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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The history of the emergence of the Judaic scriptures can be interpreted as ____________.
(a) The refinement and later abandonment of the transpersonal Yahweh.
(b) The refinement and later acceptance of the tribal and personalized Yahweh.
(c) The refinement and later abandonment of the tribal and personalized Yahweh.
(d) The refinement and later acceptance of the transpersonal Yahweh.

2. What is an inherent danger in a personal God?
(a) It leads adherents of a religion to imbue in the Deity their own prejudices and limitations.
(b) It leads adherents of a religion to want to blend with other religions.
(c) It leads to multiple misunderstandings.
(d) It confuses many adherents of a religion.

3. In Europe, scientists such as _______________, published their own theories as to the meaning and role of God in modern life, while, in England, the physicist Isaac Newton extended his opus magnus "Philosophiae Natruralis Principia" to prove God's existence.
(a) Jacques Pascal and Renee Descartes.
(b) Blaise Pascal and Renee Descartes.
(c) Blaise Pascal and Rene Magritte.
(d) Jacques Pascal and Rene Magritte.

4. The medieval forms of religion erupted into fragmented sects and belief systems, led by such reformers as ____________.
(a) Baruch and Wesley.
(b) Calvin and Wesley.
(c) Luther and Wesley.
(d) Luther and Calvin.

5. By 1492, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain had fallen to ____________.
(a) The Christian forces of Franz Ferdinand.
(b) The Christian forces of Ferdinand and Isabella.
(c) The Christian forces of Pope John Paul.
(d) The Christian forces of Constantine.

6. The first Zionists essentially follow a religion without ____________.
(a) The Son of God.
(b) Rules.
(c) A religious text.
(d) A God.

7. Back in London Wesley became a convert to this religion and preached his new faith to ____________.
(a) Immigrants.
(b) The bourgeoisie.
(c) The workers and peasants in the countryside.
(d) The merchant class.

8. Despite the conservatism occasioned by the rise of _____________ and the suppression of independent reasoning in the Sunni madrasahs, scholars, such as Mulla Sadr (ca 1571-1640), taught a philosophy that fused metaphysics and spirituality.
(a) The Muslim laws.
(b) The Shari laws.
(c) The Messiah laws.
(d) The Shariah laws.

9. Was the idea of a personal God developed by all three of the monotheistic religions?
(a) Yes.
(b) No, only the Muslims.
(c) No, only the Christians.
(d) No, only the Jews.

10. Karen Armstrong passionately believes that human beings have, in the 4000 years of the quest delineated in her book, always sought ____________.
(a) Power and might.
(b) Peace and love.
(c) An answer to the questions raised by religion and the idea of God.
(d) Harmony and understanding.

11. The Safavids rose up in Iran, and the Moghul Empire emerged ____________.
(a) In China.
(b) In Nepal.
(c) In India.
(d) In Pakistan.

12. The classic texts of this form of Judaic mysticism were written ____________.
(a) In Jerusalem in the fifth and sixth centuries.
(b) In Babylon in the fifth and sixth centuries.
(c) In Assyria in the fifth and sixth centuries.
(d) In Canaan in the fifth and sixth centuries.

13. Why is a personal God necessary?
(a) Mankind does not like to be alone.
(b) Mankind is only interested in those like oneself.
(c) As a stage of moral development in enshrining the values of society and thus conformance to its mores.
(d) Humanity needs a divine companion.

14. Now Europe split into two warring armies. Who were these warring groups?
(a) Protestants and Catholics.
(b) Christians and Muslims.
(c) Jews and Muslims.
(d) Jews and Christians.

15. What did Nietzsche teach about the Christian God?
(a) He is confused.
(b) He does not understand his people.
(c) He needs to change.
(d) He is absurd and "a crime against life."

Short Answer Questions

1. Muslim influence increased in scope as ____________ gained hold in Asia Minor.

2. The principle of "being born again" and the practice of mysticism-for-everyone resulted, occasionally, in violent ecstasies as witnessed in the gatherings of ____________.

3. The instability and lack of self-esteem in the Islamic culture, has resulted in ____________.

4. Some scholars suggest that the decline of Muslim science marked the beginning of ____________.

5. More and more writers and philosophers struggle to develop ideas which might replace ____________.

(see the answer keys)

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