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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The orthodox victors preserved Christianity because of their emphasis on rigid ___________, rituals, and Church leaders.
(a) Authority.
(b) Understanding.
(c) Bible scripture.
(d) Doctrine.

2. In the Gospel of Thomas, _________ speaks of a light within man that can light up the whole world.
(a) Thomas.
(b) God.
(c) Jesus.
(d) Peter.

3. What is another thing the many criteria did for the orthodox church? It consolidated ______________.
(a) Beliefs.
(b) Priests.
(c) Celebrants.
(d) Power.

4. Pagels wonders if it was the __________ function of the Church which allowed it to be kept alive for so many years.
(a) Guilt.
(b) Sacrament.
(c) Punishment.
(d) Social.

5. Pagels wonders if true authority is only found when one takes a journey __________ on his own.
(a) To a teacher.
(b) Of faith.
(c) Upward.
(d) Inward.

6. To the Gnostics, the body of the orthodox church, the mass of _________ believers was outside of the true Church.
(a) Faithful.
(b) Dumb.
(c) Committed.
(d) True.

7. Ultimately, what happened to Justin who writes the letters which attempt to protect those in the Christian faith?
(a) He is made a cardinal.
(b) He is exiled from the country.
(c) He is put to death.
(d) He is made pope.

8. In the Gospel of Truth, there is a passage called the ____________ parable in which it's said that man acts as if he were sunk in sleep.
(a) Nightmare.
(b) Demon.
(c) Witness.
(d) Truth.

9. At one point, some monks were ordered to destroy _________ texts, along with other monastic brethren, though some were not.
(a) Blank.
(b) Confusing.
(c) Long.
(d) Heretical.

10. The Church of the Gnostics was confined to the __________, the experiencers of God generally speaking.
(a) Knowers.
(b) Doers.
(c) Followers.
(d) Seekers.

11. What was not a part of the daily lives of Christians according to Pagels' conclusions?
(a) Baptisms.
(b) Funerals.
(c) Sacrifices.
(d) Marriages.

12. Pagels points out that the discussion of Gnosticism points out _____________ of great value to all believers.
(a) Errors.
(b) Mistakes.
(c) Questions.
(d) Duplicates.

13. The structure of the Church remained in tact for many hundreds of years, surviving even the harsh winds of the _______________.
(a) Holocaust.
(b) Crusades.
(c) Marches.
(d) Reformation.

14. The Christian's world was a world of daily _______________, of special masses and other community gatherings.
(a) Confessions.
(b) Pledges.
(c) Services.
(d) Communions.

15. Hippolytus accused the Bishop of Rome of ___________, claiming that he was treated like a common criminal and not as a Christian martyr.
(a) Vagary.
(b) Paganism.
(c) Unrest.
(d) Criminality.

Short Answer Questions

1. Blake noted the differences between the Gnostics and the orthodox: "Both read the Bible day and night, But where thou read'st black where I see _________."

2. Ignatius placed the presence of the ____________ as the legitimizing force in administering the sacrament and in holding meetings.

3. The orthodox Christian looks at _____________ as a consequence of disbelief and of sin.

4. In what gospel does Jesus respond to Thomas' passionate request to learn how to get to the next level?

5. The Valentinians who led normal lives still regarded ____________ as their primary goal, even as they gave up some worldly pleasures.

(see the answer keys)

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