Religions of the World Midterm Exam
Course Introduction
Religions of the World offers an introduction to the major religious traditions across the globe, including but not limited to Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as indigenous and new religious movements. The course investigates the core beliefs, rituals, sacred texts, historical development, and cultural impact of these religions. Through comparative and thematic analysis, students will explore how diverse religious perspectives address fundamental questions about existence, morality, and society. This course encourages critical thinking, empathy, and intercultural understanding by examining the ways religion shapes and is shaped by history, politics, and contemporary issues worldwide.
Recommended Textbook
Religions of the World 13th Edition by Lewis M. Hopfe
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12 Chapters
380 Verified Questions
380 Flashcards
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Chapter 1: Native American Religions
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/75054
Sample Questions
Q1) What is a medicine bundle?
A) herbs and teas wrapped in canvas that are used during healing rituals
B) a talisman given to young men heading into battle
C) a collection of animal hides and bones, plants, and minerals that are believed to be a source of spiritual power
D) a fetish carried by medicine men
Answer: C
Q2) Among the Yaqui of Arizona, why is Jesus Christ often associated with the deer?
A) because Jesus is often represented as a deer in illustrations
B) because the Yaqui believe Jesus was reincarnated as a deer
C) because of the gentleness of both the man and the animal
D) because both represent a sacrifice so humans may live and prosper
Answer: D
Q3) Traditional Native Americans believe that the soul exists in the land of the dead
A) for as long as the living remember the deceased.
B) until the deceased's last ancestor has passed.
C) until the deceased is seen in a vision quest.
D) always.
Answer: A
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Page 3
Chapter 2: African Religions
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) According to the Yoruba creation story, the High God Olorun
A) created the world from a gourd.
B) provided direct assistance to the newly created human race.
C) tried unsuccessfully to delegate the task of creation.
D) destroyed the orishas and brought order to the world.
Answer: C
Q2) One of the most common leaders/specialists in African religions is the A) high priest.
B) curer.
C) governor.
D) tribe leader.
Answer: B
Q3) Among the curers of the Acholi of Uganda, jok and ajwaka are terms for A) the evil spirits and the healer.
B) the divination of the illness and the diviner.
C) the illness and the herbal remedy.
D) the curse and the blessing.
Answer: A
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4
Chapter 3: Hinduism
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35 Verified Questions
35 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the term for the religion of the classical era in India?
A) Vedism
B) Brahminism
C) Sikhism
D) Jainism
Answer: B
Q2) This philosopher is known as the developer of the Advaita Vedanta system and fiercely opposed Buddhism.
A) Shankara
B) Gandhi
C) Vivekananda
D) Shiva
Answer: A
Q3) The act of worshiping the gods is known as A) Yoga.
B) Vedanta.
C) puja.
D) prasad.
Answer: C
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Buddhism
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Discuss Buddhism from a historical perspective, tracking its movements, changes, and slips into quiescence. Discuss the reasons for the strong Buddhist presence today in the world.
Q2) What is one thing that celebrants do during the Festival of Souls?
A) They perform elaborate rituals for the dead.
B) They fast and meditate.
C) They wash statues of the Buddha.
D) They present robes to the Buddhist missionaries.
Q3) For Theravada Buddhists, one of the most important ways of making merit is to offer food to
A) strangers.
B) children.
C) the poor.
D) monks.
Q4) In Zen Buddhism, riddles meant to confuse reason before an initiate finds truth and ultimately enlightenment are called A) koans.
B) alms.
C) sangha.
D) bodhisattva.
Page 6
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Chapter 5: Sikhism
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the Adi Granth?
A) a collection of myths
B) a collection of teachings
C) a collection of the official scriptures
D) a collection of laws
Q2) Describe life for modern-day Sikhs. What challenges do they face and why?
Q3) This Sikh holiday celebrates the day on which Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa.
A) Holi
B) Divali
C) Vaisakhi
D) Langar
Q4) Which of the following characterizes congregational worship by Sikhs?
A) There is a caste system.
B) Women are not allowed to participate.
C) Sikh priests run the ceremony.
D) Any member of the community may lead group services.
Q5) Discuss the religious practice of modern Sikhs. How do the rituals and style of worship reflect distinctive Sikh beliefs?
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Chapter 6: Jainism
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is one way Jains worship at home?
A) They recite the names of the saints from the past.
B) They cook elaborate meals with special foods.
C) They erect altars to their ancestors.
D) They dress in special clothing.
