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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Chesterton's explanation, how do religions of the world differ?
(a) They appear the same but teach different things.
(b) They teach the same things but have different God figures.
(c) They treat the idea of sin differently.
(d) They teach the same things but appear different.

2. What does Chesterton call "the spike of dogma" that changed his religious opinion? (Chesterton 2000, pg. 234)
(a) God can be found in the nature that he made.
(b) God is all-powerful and created the world.
(c) God is loving and created the world in his image.
(d) God is personal and made a world separate from himself.

3. How do St. Francis of Assisi and George Herbert think of Nature?
(a) As a laughing little sister.
(b) As a step-mother.
(c) As a mother.
(d) As a goddess.

4. What is the evil of the pessimist? (Chesterton 2000, pg. 226)
(a) That "he will defend the indefensible."
(b) That "he chastises gods and men."
(c) That "he does not love what he chastises."
(d) That "he honestly angers honest men."

5. What does Chesterton see as the purpose of the boundaries established by Christianity?
(a) To deny earthly happiness to believers.
(b) To expel unhappy and fierce things.
(c) To establish the power of the church.
(d) To let good things run wild.

6. Why, in the abstract, does Chesterton disapprove of long, complicated words?
(a) They are difficult to read and pronounce.
(b) They hinder understanding.
(c) Few people know what they mean.
(d) They do not require thinking.

7. According to Chesterton, how did men gain morality?
(a) By consciously working out a moral code.
(b) By teaching tradition to their children.
(c) By safe-guarding their culture.
(d) By safe-guarding their religion.

8. What does Chesterton call the worst religion of all?
(a) The religion that debases a man.
(b) The religion of the Christian God.
(c) The religion that worships multiple gods.
(d) The religion that worships the god inside.

9. What is Chesterton's stated goal for Chapter VIII, The Romance of Orthodoxy?
(a) To point out that liberal thinking is actually illiberal.
(b) To point out the paradoxes of Christianity.
(c) To introduce the idea of Christian romance.
(d) To question the sentimental value of Christianity.

10. What definition does Chesterton find BEST for optimist and pessimist?
(a) An optimist has nothing but hope, while the pessimist has everything but hope.
(b) An optimist looks after your eyes, while a pessimist looks after your feet.
(c) An optimist thinks everything right but the pessimist, while the pessimist thinks everything wrong but himself.
(d) An optimist sees the world as the best it can be, while the pessimist sees the world as the worst it can be.

11. What does Chesterton say is the result of believing that progress is a natural, predictable happening?
(a) A person looks for ethical support.
(b) A person works harder to achieve this.
(c) A person ceases to believe in progress.
(d) A person becomes lazy.

12. As Chesterton contrasts miracles with progress, how does he define a miracle?
(a) God stepping into the flow of time.
(b) Evidence for supernatural occurrences.
(c) Swift control of a thing by the mind.
(d) Gradual control of a thing by the mind.

13. According to Chesterton, what is the problem with moving slowly toward justice?
(a) It does not allow a man to move swiftly toward a better state of things.
(b) People cannot make just decisions in a large amount of time.
(c) A man will only be able to act on old ideas.
(d) The definition of justice changes too often in that time.

14. What is the enormous mistake of the modern age, according to Chesterton?
(a) It does not look to God to answer its questions.
(b) It is changing the ideal rather than reality.
(c) It does not believe strongly enough in progress.
(d) It espouses a weak version of Christianity.

15. What taunt does Swinburne hurl about the Galilean, Christ?
(a) His breath turns the world gray.
(b) His heart cannot soften the world.
(c) His gaze makes men's hearts quiver in fear.
(d) His salvation is not sufficient for all of humanity.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Chesterton call courage a contradiction?

2. How has western religion interacted with the idea of social organisms?

3. Why, according to Christianity, can passions be free?

4. According to Chesterton, most things are allied with oppression. What is the one area where he sees a line past which oppression has no effect?

5. What does Chesterton call "the most difficult and interesting part of the mental process" that he reached? (Chesterton 2000, pg. 247)

(see the answer keys)

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