Karl Steel, over at In the Middle recently posted his final exam for a Biblical Literature course that he taught for the first time. He asked if anyone else would post their own first attempt. I looked over the mid-term and final exam that I gave for the Intro to Christianity course that I taught a small Christian liberal arts college a few years back. Unlike Karl I was not proud of my mid-term. Scanning through the first few questions I realized how biased many of the questions were (even the I prefaced them with 'as discussed in class'). This really reminded me that educational formation really is an open question as to the value of receiving and offering it in different contexts. 111.11 Introduction to Christianity Final Examination I. Multiple Choice 1. What is a distinguishing characteristic of the early churches established in a. They reflected a monophysite theology b. They incorporated a monastic church structure c. They emphasized the union of the church and state d. They were the first to regularly incorporate women into leadership e. All of the above 2. What was the issue at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15? a. The question of the lapsed b. The nature of Christ c. The requirements of the Gentiles d. Whether Mark should accompany Paul on his journey e. None of the above 3. According to tradition, who was the earliest missionary to a. Peter b. Thomas c. Paul d. Pantaenus e. None of the above 4. What was the major Church issue, discussed in class, which resulted from the persecution of Decius in 250 AD? a. The question of the lapsed b. The sovereignty of God c. Missions to Romans d. The role of the Holy Spirit e. Both a. and d. 5. In what year did a. 112 b. 211 c. 312 d. 313 e. 613 6. In what year was the Council of Nicea? a. 326 b. 425 c. 431 d. 1054 e. None of the above 7. What was a direct result of a. The end of systematic persecution of the churches in the b. The increase of persecution in the Syrian and Asian churches c. The instigation of an Islamic holy war d. All of the above e. Both a. and b. 8. What was the result of the conflict with Nestorius? a. Relations between European, African, and Asian churches were hindered b. Relations between European, North American, and Latin American churches were hindered c. The entrenchment of clerical celibacy d. The instigation of an Islamic holy war e. Both b. and c. 9. Scholasticism was prominent during which period? a. 313-500 b. 500-750 c. 1400-1700 d. 1800 e. None of the above 10. When is the first recorded presence of missionaries in a. 112 b. 332 c. 592 d. 635 e. 950 11. What role did monasteries play during the fall of the a. It provided safe haven to those rebelling against the Empire b. It’s printing presses served to circulate vast amounts of anti-Roman propaganda c. It preserved much of the culture and knowledge of Roman civilization d. It demanded the end of all persecuted Christians e. Both a. and b. 12. In what year did Muhammed found his religious community? a. 112 b. 332 c. 592 d. 610 e. 622 13. Who is the leader credited for stopping the conquest of Islam in a. Charles Martel b. Charlemagne c. Gregory the Great d. e. None of the above 14. What was an issue contributing to the division between the Eastern and Western church from 400-1000 AD? a. The nature of the Holy Spirit b. The use of icons c. Lack of political support d. Clerical celibacy e. All of the above 15. Who was the first emperor of the West after the fall of the a. Charles Martel b. Charlemagne c. Gregory the Great d. e. None of the above 16. Identify a circumstance contributing to the Crusades? a. The vision of victory given to Charlemagne b. The rise and threat of Islam c. Difficult economic circumstances d. All of the above e. Both b. and c. 17. Gothic architecture reflected a. Technological advancements b. The significance of Communion c. An example of communicating the Christian story d. All of the above e. Both b. and c. 18. How did the fall of a. It introduced an influx of Greek thought and language b. It introduced the framework for the first universities c. It challenged Renaissance claims of papal authority d. It represented a renewal of deist thought e. None of the above 19. What was an important feature of Renaissance humanism? a. The perfection of Gothic architecture b. The appeal to original sources for authority c. The elevation of the monastic ideal d. The entrenchment of papal authority e. All of the above 20. In Reformation history, Erasmus is known for what contribution? a. A reform based firmly on scholastic philosophy b. An attempt at moderate reform c. The first English translation of the Bible d. The intent of severing church and state relations e. Both b. and d. 21. When was Martin Luther’s 95 Theses posted on the Wittenburg door? a. b. c. d. e. None of the above 22. During Luther’s life, what was the money from the sale of indulgences being used for? a. To fund Henry the VIII’s army b. To fund the Crusades c. To fund the popes frequent trips to d. To fund the building of St. Peter’s Basilica e. All of the above 23. Why were the Anabaptists considered too extreme amongst most Reformers? a. Due to their extreme monophysitism b. Due to their desire for a higher level of cooperation with c. Due to their often subtle and cryptic theological treatises d. Due to their ongoing use of icons in worship