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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the early years of his mission, Muhammad gathered many converts, especially from among ____________.

2. What story did Muhammad learn from another cultural group?

3. What tribe was Muhammad a member of?

4. This city is located in what is now the Western province of ____________.

5. There was now an emergence of Muslim studies in the fields of ____________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Armstrong say about the Sufis and Abu Walid ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd?

2. How did Western secularism and the rising dominance of industrialized European countries have an effect on the Muslim religion?

3. What approach to religion does Armstrong advocate?

4. What happened at Medina?

5. Describe the Faylasufs' notion of God.

6. What is the Jewish development similar to the "Great Awakening?"

7. What led to a rift with the Quraysh? To what did this rift lead?

8. Describe Bernard, the abbot of the Cistercian Abby of Clarivaux in Burgundy.

9. Describe the weakening of Islam during the fifteenth century, as well as a resurgence of conservatism.

10. What strong religious movements does Armstrong see growing in strength today? What does she think about this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Various movements and sects emerged during the first two centuries of Christianity.

Part 1) What are these various movements and sects? How did they come to be? What happened to these sects over time? Why did this occur?

Part 2) Why were educated non-Christians drawn to the religion? What does this say about the early Christians and the culture at the time?

Part 3) Are many non-Christians drawn to the church today? If so, why? If not, why not?

Essay Topic 2

The 15th and 16th centuries affected all three major monotheistic religions.

Part 1) What took place during these centuries? How did this affect these three major religions?

Part 2) How do these effects reflect changes that had already taken place? How were the affects of the 15th and 16th centuries foreshadowed?

Part 3) How are these changes seen today? How do these three religions continue to evolve today?

Essay Topic 3

Armstrong discusses the development of a personal God.

Part 1) Describe this development, according to Armstrong. Why did a personal God come to be in these three major religions?

Part 2) What is an inherent danger in a personal God? How was this seen throughout history? How is this seen today?

Part 3) Why did the members of these religions feel that a personal God was necessary? How is this still important today?

(see the answer keys)

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