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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 Augustine suggest has the ability to know the Truth?

2. What basic fact do the critics discussed in the Preface ignore by discounting teaching from Augustine and others?

3. What was the third type of criticism that Augustine suggests "On Christian Doctrine" would face?

4. How does Augustine characterize things in Book One?

5. What are the three things that Augustine claims that interpretations of Scripture should build up?

Short Essay Questions

1. What categories does Augustine use to define spheres of natural knowledge?

2. Why does Augustine claim the topic of Book Three is so difficult?

3. What are three things that Augustine writes that humans can do with one of the items of his focus in Book One?

4. What doctrine do Augustine's critics apply to interpreting Scripture?

5. Why does Augustine suggest that the critics he focuses on in the Preface do not believe his teaching is necessary?

6. What does Augustine require that Christian speakers should avoid, but focus on?

7. Why does Augustine begin his differentiation of the items that students must learn in the fashion which he does?

8. What does Augustine identify as a trope and how does it affect interpretation of Scripture?

9. What does Augustine identify as an important consideration when determining how many ideas words or phrases from Scripture contain?

10. What does Augustine claim is one of the causes of a sign's ambiguity?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Augustine writes that God uses, rather than enjoys, humans and that the extent of His use of each human is based upon the depth of love those humans have for God. Detail how a student can translate their love of God to commitment to the study course that Augustine lays out. Explain how a student motivated by the love for God will respond to guidance from the sources for learning that Augustine recommends and how doing such can prepare a student to guide a community to seek proper and intelligent Scriptural interpretation.

Essay Topic 2

Augustine warns that coveting negates Christian love. Explain coveting as a motivation and identify how covetousness will motivate someone to take actions that appear to be similar to Christian love. Conclude your explanation with the consequences of a covetous individual misusing the acts of Christian love to the person he/she uses them upon, the person who commits those false acts, and to the image of Christian love.

Essay Topic 3

Augustine devotes the preface to answering criticism he expects to receive from a sect known as the Donatists. Compare Augustine's position to what you know of the Donatists from the preface (those who believe that "special gifts" were necessary to interpret Scripture). What are the benefits of the two beliefs? What are the disadvantages of each? Which system of interpretation do you consider more beneficial to the general public and particularly to the growth and development of the Christian Church. Explain your answer.

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