1. What major fundamental dilemma do
monotheistic as opposed to polytheistic religions
have to confront?
A. Why does one God allow evil and suffering?
B. Is the one God above and uncontrolled by nature? C. Is the one God free from compulsion and fate?
D. Does the one God demand a more definitive statement of right and wrong?
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B., C. & D. are understood to be integral features of monotheism, and not subject to debate.
2. What attribute is most accurately denoted for the
Hebrew God in the
Torah
?
A. A remote deity who allows human events to run their course
B. An activist deity who intervenes in human history C. Fatalism and indifference to human misery
D. A deity unconcerned with matters of community and geography
CORRECT ANSWER = B
A. As per answer B, the Hebrew God is depicted as taking interest in human affairs
C. This God is depicted as being concerned and caring E. This God focuses on a specific people, promising them
3. What factored as a cause for the splintering of the
Hebrew Kingdom after the reign of Solomon?
A. The establishment of a national capital at Jerusalem B. The uniting of political and religious power
C. Extortionate taxes and royal extravagance D. Weak, incompetent leadership
CORRECT ANSWER = C
A., & B. are seen as strengthening factors
D. This does not seem to be the case; all three kings provided strong leadership
4. How did the Roman dispersion of the Jews differ
from previous dispersions?
A. By removing all but a few Jews from the Holy Land until the twentieth century
B. By occasioning the publication of Jewish religious and philosophical works in exile
C. By causing the establishment of exilic schools & academies
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B., C. & D. Had already occurred in earlier dispersions, i.e.: Babylonia, Persia
5. What best describes the society/situation into
which Jesus was born and lived?
A. Jews had reached an accommodation with their Roman conquerors
B. Most Jews were united in fierce resistance against Rome
C. Jesus found support among Jewish religious authorities
D. It was volatile, complex, and divided over the issue of Rome
CORRECT ANSWER = D
A. Only the Sadducees had done so
B. Only the Zealots advocated such extreme resistance C. They feared Jesus might incite rebellion
6. What is the best description of the early Christian
church just after Jesus’ time?
A. It’s leader, Peter, completely turned his back on Jewish tradition
B. Most of these first Christians were very hostile towards gentile converts
C. There were strict rules on circumcision as a prerequisite for membership
CORRECT ANSWER = D
A. Being Jewish himself, he did not completely abandon the tradition
B. They were, in fact, welcomed
7. How may Paul’s contribution best be described?
A. Declaring that observing Jewish rituals was the surest road to salvation
B. Establishing Christianity as an independent, organized religion
C. Fixing the observance of Christmas
D. Affirming that within the Christian church, Jews held a special position
CORRECT ANSWER = B
A. He believed them to be an obstacle B. This was done four centuries later
8. How may gender relations within the early church
best be explained?
A. Women were encouraged to actively speak out within the congregation
B. Monogamous marriage was recommended for all C. Spiritual equality was accepted but social inequality
remained
CORRECT ANSWER = C
A. Paul believed they should be silent
B. Celibacy was recommended, monogamy permitted as a means of sexual restraint
D. He believed that wives should be subordinate to their husbands
9. What statement most accurately conveys
Augustine’s philosophy?
A. Church and state should be totally separate
B. The Christian message was spiritual rather than political
C. Classical influences needed to be eradicated from the church
D. Contrary to earlier ideas, sexuality should be accepted as a positive good
CORRECT ANSWER = B
A. To some extent but not completely (he urged emperors to suppress certain religious groups) C. He liked Christianity with the ideas of Plato D. It was dangerous and women were suspect
10. How should the condition of the Christian
church in western Europe between 500-1000
be described?
A. As fragmented and decentralized
B. As completely dominated by the Pope
C. As totally under control of the monasteries D. Church schools suppressed Roman culture
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B. The Pope was only in nominal control
C. In urban areas, the bishops exerted considerable power
11. How might the church’s situation in eastern
Europe best be described during this same period?
A. The Byzantine Emperor served as the church’s administrative head
B. The Pope’s authority was accepted
C. After some hesitation, the eastern church accepted Latin as it language
D. The eastern church was far more rural than that of the west
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B. Eastern Orthodoxy considers the Patriarch of Constantinople to be its leader
C. The language of the eastern church is Greek D. It is in fact much more urban
12. From which force did the Pope seek
alliance/protection?
A. Byzantine Empire B. Islam
C. Lombards D. Franks
CORRECT ANSWER = D
A., B. & C. were all unfriendly and opposed to the Papacy.
13. What seems to have triggered the downfall of the
Carolingian Empire?
A. Independent regional administration B. Opposition from the Church
C. Inability to fight off Magyars, Norsemen and Arabs D. None of these
CORRECT ANSWER = C
A. This was actually a result of answer C B. The Church supported the Empire
14. What, during the early fourth century, was
the most divisive issue faced by the early
Christian Church?
A. The veneration of icons
B. The claims of hegemony by the Pope C. Treatment of the Jews
CORRECT ANSWER = D
A. This did not become an issue until centuries later B. This also, only later boiled into controversy
C. Christians all seemed to share a negative attitude towards Jews
15. The question of Papal authority aside, what did
Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christians differ
most strongly over?
A. Missionary activity B. Clerical marriage
C. Belief in Jesus as an historical person D. Belief in Jesus as being one with God
CORRECT ANSWER = B
A. Both branches of Christianity sent out missionaries C. & D. They shared these beliefs
