Deck 1: The Pre-History of Christian Thought

Question 1

Monotheism is best defined as:

A) The belief that there are many gods, constantly jostling for power.
B) The belief that there is a single supreme God.
C) The belief that God works through one group of people to establish his rule on earth.
D) The belief that there is no distinction between God and creation.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which Hebrew idea(s) is/are relevant to early Christian thought?

A) The belief in a single supreme creator God
B) An emphasis on reason and rationality
C) The concept of election
D) The concept of natural law
E) A and C

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The Pharisees believed the Jews would preserve their identity by:

A) Withdrawing from regions populated by other people groups
B) Converting surrounding people groups to Judaism
C) A strict adherence to the law
D) A political alliance with the governing authorities

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What triggered the Maccabean revolt in Jerusalem?

A) The establishment of a Greek gymnasium
B) The dedication of an altar to Zeus in the Jewish temple
C) The division of the Greek empire following Alexander's death
D) A disagreement over the interpretation of the Mosaic Law

Question 5

Which of the following influential ideas is attributed to the Romans?

A) The immortality of the soul and its distinction from the body
B) An emphasis on rational explanations for natural and social events
C) The distinction between the world immediately apparent to the senses and the realm that is only comprehended by reason
D) The idea that all rational beings could discern and live by the dictates of a natural law

Question 6

Judea became a province of Rome through:

A) The settling of an internal dispute by a Roman general
B) Pompey's military invasion
C) The Roman descent of one of the Hasmonian rulers
D) None of the above

Question 7

The concept of Natural Law as understood by the Romans is best defined as:

A) A scientific theory that describes the impersonal forces at work in the universe
B) A moral code by which all rational beings are held accountable
C) The notion that those individuals with the most power are mandated by nature to impose law and order on others around them
D) The notion that the natural world is to be worshipped by human beings

Question 8

The Roman Empire made way for the spread of early Christianity by:

A) Erecting statues of the Judeo-Christian God
B) Directing its citizens' focus towards theological issues as opposed to mythologies
C) A strong infrastructure that allowed news and information to travel quickly and freely within its borders
D) All of the above

Question 9

The central concern of religion in the Roman empire was:

A) To uphold the integrity of the empire and its governing structures
B) To distract citizens from their problems and keep their spirits high
C) To develop virtuous citizens with high moral standards
D) None of the above

Question 10

What is the most likely reason that the Romans and other pagans accused the Jews of being godless?

A) The Jews' rejection of polytheism
B) The Jews' prohibition of images of God
C) The immorality and lawlessness that plagued Jewish society
D) Political propaganda that attempted to discredit Judaism