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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 does Mack argue the author of the letters to the Hebrews is saying?

2. What did the Centrists seek to prove to the challengers?

3. What term replaced "disciples"?

4. What was Valentinus' claim about what Christ made possible, in terms of knowledge of God?

5. What does Mack claim are the building blocks of the Gospel of John?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the situation in the empire since the reign of Caligula, in terms of the political mood of the Jews.

2. Explain the observations Mack claims are important about Mark's use of the pronouncement stories.

3. What two strong desires drove Christianity?

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

5. What two values are integrated in the Letters of Ignatius, and what is the result?

6. Explain the conversion of Constantine, and why it was pivotal in the creation of the Bible.

7. Explain Mack's discussion of when the Epistles of Peter and Jude were written. What references does he use to attempt to date the pieces?

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

9. What is Mack's argument about why John wrote Revelations?

10. What did the Jewish scripture available to early Christians consist of?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the five Jesus groups listed below and discuss their characteristics, and the primary teachings their movement brings forth. Be sure to include what they believed, and why, as well as their primary influence on the concept of Jesus and society in general.

-Community of Q

-Jesus School

-True Disciples of the Gospel of Thomas

-Congregation of Israel

-Jerusalem Pillars

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

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.

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