Question 1

The roots of Rome's leadership of the Western Church partially lie in:
A)the imperial order of Constantine at the Council of Nicaea.
B)a passage from the New Testament Gospel of Matthew.
C)the Greek practice of nominating a patriarch to administer a city.
D)the general agreement among fourth-century bishops that one leader should speak for the Church.
E)the Roman Senate's promotion of the Bishop of Rome as the head of the Church.

Accepted Answer

The leadership of Rome in the Western Church is partially rooted in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, specifically Matthew 16:18-19, where Jesus refers to Peter as the rock upon which the Church will be built, and this has been interpreted as granting authority to Peter and his successors, the Bishops of Rome.

Question 2

The traditional date for the "fall" of Rome is:
A)526 c.e. ,when Emperor Theodore died.
B)476 c.e. ,when Odovacer toppled Emperor Romulus Augustus.
C)410 c.e. ,when Alaric sacked the city of Rome.
D)312 c.e. ,when Constantine defeated Emperor Maxentius.
E)284 c.e. ,when Diocletian reorganized the empire.

Accepted Answer

The traditional date for the fall of Rome is 476 c.e., when the Germanic chieftain Odoacer deposed the last Roman emperor of the West, Romulus Augustulus. This event is commonly cited as marking the end of the Western Roman Empire.

Question 3

Once the Christian Church gained ascendancy in the Roman Empire,the highest authority in deciding doctrine was:
A)the Bishop of Rome,who was the pope.
B)the emperor,as a newly styled pontifex maximus of the Christian Church.
C)the Christian leader of Christianity's holiest city,the Patriarch of Jerusalem.
D)the leader of the church in Constantinople,the Patriarch of Constantinople.
E)the Christian believers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Once the Christian Church gained ascendancy in...

Question 4

The Christian label for non-Christians is indicative of its _________ origin.
A)Roman
B)Jewish
C)rural
D)urban
E)Byzantine

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Christian label for non-Christians is indicative...

Question 5

Under Diocletian,what city replaced Rome as the region's capital?
A)Trieste
B)Ravenna
C)Milan
D)Foggia
E)Venice

Accepted Answer

Diocletian moved the capital from Rome to Ravenna in order to have better control over the northern areas of the empire and to protect against invasion from Germanic tribes.

Question 6

Romans regarded the Germans as barbarians because:
A)Germans were nomads,who lacked settled agriculture.
B)Germans were foreigners,unknown to the Romans until the fourth century c.e.
C)German society was illiterate,and Germans did not live in cities.
D)Germans had no interest in trade,only in plunder.
E)Germans were warlike and cruel.

Accepted Answer

Romans considered the Germans as barbarians primarily because their society was illiterate and they did not live in cities, which contrasted with the Roman emphasis on literacy and urban life.

Question 7

By the end of the third century,the involvement of women in the Church had:
A)grown to the point that women occupied many of the new bishoprics created in the empire.
B)changed little from the early days of the Church,with women in a few positions of power.
C)changed little from the early days of the Church,but now women could become priests.
D)remained exactly the same,with women continuing as deacons and other positions of power.
E)shrunk to the point that they were completely excluded from all positions of power.

Accepted Answer

The answer of By the end of the third century,the...

Question 8

Jerome's most lasting contribution to Western Christian culture was:
A)his translation of the Bible into Latin.
B)his support for monasticism.
C)his translations of Greek philosophical works.
D)his support for the authority of the pope.
E)the humble piety he brought to the papacy.

Accepted Answer

Jerome's most lasting contribution to Western Christian culture was his translation of the Bible into Latin. This translation, known as the Vulgate, became the standard version of the Bible used in Western Christianity for over a millennium. The Vulgate influenced the development of theology, liturgy, and literature in Western Europe, and its impact can still be seen in modern Christian practice and thought.

