

6. How does Chesterton prove that you can determine the beliefs of the church by what it rejected?

7. What importance does Chesterton assign to the "Merry Peasant"?

8. Explain what Chesterton meant when he said the birth of Christ turned the universe inside out, or that the circumference had been turned into the center.

9. Explain the logic behind Chesterton's statement, "If the ecclesiastical and dogmatic system is as old as the Pentecost then it is as old as Christmas."

10. Explain how Chesterton refutes the popular argument that Christ's teachings are dated because he was "a man of his time".

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the chapter "The Demons and The Philosophers" Chesterton spends quite a bit of time describing aspects of Confucianism and Buddhism. Write an essay about either Confucianism or Buddhism or both.

Part 1. Who was the man behind the religion? When and where was he born? What did he do during his lifetime?

Part 2. What are some of the fundamental ideologies, practices, and beliefs?

Part 3. Do you agree with Chesterton that this set of beliefs is a mere philosophy or is it a religion? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Chesterton uses cave paintings as the basis for a general statement about mankind.

Part 1. Write a brief introduction to cave paintings. When and where were they created? What do they depict?

Part 2. What does Chesterton assert about cave paintings?

Part 3. How does Chesterton use cave paintings as a way to refute some of the scientific theories of his time?

Part 4. What general conclusion about mankind does Chesterton make? What is his logic in reaching this conclusion?

Essay Topic 3

Chesterton devotes an entire chapter to describing the Punic war between Carthage and Rome. Write an essay about this war.

Part 1. Give some general background about the time and places involved. What were they like before the war?

Part 2. What are the known facts about this war? Where do we get these facts? Describe the general happenings of the war from a militaristic or strategic standpoint.

Part 3. Incorporating Chesterton's position into your essay, describe what you feel are the more human reasons and experiences that were prevalent in this war. Do you agree with Chesterton's interpretation? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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