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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. What were the disciple teachers known as?

2. Who does Mack argue at the end of Chapter 8 became the beloved disciple?

3. How does John portray Jesus, according to Mack?

4. What does Mack say about the letter of Jude?

5. What was the core objective of the epic of Israel through the end of the second temple?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Marcion of Sinope's logic, in terms of his views of two Gods, and what to do about the Jewish contamination in the gospels?

2. What were the two key arguments that the centrists tried to use against the non-centrist positions of Valentinus and Marcion?

3. What were the four ways of reading the scripture that supported the Christian inclusion of Jewish scripture in their religion?

4. How does the Gospel of John differ from that of Mark?

5. What was Valentinus' story of the tragedy of the birth of the world?

6. Describe Mack's observations about James as an author in the first three centuries.

7. What evidence does Mack put forth that the attempts to move into mainstream Christianity worked?

8. What are the significant differences between the Pauline and Johannine traditions, as discussed by Mack in chapter 8?

9. What are the major points of the sermons contained in the Acts, according to Mack?

10. What are the three concerns underlying the treatise to the Hebrews?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the three ways in which Paul fought the super apostles at Corinth. Be sure to include all three of his arguments, including the idea of an old and new covenant, the Adam-Jesus comparison, and the use of allegory to turn the old covenant into the story of Christ. How did Paul use each of these arguments? What were the arguments? Be sure to include details from the book to explain the arguments, and to support them.

Essay Topic 2

List and discuss the four "proofs" from scripture that support the idea that the history of Israel can be read as the story of the Christian God. What are the four points? What do they mean? How do they tie together to create the idea of a scripture that supports the Christian God, rather than a Jewish God? Be sure to mention concepts such as the spirit of prophesy, the logos, and the idea that the history of Israel did not end with the Jews.

Essay Topic 3

Describe why Mack believes his book can help view Christianity in a new way, and what he fantasizes about in terms of an honest discussion of the Bible, and Christianity as a whole. What does he think we should do, in terms of religion? Why does he think his book can help humanity begin to question Christianity as a source for social order? Do you agree? Why or why not?

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