Question 9

Which philosophy,like Zoroastrianism,stressed an ongoing struggle between good and evil?
A)Mithraism
B)Skepticism
C)Epicureanism
D)Manichaeism
E)Stoicism

Accepted Answer

Manichaeism was a religion and philosophy founded by the prophet Mani in the 3rd century AD, which emphasized an ongoing struggle between the forces of good (light) and evil (darkness). The dualistic worldview of Manichaeism was similar to that of Zoroastrianism.

Question 10

Monasticism appealed to men who wanted to:
A)live an indulgent lifestyle.
B)engage in acts of physical bravery.
C)reject the world and its pleasures.
D)serve both the church and the empire.
E)convert large numbers of people to Christianity.

Accepted Answer

Monasticism was a movement that emphasized rejecting worldly pleasures and dedicating oneself to a life of prayer and asceticism. It attracted men who sought to distance themselves from the material world and focus on spiritual pursuits.

Question 11

Christianity went from being a persecuted faith in the early fourth century to being the recognized faith of the empire;this last step was the result of the action by the emperor:
A)Theodosius,who prohibited pagan worship.
B)Julian,who earned the title "Apostate" for his great piety.
C)Romulus Augustus,who dismantled the temple to Romana.
D)Theodoric,who destroyed the sacred altar to Victory.
E)Alaric,who persecuted pagans as they had persecuted Christians.

Accepted Answer

Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire by prohibiting pagan worship and promoting Christianity. This was a significant step towards the establishment of Christianity as the dominant religion.

Question 12

What point was in dispute between the Arians and Christian orthodoxy?
A)Whether Jesus was of the same being and substance as God the Father
B)Whether human beings can earn a heavenly reward through good works
C)Whether communion bread and wine really change into Christ's body and blood
D)Whether Jesus died to save all human beings,Christian or not
E)Whether an individual needed to convert to Judaism before converting to Christianity

Accepted Answer

The point in dispute between the Arians and Christian orthodoxy was whether Jesus was of the same being and substance as God the Father. The Arians believed that Jesus was a created being and not equal to God, while Christian orthodoxy maintained that Jesus was co-equal and co-eternal with God. This disagreement resulted in the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, which reaffirmed the orthodox position and condemned Arianism as heresy.

Question 13

What were the general results of the doctrinal quarrels of the early centuries?
A)Many new churches and sects were started,increasing public understanding.
B)Believers had to be either with the Church or against it on every issue.
C)Regional antagonisms were reduced as people concentrated on big questions.
D)The dogmas of the Christian Church gradually became fixed.
E)The Christian Church was irrevocably split between East and West by 300 c.e.

Accepted Answer

The general results of the doctrinal quarrels of the early centuries were that the dogmas of the Christian Church gradually became fixed. As debates and disagreements arose on various theological issues, the Church leaders eventually had to resolve them and establish firm positions on certain doctrines. This led to the establishment of orthodox Christian beliefs that were accepted by the majority of Christians.

Question 14

After their defeat of Rome,the Goths split into many different groups and moved on to settle many areas in Europe;those who moved into the area of Spain and southern France were known as the:
A)Visigoths.
B)Vandals.
C)Ostrogoths.
D)Franks.
E)Burgundians.

Accepted Answer

The group that moved into the area of Spain and southern France were known as the Visigoths. The Vandals settled in North Africa, the Ostrogoths settled in Italy, the Franks settled in France and Germany, and the Burgundians settled in eastern France.

Question 15

The Great Persecution took place during the reign of:
A)Diocletian.
B)Constantine.
C)Augustus.
D)Marcus Aurelius.
E)Commodus.

Accepted Answer

The Great Persecution was a systematic persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire under Emperor Diocletian, starting in AD 303 and ending in AD 311. Diocletian aimed at destroying the Christian Church, ordering the destruction of Christian scriptures, the closing of churches, and the arrest of Christian clergy.

