Chapter 10: Religion Flashcards
1
Q
What age did key figures like Buddha, Jesus, and Zoroaster receive their prophetic revelations?
A
Around thirty years old
2
Q
What is the main divine name in Judaism that should not be spoken aloud?
A
Yahweh
3
Q
What significant agreement was made between Abraham and Yahweh?
A
Promised offspring and the land of Canaan in perpetuity
4
Q
What historical event marks the beginning of Judaism as a coherent religion?
A
Moses leading the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt
5
Q
What are the first five books of the Bible that contain Jewish law and history?
A
The Torah
6
Q
What is the Diaspora in Jewish history?
A
The exile of Jews after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E.
7
Q
What are mitzvahs in Judaism?
A
Obligatory good deeds
8
Q
List the four branches of modern American Judaism.
A
- Orthodox
- Conservative
- Reform
- Reconstructionist
9
Q
What political movement aimed to establish a Jewish homeland in Israel?
A
Zionism
10
Q
What is Kabbalah in Judaism?
A
Judaism’s complex mystical tradition
11
Q
How many followers does Christianity have?
A
1.5 billion
12
Q
What is the Nicene Creed?
A
A statement of faith affirming belief in the Holy Trinity
13
Q
What were the early Christians originally considered?
A
Palestinian Jews
14
Q
What major division occurred in Christianity in 1054?
A
The split into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches
15
Q
What significant event in Christianity occurred in the fourteenth century?
A
The Great Schism
16
Q
What was one of the main reasons for the Protestant Reformation?
A
Church corruption
17
Q
How many Protestant sects exist today?
A
About 250
18
Q
What is the world’s largest Islamic country?
A
Indonesia
19
Q
What are the Five Pillars of Islam?
A
- Affirmation of faith
- Prayer five times a day
- Fasting during Ramadan
- Pilgrimage to Mecca
- Giving alms
20
Q
What is the sacred text of Islam?
A
The Koran
21
Q
What is the Arabic term for ‘submission to the will of God’?
A
Islam
22
Q
What does the term ‘Muslim’ mean?
A
One who submits
23
Q
What is the primary text of Islam?
A
The Koran
The Koran retells stories from the Old and New Testaments from the Muslim perspective.
24
Q
Who are considered the five great early prophets in Islam?
A
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus
Abraham is referred to as the first Muslim.
25
What are the two major sects of Islam?
Sunni and Shi'a
## Footnote
Sunnis make up about 85-90 percent of Muslims.
26
Who was the first caliph after Muhammad's death according to Sunnis?
Abu Bakr
27
Who do Shi'ites believe was chosen by Muhammad as his successor?
Ali
## Footnote
Ali is Muhammad's nephew and son-in-law.
28
What is the primary collection of sayings attributed to Muhammad?
Hadith
## Footnote
The authenticity of the Hadith is often debated.
29
What does Zoroastrianism focus on?
Moral dimension to daily life
## Footnote
It eliminated many nature gods and focused on ethical behavior.
30
Who are the two central deities in Zoroastrianism?
Ahura Mazdah and Ahriman
## Footnote
Ahura Mazdah represents goodness, while Ahriman represents evil.
31
What is the ultimate destiny of the Universe in Zoroastrianism?
Ahura Mazdah will ultimately win over Ahriman.
32
What do Zoroastrians believe about human actions?
They can side with Goodness or Evil.
33
Where do Zoroastrians place their dead to avoid defiling the earth?
Towers of Silence
34
What is the approximate number of believers in Hinduism?
More than 700 million
35
What is a significant aspect of Hinduism's structure?
It has 330 million gods.
36
What determines one's status in Hinduism across lifetimes?
Karma
## Footnote
Karma is a cosmic system of cause-and-effect.
37
Who are some of the prominent gods in Hinduism?
Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti
## Footnote
Each god is a manifestation of Brahman.
38
What is the name of the longest poem in the world within Hinduism?
Mahabharata
39
What does the term 'Nirvana' mean in Buddhism?
A 'going out' or liberation from desires.
40
What are the Four Noble Truths?
Core principles of Buddhism that outline the nature of suffering.
41
What is the difference between Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism?
Hinayana is orthodox and individualistic; Mahayana emphasizes a collective approach to salvation.
42
What is Zen Buddhism focused on?
Attainment of enlightenment through intuition.
43
What is the significance of yin and yang in Chinese philosophy?
They represent the duality of experience and the balance of forces.
44
What is a major aspect of Taoism?
Understanding the flow of life and aligning oneself with it.
45
What is the primary scripture of Zoroastrianism?
Zend Avesta
46
What is the main difference in the nature of Hinduism and Buddhism?
Hinduism is theatrical and clubby; Buddhism is no-nonsense and do-it-yourself.
47
Where is Taoism primarily practiced?
Mostly in China.
48
What are the two poles of experience in yin and yang?
