Question 1

Attempts to define religion are difficult because __________.
A) religions did not exist until the nineteenth century
B) it is too difficult to study spiritual experience
C) religion is a complex and elusive topic that involves institutional, cultural, and spiritual dimensions
D) no one can prove whether God exists

Accepted Answer

Religion encompasses a wide range of beliefs, practices, and cultural systems, making it a complex and multifaceted subject that is challenging to define comprehensively.

Question 2

Scientific materialism asserts that __________.
A) religion and science are compatible
B) the supernatural is real
C) only the material world exists
D) mysticism is a means of gaining knowledge of the material world

Accepted Answer

Scientific materialism asserts that only the material world exists and that everything can be explained by physical matter and natural laws, rejecting the existence of the supernatural.

Question 3

An allegory is an effective kind of religious narrative because it __________.
A) gives a scientific description of a spiritual phenomenon
B) uses symbolic language to convey an abstract idea
C) distinguishes between the sacred and the profane
D) provides easy stories to remember

Accepted Answer

An allegory uses symbolic language to convey abstract ideas, making it effective for illustrating complex religious concepts.

Question 4

The psychologist Carl Jung proposed that the reason there are similarities among symbols in different cultures is __________.
A) symbols involve logical associations with the natural world
B) cultures have borrowed symbols from one another
C) there are a limited number of symbols available
D) humanity has a collective unconscious, a global psychic inheritance of archetypal symbols

Accepted Answer

Carl Jung proposed the concept of the collective unconscious, which suggests that humanity shares a global psychic inheritance of archetypal symbols, explaining the similarities among symbols in different cultures.

Question 5

Redaction refers to the __________ of scripture.
A) editing
B) rejection
C) interpretation
D) sacredness

Accepted Answer

Redaction refers to the editing or compiling process of scripture, where texts are organized, modified, or combined.

Question 6

Charles Darwin's On The Origin of Species propounded the theory of __________.
A) fundamentalism
B) scientific materialism
C) dualism
D) evolution by natural selection

Accepted Answer

Charles Darwin's On The Origin of Species is famous for introducing the theory of evolution by natural selection, explaining how species evolve over time through the process of natural selection.

Question 7

Metaphysics is important to religion because it __________.
A) studies the natural world
B) proves creationism as an explanation for the natural world
C) proves the scientific materialism approach to the natural world
D) theorizes about the subtle realities that transcend the natural world

Accepted Answer

Metaphysics deals with questions that go beyond the physical realm, such as the nature of existence, reality, and the universe, which are often central to religious beliefs and concepts. It theorizes about realities that are not directly observable or explainable by natural sciences, thus providing a philosophical foundation for many religious teachings.

Question 8

In patriarchal institutionalized religions, women have been __________.
A) most often at the center of religious rituals
B) totally absent from the religion itself
C) relegated to the fringes of religious organizations
D) equal participants with men in the religion

Accepted Answer

In patriarchal institutionalized religions, women have often been marginalized or relegated to the fringes of religious organizations, not holding as many leadership roles or being as central to the religious rituals as men.

Question 9

Phenomenology is the __________.
A) study of religious practices to comprehend their meaning for practitioners
B) belief that there are many deities
C) doctrines proclaimed as absolutely true
D) wisdom that is thought to come from direct experience of Ultimate Reality

Accepted Answer

Phenomenology is the study of religious practices to comprehend their meaning for practitioners, focusing on the subjective experience and interpretation of these practices.

Question 10

Listening to people of all faiths tell their stories is important to the study of religion because __________.
A) personal stories are more interesting than scholarly articles
B) organized religion may exaggerate the problem of guilt
C) intersubjective dialogue provides a means for the extension of one's own possibilities for growth and understanding
D) religion is too political

Accepted Answer

Intersubjective dialogue, which involves sharing and understanding experiences and perspectives between individuals, enriches one's own growth and understanding by exposing them to diverse beliefs and practices within the study of religion. This approach fosters empathy and broadens one's perspective beyond their own experiences and preconceptions.

Question 11

By definition, all religions have creedal statements of belief.

Accepted Answer

Not all religions have formal creedal statements of belief. Some religions, like Buddhism and Hinduism, are more focused on practices and experiences than on adhering to a specific set of beliefs or creeds.

Question 12

Numinous is a nonrational, nonsensory experience of that which is totally outside the self and cannot be described.

Accepted Answer

Numinous refers to a profound emotional experience of the presence of something greater than oneself, often associated with the divine or the supernatural, which is beyond the scope of ordinary understanding and cannot be fully explained through rational or sensory means.

Question 13

Nontheistic refers to a lack of religious belief.

Accepted Answer

Nontheistic refers to a belief system that does not involve a personal deity or deities, but it does not necessarily mean a lack of religious belief. Nontheistic religions may still have spiritual, ethical, or philosophical beliefs.

Question 14

Only priests perform the predictable and repeated actions known as rituals.

Accepted Answer

Rituals can be performed by a wide range of individuals, not just priests, including laypeople, practitioners of various religions, and even secular individuals in certain contexts.

Question 15

Researchers have identified many similarities in the use of symbols across different cultures.

Accepted Answer

Many researchers have found that different cultures, despite geographical and temporal distances, share similarities in the use of symbols, such as those representing universal concepts like death, fertility, or the sun, indicating a commonality in human symbolic thinking.

Question 16

Extended metaphors that use concrete symbols to convey abstract ideas are known as mystics.

Accepted Answer

Extended metaphors that use concrete symbols to convey abstract ideas are known as allegories, not mystics.

Question 17

Myths are symbolic stories that communities use to explain the universe and their place within it.

Accepted Answer

Myths are indeed symbolic narratives that various cultures have historically used to explain natural phenomena, the origins of the world, the cosmos, societal norms, and the human condition, thereby helping communities understand their universe and their role within it.

Question 18

Orthodox followers of a religion believe that practices must change with the times.

Accepted Answer

Orthodox followers typically adhere to traditional practices and beliefs, resisting changes that align with modern trends or societal shifts.

Question 19

Those who are called religious liberals take a more flexible approach to religious tradition.

Accepted Answer

Religious liberals often interpret their religious traditions in a more flexible and less literal way, allowing for adaptation to modern values and scientific understanding.

Question 20

Exegesis is the critical explanation or interpretation of rituals.

Accepted Answer

Exegesis is the critical explanation or interpretation of texts, especially religious texts like the Bible, not rituals.

Quiz 1: Religious Responses

Attempts to define religion are difficult because __________.

Scientific materialism asserts that __________.

An allegory is an effective kind of religious narrative because it __________.

The psychologist Carl Jung proposed that the reason there are similarities among symbols in different cultures is __________.

Redaction refers to the __________ of scripture.

Charles Darwin's On The Origin of Species propounded the theory of __________.

Metaphysics is important to religion because it __________.

In patriarchal institutionalized religions, women have been __________.

Phenomenology is the __________.

Listening to people of all faiths tell their stories is important to the study of religion because __________.