Question 1

What did the Jesus Seminar conclude?

Accepted Answer

A)  Only 20% of what the gospels report about Jesus is what Jesus actually said or similar to what he said 
B)  There is no Jesus of history, but only Christ of faith 
C)  Jesus was an apocalyptic messiah 
D)  There are solid grounds to think that Jesus may not have even existed historically 
A)  Only 20% of what the gospels report about Jesus is what Jesus actually said or similar to what he said 
B)  There is no Jesus of history, but only Christ of faith 
C)  Jesus was an apocalyptic messiah 
D)  There are solid grounds to think that Jesus may not have even existed historically A

Question 2

Many atheists of the nineteenth century saw religion as an immature expression of the human condition, and one that continued to keep humans from psychologically developing. In your experience, is this the case? Explain.

Accepted Answer

As an AI, I don't have personal experiences, but I can provide an analysis based on historical and psychological perspectives.

The view that religion is an immature expression of the human condition and hinders psychological development was a common belief among many atheists in the nineteenth century. This perspective was influenced by the growing understanding of human psychology and the impact of religious beliefs on individuals and societies.

From a historical standpoint, religion has often been used to control and manipulate people, and it has been associated with superstition, fear, and ignorance. This has led some to argue that religion stunts intellectual and emotional growth by promoting blind faith over critical thinking and by instilling fear and guilt rather than promoting self-awareness and personal development.

From a psychological perspective, some argue that religious beliefs can serve as a crutch, preventing individuals from facing the harsh realities of life and taking responsibility for their own actions. Additionally, the concept of a higher power providing guidance and protection may hinder the development of autonomy and self-reliance.

However, it's important to note that these views are not universally accepted. Many people find comfort, guidance, and a sense of community through their religious beliefs, and for them, religion can be a source of strength and personal growth. Furthermore, some argue that religion can provide a framework for moral development and a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Ultimately, whether religion hinders psychological development is a complex and subjective question that depends on individual experiences and perspectives. While some may see religion as an impediment to personal growth, others may find it to be a source of support and guidance. It's important to approach this topic with sensitivity and an open mind, recognizing that people's experiences with religion can vary widely.

Question 3

In the nineteenth century what did T. H. Huxley mean when he coined the term scientific naturalism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Science is a natural discipline and theology is a supernatural discipline. They are correlated, but not the same 
B)  Science ought to never appeal to anything other than natural phenomena to explain scientific causation 
C)  The only things that exist are physical things, which is the purview of science 
D)  Huxley did not coin this, Steven Hawking did in the late twentieth century. 
A)  Science is a natural discipline and theology is a supernatural discipline. They are correlated, but not the same 
B)  Science ought to never appeal to anything other than natural phenomena to explain scientific causation 
C)  The only things that exist are physical things, which is the purview of science 
D)  Huxley did not coin this, Steven Hawking did in the late twentieth century. B

Question 4

What famous announcement did Friedrich Nietzsche make?

Accepted Answer

A)  The übermensch is everyman 
B)  God is dead 
C)  God has left the universe 
D)  Europe exists so God cannot 
A)  The übermensch is everyman 
B)  God is dead 
C)  God has left the universe 
D)  Europe exists so God cannot

Question 5

After Pope Pius VI objected to the French Revolution, which of the following was the French response?

Accepted Answer

A)  Many principal leaders publically repented 
B)  The French simply ignored the pope as irrelevant 
C)  France declared the papacy a heretical body 
D)  The French invaded the Papal States and exiled Pius to France 
A)  Many principal leaders publically repented 
B)  The French simply ignored the pope as irrelevant 
C)  France declared the papacy a heretical body 
D)  The French invaded the Papal States and exiled Pius to France

Question 6

*Physicist Ian Barbour proposed four types of possible relationships between science and religion. Which of the following was not one of his types?

Accepted Answer

A)  Conflict model 
B)  Truth model 
C)  Independence model 
D)  Integration model 
A)  Conflict model 
B)  Truth model 
C)  Independence model 
D)  Integration model

Question 7

Which of the following conclusions did Charles Darwin reach regarding the development of species?

Accepted Answer

A)  There could never be a god 
B)  Instead of a benevolently provident God acting, he saw a cruel battle for survival 
C)  Presuming God exists, natural selection was also supernatural selection 
D)  Natural selection produced the type of life that points to divine providence: the best things survive 
A)  There could never be a god 
B)  Instead of a benevolently provident God acting, he saw a cruel battle for survival 
C)  Presuming God exists, natural selection was also supernatural selection 
D)  Natural selection produced the type of life that points to divine providence: the best things survive

Question 8

What does materialism mean in this chapter?

Accepted Answer

A)  The belief that consuming goods generated wealth for nations 
B)  The belief that happiness comes from consuming material goods 
C)  The belief that God is not associated with the material world 
D)  The belief that the only thing that exists is matter 
A)  The belief that consuming goods generated wealth for nations 
B)  The belief that happiness comes from consuming material goods 
C)  The belief that God is not associated with the material world 
D)  The belief that the only thing that exists is matter

Question 9

The Napoleonic wars undermined the development nation states and nationalism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Now that Protestants and Catholics have religious freedom in Russia, what has been the Orthodox response?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Orthodox started a pan-Christian glasnost 
B)  The Orthodox accused them of sheep stealing 
C)  The Orthodox see Protestants and Catholics as having a religious edge of the newcomers 
D)  The Orthodox formally have welcomed any and all Christians to come to the table 
A)  The Orthodox started a pan-Christian glasnost 
B)  The Orthodox accused them of sheep stealing 
C)  The Orthodox see Protestants and Catholics as having a religious edge of the newcomers 
D)  The Orthodox formally have welcomed any and all Christians to come to the table

Question 11

Where did Pius IX receive help in restoring rule in the Papal States?