e. None of the above 24. What contribution to the Reformation did John Calvin make, as discussed in class? a. He overthrew the power of the Spanish Inquisition b. He warned against the abuses of early colonizing in c. He aided in mediating the debate known as filioque d. He was an early systematizer of Reformation thought e. None of the above 25. How was a. The pope excommunicated the head of the Church of England for heresy b. Queen Elizabeth refused to marry the king of c. Henry the VIII attempted to become pope d. English Parliament declared e. Largely by the influence of Erasmus 26. What is a fundamental principle of Luther’s doctrine? a. Justification by faith alone b. The separation of church and state c. Authority needs to be derived from Scripture alone d. All of the above e. Both a. and c. 27. How did Zwingli differ from Luther in his view of Church tradition? a. Zwingli accepted all tradition that did not contradict scripture b. Zwingli believed reason to be equally valuable in establishing tradition c. Zwingli rejected all tradition not directly supported by the Bible d. Zwingli rejected the entire concept of sacraments as too traditional e. None of the above 28. What was an immediate political consequence of the Reformation? a. The first expression of democratic voting b. Wars over the political boundaries of the competing Church expressions c. The reunification of the Eastern and Western empire d. The creation of early communist thought e. All of the above 29. What was an intellectual consequence of the Reformation? a. The perceived inability of the Church to determine truth b. The closure of most universities c. The rise of Islamic thought in d. The proven infallibility of the pope e. All of the above 30. What modern phenomenon did John Locke’s treatise, Letter Concerning Tolerance, contribute to? a. Marxist thought b. Liberation theology c. The privatization of religion d. The peace between Christianity and Islam e. Both a. and b. 31. What was a position, stated in class, from the American Declaration of Independence? a. The necessity of a state Church b. The rejection of a state Church c. The need for clergy and politicians to consult one another d. The superiority of politics over religion e. Both a. and d. 32. What authority was the driving force behind the French Revolution? a. Scholasticism b. Papal authority c. Reason d. Erasmus’ treatise on civil liberty e. None of the above 33. What is a distinguishing feature of Latin American Liberation Theology? a. Its commitment to capitalist methodology b. Its commitment to Western philosophical categories c. Its use of the poor as a theological source d. Its charismatic reliance on the dynamic guidance of the Holy Spirit e. Both c. and d. 34. William Carey is known for his missions to which location? a. b. c. d. e. None of the above 35. David Livingston is known for his missions to which location? a. b. c. d. e. None of the above 36. What is a current concern for Christians in a. The influence of communism b. The rise of Hindu nationalism c. The threat of Mongolian invasion d. The increase of typically liberal thought e. None of the above 37. What is a distinguishing characteristic of African Independent churches? a. Their commitment to Marxism b. Their striking similarities with Romanticism c. Their rejection of the New Testament in favour of the Old Testament d. Their liberal theology e. None of the above 38. Which Roman Catholic organization is known for its opposition to Church abuse in a. The Jesuits b. The Franciscans c. The Benedictines d. The Ludites e. None of the above 39. What was a tenet of Pietism as articulated by Philipp Spener? a. The priesthood of all believers b. The need to remain moderate in disputes c. The centrality of the Bible d. The need for ethical reform e. All of the above 40. What was the theological contribution of John Wesley, as discussed in class? a. The doctrine of sanctification b. The doctrine of predestination c. The emphasis of Christ’s humanity d. Clarifying the role of reason e. Both b. and c. 41. What is a characterization of modern evangelicalism? a. Its emphasis on “re-birth” b. Its ability to integrate modern scientific thought c. Its trans-denominational character d. All of the above e. Both a. and c. 42. What was the initial method of Rene Descartes for establishing truth? a. To explore the evolutionary nature of truth b. To doubt everything that could not be absolutely proven c. To find biblical categories for truth d. To elevate the use of the poetic in truth e. All of the above 43. What was identified in class as a significant contribution of Deism? a. Its dependence on the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit b. Its quest to spread atheism as a legitimate doctrine c. Its use of worship as an appropriate expression of truth d. Its view that the absolute cause never disturbs the chain of secondary causes e. Both c. and d. 44. What is the general characterization of the churches flourishing in the global south? a. Rationalist b. Marxist c. Calvinist d. Capitalist e. None of the above 45. What was Immanuel Kant’s position regarding our understanding of perception? a. Our perception does not have direct access to Reality b. Our perception does have direct access to Reality c. Our perception is adequate for proving God’s existence d. Our