* Yin: dark, receptive, female, earthly * Yang: bright, creative, male, heavenly
49
How do Confucianism and Taoism differ in their focus?
* Confucianism: practical, social, ethical * Taoism: mystical, transcending everyday life
50
When were Confucianism and Taoism founded?
In the sixth century B.C.
51
What is Confucius known for?
Being particularly good with one-liners and practical advice.
52
What is the primary text of Confucianism?
The Lun Yu, or Analects.
53
Who is the legendary sage of Taoism?
Lao-tzu, also known as the Grand Old Man.
54
What is the primary text of Taoism?
The Tao Te Ching (The Way of Virtue).
55
What does Confucianism emphasize in terms of social relationships?
* Father to son * Husband to wife * Ruler to subject * Older friend to younger friend
56
How do Confucianism and Taoism interact in Chinese culture?
Confucianism is emphasized in education, while Taoism is adopted later in life.
57
What are the characteristics of Confucianism?
* Practical * Masculine * Dominant * Active
58
What are the characteristics of Taoism?
* Intuitive * Feminine * Yielding * Passive
59
How did Taoism respond to the threat of Buddhism?
By adopting eye appeal and sheer numbers, including developing new heavens and gods.
60
What is Shintoism derived from?
A combination of nature and ancestor worship.
61
What does Shintoism emphasize?
* Purity * Bodily cleanliness * Obedience
62
What is the significance of the Supreme Sun Goddess in Shintoism?
She is the leading deity in the complex pantheon of kami.
63
What historical event led to the banning of Shintoism as an instrument of the state?
World War II and the associated practices of harakiri for the emperor.
64
What is the King James Bible known for?
Its beauty and its role in shaping the English language.
65
What is the Revised Standard Version?
An American reworking of the King James Bible, praised for correcting errors.
66
What approach does the New English Bible take in translation?
Meaning-for-meaning translation favoring contemporary idiom.
67
What is the Jerusalem Bible recognized for?
Being the first Roman Catholic translation into English from the original text.
68
What does the New American Bible aim to achieve?
A word-for-word translation from original texts for American Catholics.
69
True or False: The Living Bible is available in various versions.
True.
70
Fill in the blank: The _______ is often associated with the first Babylonian captivity.
Psalms 137:1
71
What is the message of Ecclesiastes 9:11?
Time and chance happen to them all.
72
What does Hebrews 11:1 define faith as?
The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
73
What is the main theme of I Corinthians 7 regarding virginity and marriage?
Virginity is a higher calling than marriage, and spirituality more profitable.
74
What is The New American Bible known for?
The first translation from the original texts for American Catholics, and a surprisingly undogmatic one.
75
What type of translation is The Living Bible?
Literally a paraphrase.
76
What is a criticism of The Living Bible?
Careless treatment of geography, history, and language.
77
Which Bible version is designed to be easily understood by everyone?
The Good News Bible (Today's English Version).
78
What year was the New International Version published?
1978.
79
What is the translation style of the New International Version?
Neither literal nor paraphrased.
80
What is the original language of the King James Bible?
Seventeenth-century English.
81
What does the term 'Gilead' refer to?
A fertile, mountainous region east of the Jordan River.
82
What significant biblical event took place in Gaza?
Samson was brought there by the Philistines after his betrayal by Delilah.
83
What does Gehenna symbolize in biblical texts?
Hell.
84
What is Gethsemane known for?
The place where Jesus underwent his 'agony' before his arrest.
85
What is Golgotha also known as?
Calvary.
86
Who is Absalom in the Bible?
King David's handsome third son who killed his half-brother Amnon.
87
What does the term 'Ishmael' represent in the Bible?
The outcast.
88
What is the main lesson from the story of Job?
God doesn't always punish evil and reward righteousness.
89
What is the story of Susanna about?
A beautiful and virtuous woman accused of adultery by two lecherous elders.
90
Fill in the blank: The Good News Bible is designed to be easily understood by _______.
absolutely everyone.
91
True or False: The New King James Version updated the original King James Bible.
True.
92
What is the significance of the phrase 'Vanity of vanities'?
It expresses the futility of life.
93
Fill in the blank: The Holy Scriptures was completed in _______.
1982.
94
Who retold the story of Job's suffering in modern terms?
Archibald MacLeish in his play J.B.
95
Who is Susanna?
A beautiful and virtuous young married woman accused of adultery in the Old Testament Apocrypha.
96
What happens to Susanna in the courtroom drama?
She is saved by Daniel, who cross-examines the elders and proves their testimony false.
97
What is the fate of the elders who falsely accuse Susanna?
They are stoned.
98
What significant role does Mary Magdalen play in the New Testament?
She is known to have been possessed by seven demons and present at Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.
99
What misconceptions exist about Mary Magdalen?
She may or may not have been the sister of Martha and is often incorrectly labeled as a harlot.
100
What does the term 'maudlin' mean, and what is its origin?
