Revised 8/23/05
Theology Department Theology Homepage

Course Review Questions for Test & Exam

This is guide, meant to help you become aware of what you know and what you might need to learn better. This review might be especially helpful in the assgined readings. If you can answer these, you are probably reading and understanding as you should. If you are not able to answer these, try to figure out why. Are you doing the assigned work with care and attention? Are you paying attenitin in class? Are you reviewing the content of each class as you write the objective part of your jounal? Are you thinking about the ideas of the class in your life as your write the subjective part of yor journal? If you are doing the work and not getting it, see me. I might be able to offer suggestions about to really get an assigned reading.


FIRST SECTION: INTRODUCTION & PRELECTION

  1. Who said "the unexamined life is not worth living?" What is Aristotle boat images for the two kinds of men?
  2. What is the difference between opinion, belief and facts? How do these relate to truth?
  3. Was Holden Caulfield a person of faith? Defend your ideas.
  4. How important was faith to the main characters of Gates of Fire?
  5. How do these two demonstrate the idea of faith and its consequences: Deion Sanders & Eric Clapton. What about Flick Webb, "The Ex-Basketball Player"?
  6. List and explain the Five Foundational Lessons. Be able to show how these are real in your life--or explain why they do not apply to you.
  7. The story of Icarus and Daedelus.
  8. The story of the The Blind Men and the Elephant.
  9. What is the difference between fact, opinion and belief? Give an example of each. M. Scott Peck's "Choosing a Map for Life"
  10. Know and understand Plato's "allegory of the cave." How does the life of Socrates illustrate this? How does the life of Eric Clapton illustrate this? Does this help you understand your life?


SECOND SECTION: THE HUMAN CONDITION

  1. List ten aspects of the human condition.
  2. What is the classic, philosophical problem of evil?
  3. Summarize the key ideas of Rabbi Kushner's When Bad Things Happen to Good People
  4. Summarize what these historical figures have said aboout the human condition: Pascal, Marcus Aurelius, Buddha, Fromm, Plato and Aristotle.
  5. What does the Christian doctrine of original sin offer about the human condition? Would the above thinkers agree or disagree with this view of man?
  6. List and explain three effects of original sin.
  7. According to Christian theology, what are the four last things every person faces?
  8. Be able to solve snail questions. What does this have to do with the human condition? How are these �metaphors for real learning? �
Thomas Jefferson's Letter to Peter Carr
  • Jefferson lists many important things in life. What is first, second, and third on Jefferson's list? Why?
  • When a person is tempted to be dishonest or immoral, what does Jefferson suggest that the person do?
  • Jefferson compares physical exercise of a limb to moral exercise of one's character. Do you agree with this comparison? Why or why not?

    M. Scott Peck's "Choosing a Map for Life"
    1. According to Peck, why are "maps" important tour lives?
    2. Why is it dificult to update our maps of the world?
    3. Why are self-discipline and truth so important to Peck?
    Know and understand Plato's "allegory of the cave." How does the life of Socrates illustrate this? How does the life of Eric Clapton illustrate this?

    Terms you should know: human condition, original sin, concupiscence.

    Recommended extra credit

    THIRD SECTION: REASON

    1. Review and know and understand the answers on the practice test.
    2. What is the difference between between fact, opinion, and belief? What do these have to do with faith?
    3. What is theology? Who is the greatest theologican in the history of the Church and how did he describe theology? List at least four different fields of theological study.
    4. What is philosophy? What are some major, recurring philosophical questions? How does a philosopher look for truth? Why is G.K. Chesterton a good example of the philosophical method? List some of the different kinds of philosophical study.
    5. Which famous philosphical question does the reading devote a section? This is a major theme of this course, and will be for your next two years of theolgy. For all of us, this is a life-long challenge.
    6. List what the text offers as "three types of knowing." Give a concrete example of each from the reading. Be able to offer examples of this from your life. What is the "greatest obstacle to knowledge from authority?" Do you agree? Why is an open mind a terrible risk?
    7. List and explain the "five common thinking errors from the text." Give an example of each from your experience.
    8. List and explain the "five steps to critical thinking."
    9. List and explain what the text offers as the "process of knowing."
    10. What does it mean to be "intellectually humble"?

    Models of how the mind works: Humanistic psychology (chart given in class), quantom [hysics What the Bleep Do We Know?, Aritotle's simple theory for living a good life.
    BR> George Carlin Euphemisms.

    Words you should know: apologetics, Doctor of the Church, Tradition, epstemology, experiential knowledge, empirical knowledge, authority, knowledge from authority, reason, induction, deduction, non-sequiturs, false or vague premises, ad hominem, begging the question, red herrings, ignorance, culpable ignorance, conscience, encyclical, herd need., Magisterium, ecumenism.

    FOURTH SECTION; wHAT IS FAITH?

    1. Three ideas presented at the beginning of the week, to add to the first two weeks: Aristotle's theory of living a good life, M. Scott Peck's idea of the importance of maps in a person's life, and Thomas Jefferson's advice to his nephew and ward Peter Carr.
    2. What is the secular definition of faith?
    3. Give the four charactersitics of biblical faith from the freshman text. Show how David does or does not meet each criteria.
    4. Give the Catholic definition of faith. List its seven major characterstics. In The Mission which of the major characters demonstrate this?
    5. Describe nihilism. Describe radicalism. What is the Golden Way?
    Words you should know: nihilism, radicalism, skepticism, fanaticism, fundamentalism, grace, free will, blind faith, virtue, justice, prudence, fortitude, temperance, cardinal virtues, theological virtues.

    FIFTH SECTION: CHALLENGES TO FAITH

    1. Be able to summarize the eky ides of Nietzsche, Hobbes, Ignatius, Jesus, andyour ideas on the meaning of life, what it means to be human, reason, and morality..
    2. What is scientism?
    3. Give Readings' three stages in the relationship between science and faith.
    4. What are three limitations of the scientific method?
    5. List Zanzig's major negative societal values from the freshman text.
    6. Be able to explain why Fr. Kavanaugh orries that advertising is shpaign our cultural values, our images of what it means to a person, of what whapiness is all about.
    7. Summarize the message of "The Merchants of Cool" about the meaning of life, about morality, about reason, about what it means to be human.

    SIXTH SECTION: JESUS, MODEL OF FAITH, MODEL OF HUMANITY

    1. Make up three major questions from each of William O'Malley's articles: "Understanding Jesus" and "The Moral Practice of Jesus"
    2. Know these key teachings of Jesus'
    3. Know Fr. Joe Tetlow's Praying With Scripture
    4. Summarize what Jesus shows us in his life and teachings about God, about the meaning of life, about reason, about morality, and about what it means to be human.
    5. Images of faith: The Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, Jesus.
    6. Give the key ideas of Monika Hellwig's "Finding God in All Things."
    7. Model of faith/Faith? "Inside the Mind of an Iraqi Suicide Bomber" Time, July 4, 2005
    Optional
    Let me, and your classmates, know if there is anything missed on this review.


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