Q2) Discuss the philosophical dualism that underlies Jainism. What problems does this dualism present to the Jain and what is the solution?
Q3) Based on Mahavira's life, which of the following words best describes ascetic life?
A) pleasure
B) luxury
C) deprivation
D) wealth
Q4) Mahavira and the other figures associated with the establishment of Jainism are called Tirthankaras, which means
A) noble ones.
B) crossing builders.
C) conquerors.
D) enlightened one.
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Chapter 7: Chinese Religions
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In direct contradiction to the teachings of Mencius, Xunzi contended that people are basically
A) good at heart.
B) evil in nature.
C) dishonest.
D) heretics.
Q2) What was the name of the legendary founder of Daoism which, when translated, also means "Old Master" or "Old Boy"?
A) Confucius
B) Shangdi
C) Laozi
D) Siddhartha
Q3) What does the word Dao mean?
A) the life
B) the force
C) the way
D) the truth
Q4) Describe the political difficulties facing religions in China today.
Q5) Describe the basic philosophy of the Daodejing and discuss how this text developed over centuries.
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Chapter 8: Shinto
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) After the rise of the Tokugawa regime, what kind of leaders unified the Japanese and sought to isolate the nation from outside influences?
A) political
B) religious
C) Buddhist
D) military
Q2) The archway at the entrance of a Shinto shrine is known as a
A) torii.
B) jinja.
C) skuha.
D) meiji.
Q3) Prior to 1889, the Tokugawa regime allowed the practice of only two religions. One was Shinto; the other was a Japanese version of which of the following?
A) Islam
B) Confucianism
C) Jainism
D) Hinduism
Q4) Discuss the 1889 Constitution and what changes it brought to Shinto as a religious practice.
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Chapter 9: Judaism
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33 Verified Questions
33 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A number of explanations for the Nazi Holocaust have been suggested. What are they? What were both the immediate and long-lasting results of this event?
Q2) This German philosopher and poet encouraged German Jews to enter the modern world.
A) Handel
B) Mendelssohn
C) Shabbatai Zevi
D) Lessing
Q3) About 30 percent of the Babylonian Talmud is a tale or narrative about the Jewish people and their history called
A) the Mishna.
B) Gemara.
C) the Torah.
D) Haggadah.
Q4) Founded by Mordecai M. Kaplan, this movement grew out of Conservative Judaism. A) Hasidism
B) Reform Judaism
C) Reconstructionist Judaism
D) Orthodox Judaism
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Chapter 10: Christianity
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38 Verified Questions
38 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is one of the reasons for the Reformation in the sixteenth century?
A) corruption and abuse of authority in the priesthood
B) the existence of two popes
C) doctrinal differences over the divinity of Jesus
D) the ordination of women to the priesthood
Q2) To whom did Jesus say "and on this rock I will build my church" and "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven"?
A) Stephen
B) Simon Peter
C) Judas
D) Paul
Q3) The communion meal, probably modeled on the Jewish Seder meal, is also called the
A) meal of remembrance.
B) Eucharist.
C) common meal.
D) fellowship meal.
Q4) Discuss the growth of Christianity in the modern era, detailing the various Protestant denominations and how they came into being.
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Chapter 11: Islam
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34 Verified Questions
34 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Those things that one must do to be a good Muslim are referred to as A) Ramadan.
B) the Five Pillars.
C) zakat.
D) salat.
Q2) Many Africans turned to Islam as a response to A) slavery.
B) colonialism.
C) Judaism.
D) Arab invasion.
Q3) Muslims state that there is only one God. Which of the following words describes their God?
A) punitive
B) undivided
C) multifaceted
D) incomplete
Q4) Discuss the ways in which other major religions influenced the development of Islam.
Q5) Discuss the origins of Sufism. Compare Sufism to the Sunni and Shi'ite versions of Islam.
Page 13
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Chapter 12: Bahai
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30 Verified Questions
30 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In 1920, the British conferred the Order of the British Empire on Abdul Baha because of his work
A) with the poor.
B) with the sick.
C) for the disenfranchised.
D) for world peace.
Q2) Baha'i originated in
A) Syria.
B) Persia.
C) Egypt.
D) India.
Q3) Discuss the connection of Baha'i to Shi'ite Islam and the ways in which Baha'i beliefs differ radically from Shi'ite beliefs.
Q4) Baha'u'llah taught that this is a necessary condition for world peace and stability.
A) meditation
B) education
C) dialogue
D) debate
Q5) Summarize Baha'u'llah's teachings and the basic beliefs of Baha'i.
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