'Maudlin' means 'tearful' and is derived from the name Mary Magdalen.
101
What distinguishes apostles from disciples?
Disciples are students of Christ, while apostles are His envoys.
102
Who replaced Judas among the apostles?
Matthias.
103
What are seraphim and cherubim?
Types of angels in the Old Testament, with seraphim being higher-ranking than cherubim.
104
What is a key characteristic of seraphim?
They have three pairs of wings and hover over the throne of God.
105
What do cherubim typically look like in art?
They are often depicted as blue, sometimes with books.
106
What are the nine grades of angels?
* Seraphim
* Cherubim
* Thrones
* Dominions
* Virtues
* Powers
* Principalities
* Archangels
* Angels
107
Who were the Pharisees?
A majority party and intellectual elite in Jewish society, often seen as religious liberals.
108
What was the main belief of the Sadducees?
They accepted only the Hebrew Scriptures and rejected oral traditions.
109
What was the Babylonian Captivity?
The forced exile of the tribes of Judah in 586 B.C.
110
Who was the Babylonian king known for the destruction of Jerusalem?
Nebuchadnezzar.
111
What is the significance of Karl Barth in theology?
He opposed liberal Protestant theology and emphasized God's transcendence and unknowability.
112
What is the 'Ground of Being' according to Paul Tillich?
God as the source and goal of everything.
113
What is Rudolf Bultmann known for?
His efforts to 'demythologize' the New Testament.
114
True or False: The Pharisees believed in an afterlife.
True.
115
Fill in the blank: The Assyrians were responsible for the captivity of the ______ tribes of Israel.
ten northern
116
What does the term 'neo-orthodoxy' refer to?
Barth's theology emphasizing God's revelation and man's sinfulness.
117
What was the role of the principalities in angelology?
They protect the kingdoms of the earth.
118
True or False: The Sadducees believed in the resurrection.
False.
119
What is form criticism?
A biblical-research style that asks why a specific Gospel narrator would choose to relate a miracle instead of another narrative form
## Footnote
Form criticism explores the literary forms used in the Bible to understand their meaning and context.
120
What is hermeneutics?
A way of interpretatively updating a text to make it relevant for a new generation
## Footnote
Hermeneutics involves interpreting biblical texts to apply their messages to contemporary issues.
121
What movement is associated with Paul Tillich?
Christian existentialism
## Footnote
This movement reassesses religious doctrines based on human interest.
122
What did critics argue against Bultmann's approach?
It cut into the box-office appeal of Jesus and the authority of God
## Footnote
Critics believed Bultmann's methods undermined traditional views of Christianity.
123
Who was Reinhold Niebuhr?
An American theologian who connected sin and politics and taught Applied Christianity
## Footnote
Niebuhr's work emphasized the relationship between ethical behavior and social justice.
124
What is the Serenity Prayer attributed to Niebuhr?
"God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other"
## Footnote
This prayer highlights the balance between acceptance and action in the face of life's challenges.
125
What does Niebuhr believe about sin?
Sin is a misuse of human freedom
## Footnote
He argues that ethical decisions are influenced by one's circumstances.
126
What is contextual ethics?
The idea that values and judgments must be understood in terms of a person's circumstances
## Footnote
Reinhold Niebuhr is considered the father of contextual ethics.
127
Who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer?
A German Lutheran theologian and martyr hanged by the Nazis
## Footnote
Bonhoeffer's writings have had a significant impact on modern Christian thought.
128
What does 'cheap grace' refer to in Bonhoeffer's theology?
Comfortable Christianity that costs little or nothing in terms of sacrifice
## Footnote
Bonhoeffer contrasts this with genuine grace that requires active discipleship.
129
What is Bonhoeffer's concept of 'religionless Christianity'?
Christianity directed toward 'man come of age,' focusing on this world rather than the next
## Footnote
This approach emphasizes freedom and behavior over belief.
130
Who was Martin Buber?
An Austrian Jewish religious thinker known for the 'I-Thou' relationship concept
## Footnote
Buber's ideas emphasize interpersonal relationships as fundamental to understanding God.
131
What is the 'I-Thou' relationship?
A relationship undertaken with total openness to the other, as opposed to 'I-It' relationships
## Footnote
Buber believed this relationship is essential for genuine interactions with others and God.
132
What did Pierre Teilhard de Chardin contribute to theology?
The idea that science and religion can coexist, and the theory of cosmic evolution
## Footnote
Teilhard's work attempted to reconcile scientific discoveries with Christian beliefs.
133
What is the 'noösphere' according to Teilhard?
The realm or domain in which the mind operates, destined to supplant the biosphere
## Footnote
This concept reflects Teilhard's belief in the evolution of human consciousness.
134
What is the 'Omega point' in Teilhard's theory?
The integration of all personal consciousness and the second coming of Christ
## Footnote
This term signifies a future point of unity and fulfillment in the evolution of humanity.