perception provides a god-like view of reality e. None of the above 46. Friedrich Schleiermacher’s understanding of feeling can be described with which of the following statements? a. Ecstatic experience of the divine b. A complete understanding of God based on reason c. Complete dependence on God d. The rejection of reason as useful for theology e. Both a. and c. 47. What is a main characteristic of the ethical model referred to in class as Graded Absolutism? a. That being ethical results from forming our character b. Understanding our purpose aids us in understanding ethics c. All possible commands for right and wrong action are clear from scripture d. That moral conflicts are inevitable and ethical priorities must be established e. None of the above 48. What is a main characteristic of the ethical model referred to in class as Natural Ethic? a. That being ethical results from forming our character b. Understanding our purpose aids us in understanding ethics c. All possible commands for right and wrong action are clear from scripture d. That moral conflicts are inevitable and ethical priorities must be established e. None of the above 49. What is a main characteristic of the ethical model referred to in class as Situation Ethics? a. That being ethical results from forming our character b. Understanding our purpose aids us in understanding ethics c. All possible commands for right and wrong action are clear from scripture d. That moral conflicts are inevitable and ethical priorities must be established e. None of the above 50. What is a main characteristic of the ethical model referred to in class as Virtue Ethics? a. That being ethical results from forming our character b. Understanding our purpose aids us in understanding ethics c. All possible commands for right and wrong action are clear from scripture d. That moral conflicts are inevitable and ethical priorities must be established e. None of the above 51. Which approach was identified in class as way of understanding Postmodernism? a. An expression of extreme or perhaps exhausted modernism b. The introduction of something “other” than modernism c. The ongoing pursuit of a single framework for understanding truth d. All of the above e. Both a. and b. 52. McGrath notes that strictly speaking Advent represents the coming of . . . a. Jesus as a baby b. John preparing for Jesus c. the Church authorized by Jesus d. Jesus in glory as judge e. Both a. and d. 53. In the Western church Epiphany represents . . . a. The coming of the Holy Spirit b. The institution of the Lord’s Supper c. The visit from the Wise Men d. Jesus’ feeding of 5000 e. None of the above 54. Lent . . . a. Represents the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness b. Represents a time of repentance and remorse c. Is the period culminating in Easter d. Ends with Holy Week, including Good Friday e. All of the above 55. An important theme of Ascension is . . . a. The need for our repentance b. Preparation for Jesus crucifixion c. The exaltation of Christ d. The giving of the Holy Spirit e. Both a. and c. II. True or False 1. The initial rise of Islam caused great persecution in Middle Eastern and a. True b. False 2. The Church in a. True b. False 3. The Reformation was an entirely positive event in the history of the Church. a. True b. False 4. A major feature of Latin American history is how its indigenous people were able to maintain power after a. True b. False 5. Liberalism tends to communicate the significance of Jesus’ death as payment for sin. a. True b. False 6. The concept of “denominations” was a deist invention. a. True b. False 7. Ignatius of Loyola is characterized by his strong acceptance of Church authority. a. True b. False 8. a. True b. False 9. Part of Gregory the Great’s success can be attributed to the invention of the printing press. a. True b. False 10. Dalit Christians in African are still being severely persecuted. a. True b. False 11. During the a. True b. False 12. The term “Gothic architecture” was first used as a pejorative term associating a certain artistic expression as barbaric. a. True b. False 13. Pietism is often best associated with the “clockwork analogy.” a. True b. False 14. Liberalism tended to emphasize the transcendence of God. a. True b. False 15. In time, when I look back on my life, I will see clearly how profoundly impacting my Introduction to Christianity class was to my understanding of reality. a. True b. False
I don't think the final was as bad so here it is in all its full length glory. I should note that basically the entire class failed it. I just scanned over it again. I am so sorry if any former students have come across this blog. Really. I always hated these types of multiple choice tests.
If you don't feel like reading the exam I would love to hear experiences or thoughts about the differences or values of confessional and "secular" education.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Is That Your Final Answer?
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1 comment:
Answered a few until I realized its length and the shortness of my morning. The dates are tricky:
1:a; 2:b; 3:b; 4:e?;5:d (or c?); 6: b(or c?); 7:a; 8:a?; 9:c; 10:c?; 11:c; 12:c-e (somewhere in there!); 13:a; 14:a; 15:b; 16:e; 17:d;
Thanks for posting this!
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