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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 Chesterton think physical anthropologists do to excess?

2. Which of the following is NOT a statement Chesterton makes?

3. According to Chesterton, how do mythologies differ from religion?

4. What does Chesterton say of the more advanced non-western cultures?

5. Which of the following does Chesterton note it is important to remember about the psychology of myths?

Short Essay Questions

1. Summarize Chesterton's explanation of the battle between Carthage and Rome.

2. Explain what Chesterton was trying to explain with his example of the horse and rider.

3. How does Chesterton describe the religious experience of the Carthaginians?

4. What simple truth about mankind does Chesterton deduce from his discussion of the cave drawings? What arguments does he make?

5. Explain the example Chesterton uses of nomadic peoples to explain the classification of religions.

6. How does Troy and the Iliad enter into Chesterton's argument?

7. As a way to demonstrate the potential deficiencies in deductive reasoning, Chesterton uses an example of 20th Century initials being carved in a rock. Explain this example and what it is meant to convey.

8. Explain where, according to Chesterton, we find religion and reason and how they interact.

9. How well does Chesterton think science is explaining the origins of mankind? Why?

10. To what depiction of the cave-man does Chesterton most object and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Chesterton argues that Confucianism and Buddhism are philosophies and not religions. Write an essay about what it means to be a religion.

Part 1. How are the words religious and religion defined by the dictionary or encyclopedia? What are some variations to the definitions?

Part 2. Is religion necessarily theistic? How does the presence of god in a religion change it?

Part 3. Analyze and compare Chesterton's arguments with your own set of definitions about religion.

Essay Topic 3

The Chapter titled "The Riddles of Gospel" is about the New Testament. Write an essay about the New Testament.

Part 1. Provide background information about the New Testament. What form does it take? How did it come into existence? How were the books selected? When and where does it take place?

Part 2. Summarize the contents of the New Testament, giving detail for the parts to be discussed later.

Part 3. How are Christ and the New Testament commonly represented in churches? Is this a true representation? Is it a good one? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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