Accepted Answer

A)  England 
B)  France 
C)  Austria 
D)  The United States 
A)  England 
B)  France 
C)  Austria 
D)  The United States

Question 12

French delegates issued the Rights of Man, a charter of human rights:

Accepted Answer

A)  That resembled the American Bill of Rights 
B)  That was written by the French philosopher Voltaire 
C)  That was written by the Archbishop of Paris 
D)  That denied the legitimacy of the King 
A)  That resembled the American Bill of Rights 
B)  That was written by the French philosopher Voltaire 
C)  That was written by the Archbishop of Paris 
D)  That denied the legitimacy of the King

Question 13

Did Pope Pius trust Napoleon?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes, but only after Napoleon went to the Vatican and prostrated before Pius 
B)  Yes, initially, but that did not last as Napoleon exiled every bishop in France 
C)  No, he had written a letter of resignation before going to Napoleon's coronation in case he was imprisoned 
D)  No, he had already learned that Napoleon became a Free Mason before taking over France 
A)  Yes, but only after Napoleon went to the Vatican and prostrated before Pius 
B)  Yes, initially, but that did not last as Napoleon exiled every bishop in France 
C)  No, he had written a letter of resignation before going to Napoleon's coronation in case he was imprisoned 
D)  No, he had already learned that Napoleon became a Free Mason before taking over France

Question 14

The Patriarch of Constantinople found the Islamic Ottoman Empire its protectorate.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Where does the term fundamentalism come from?

Accepted Answer

A)  A collection of pamphlets called The Fundamentals 
B)  It is a derisive term coined by the liberal Protestant movement 
C)  It came from an English mistranslation of the Latin fundamentus 
D)  Catholic liberals deriding Catholic conservatives 
A)  A collection of pamphlets called The Fundamentals 
B)  It is a derisive term coined by the liberal Protestant movement 
C)  It came from an English mistranslation of the Latin fundamentus 
D)  Catholic liberals deriding Catholic conservatives

Question 16

When did modern freedom of religion come to Russia?

Accepted Answer

A)  Stalin allowed it, though with oversight, in 1944 
B)  Khrushchev allowed in 1962 
C)  Gorbachev allowed it in 1990 
D)  Putin allowed it in 2002 
A)  Stalin allowed it, though with oversight, in 1944 
B)  Khrushchev allowed in 1962 
C)  Gorbachev allowed it in 1990 
D)  Putin allowed it in 2002

Question 17

What do the events of the twentieth century show about the causes of conflict and religion's relationship to them?

Accepted Answer

The events of the twentieth century show

Question 18

What is scientism?

Accepted Answer

A)  It posits that the only way to secure knowledge is through the scientific method 
B)  It posits that science is the only true philosophy, as it deals with facts and not theory 
C)  It posits that science alone can save the human race 
D)  It posits that science, although important for medical and technical achievements, is philosophically false as an expression of the human condition. 
A)  It posits that the only way to secure knowledge is through the scientific method 
B)  It posits that science is the only true philosophy, as it deals with facts and not theory 
C)  It posits that science alone can save the human race 
D)  It posits that science, although important for medical and technical achievements, is philosophically false as an expression of the human condition.

Question 19

Most early biblical critics were either agnostic or atheistic.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

During Napoleon's coronation as Emperor of the French, he took the crown from the pope and put it on his head himself.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 19: Modern Challenges to Christianity

What did the Jesus Seminar conclude?

Many atheists of the nineteenth century saw religion as an immature expression of the human condition, and one that continued to keep humans from psychologically developing. In your experience, is this the case? Explain.

In the nineteenth century what did T. H. Huxley mean when he coined the term scientific naturalism?

What famous announcement did Friedrich Nietzsche make?

After Pope Pius VI objected to the French Revolution, which of the following was the French response?

*Physicist Ian Barbour proposed four types of possible relationships between science and religion. Which of the following was not one of his types?

Which of the following conclusions did Charles Darwin reach regarding the development of species?

What does materialism mean in this chapter?

The Napoleonic wars undermined the development nation states and nationalism.

Now that Protestants and Catholics have religious freedom in Russia, what has been the Orthodox response?

Where did Pius IX receive help in restoring rule in the Papal States?

French delegates issued the Rights of Man, a charter of human rights:

Did Pope Pius trust Napoleon?

The Patriarch of Constantinople found the Islamic Ottoman Empire its protectorate.

Where does the term fundamentalism come from?

When did modern freedom of religion come to Russia?

What do the events of the twentieth century show about the causes of conflict and religion's relationship to them?

What is scientism?

Most early biblical critics were either agnostic or atheistic.

During Napoleon's coronation as Emperor of the French, he took the crown from the pope and put it on his head himself.

Introduction

The Old Testament

Jesus and the New Testament

Development of Christianity in the New Testament

Christianity Becomes a Religion

The Life of the Early Church

The Imperial Church

The Great Fathers and the Quest for Union With God

Christianitys Spiritual Life

Expansion and Change in the East and North

The Church and the Western Empire

Medieval Piety and the Rise of the Universities

The Renaissance

The Reformation

The Catholic Reformation

The Enlightenment: From Conflict to Tolerance

Colonization and Missions

Christianity in the United States to the Civil War

The Rise of Evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity

Modern Faith and Future Trends

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