Question 16

The fourth-century interest in "orthodoxy" among Christian intellectuals arose from:
A)a belief that Christians could arrive at an absolute understanding of the world and everything in it.
B)an agreement among Christian bishops and leaders that there were core matters of faith that could be acknowledged.
C)a powerful Roman papacy that could finally enforce Christian orthodoxy.
D)a series of pagan emperors who persecuted Christians and attacked their theology and style of worship.
E)the need to show that Christianity could withstand the philosophical scrutiny of Greek and Roman traditions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The fourth-century interest in "orthodoxy" among Christian...

Question 17

The differences between the eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire:
A)in culture,economy,and language were great and grew larger over time.
B)became less significant as Constantine and his sons reunited the whole.
C)helped landowners use profits in the West to buy up small farms in the East.
D)did not matter when the capital was in the center,between Europe and Asia.
E)were only superficial and did not affect relations between the citizens of the empire.

Accepted Answer

The western and eastern parts of the Roman Empire differed greatly in culture, economy, and language, and these differences continued to grow over time.

Question 18

During the fifth century,
A)the western part of the empire declined in population and wealth.
B)the eastern part of the empire declined in population and wealth.
C)the empire was united by Attila the Hun.
D)the empire was united by a Gothic king.
E)Constantinople was destroyed by frequent invasions.

Accepted Answer

During the fifth century, the Western Roman Empire declined in population and wealth due to various factors such as invasions, internal conflicts, and economic struggles.

Question 19

Odovacar's removal of Romulus Augustus resulted in the Eastern Roman Empire:
A)asking Theodoric,a Goth,to lead an imperially equipped army against Odovacar.
B)doing nothing to try and depose Odovacar.
C)acknowledging Odoacer as the rightful ruler of the Western Roman Empire.
D)rescuing the pope and bringing him to Constantinople.
E)moving the capital of the Western Roman Empire to Paris.

Accepted Answer

After Odovacar removed Romulus Augustus, the Eastern Roman Empire asked Theodoric, a Goth, to lead an imperially equipped army against Odovacar. Theodoric defeated Odovacar and established the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy. Thus, A is the best choice.

Question 20

Before Constantine,Christianity:
A)had a single-faith tradition.
B)was a sect of Judaism.
C)had diffuse and unregulated faith traditions.
D)was not a missionizing faith.
E)was a sect of Zoroastrianism.

Accepted Answer

Before Constantine, Christianity did not have a single-faith tradition, nor was it a sect of Judaism or Zoroastrianism. Rather, it had diffuse and unregulated faith traditions with varying beliefs and practices among different Christian communities. It was also a missionizing faith, with followers actively spreading their beliefs to others. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Quiz 6: The Transformation of Rome

The roots of Rome's leadership of the Western Church partially lie in:

The traditional date for the "fall" of Rome is:

Once the Christian Church gained ascendancy in the Roman Empire,the highest authority in deciding doctrine was:

The Christian label for non-Christians is indicative of its _________ origin.

Under Diocletian,what city replaced Rome as the region's capital?

Romans regarded the Germans as barbarians because:

By the end of the third century,the involvement of women in the Church had:

Jerome's most lasting contribution to Western Christian culture was:

Which philosophy,like Zoroastrianism,stressed an ongoing struggle between good and evil?

Monasticism appealed to men who wanted to:

Christianity went from being a persecuted faith in the early fourth century to being the recognized faith of the empire;this last step was the result of the action by the emperor:

What point was in dispute between the Arians and Christian orthodoxy?

What were the general results of the doctrinal quarrels of the early centuries?

After their defeat of Rome,the Goths split into many different groups and moved on to settle many areas in Europe;those who moved into the area of Spain and southern France were known as the:

The Great Persecution took place during the reign of:

The fourth-century interest in "orthodoxy" among Christian intellectuals arose from:

The differences between the eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire:

During the fifth century,

Odovacar's removal of Romulus Augustus resulted in the Eastern Roman Empire:

Before Constantine,Christianity: