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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. However, in two other gospels, it is _____________ who sees Jesus after he has risen from the dead.

2. Marcus offered the cup of wine and says into which ___________ may flow during the masses he gave.

3. Some say that the Christian creed was written to specifically exclude ___________ and his followers who were not following the creed.

4. The Gospel of the Egyptians from the Gnostic texts highlights the Great, Invisible ___________ in its lines.

5. A Valentinian Exposition speaks of God as a ____________, and no one was before him, according to the text of this chapter.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Valentinus present as a further breakdown of the parts of the Dyad?

2. What did the Roman Empire seem to think of the new following of Jesus and the development of Christianity?

3. Why were many of the papyri scrolls suddenly found on the black market after their initial discovery?

4. What are some of the images of Christ that John and James witness in the Acts of John, discovered before Nag Hammadi?

5. In the trinity of Christianity, only one of the three principals is genderless, which one?

6. What did Hippolytus, great enemy of the agnostics, accuse Callistus of?

7. In the Testimony of Truth, what does the Gnostic author offer as components of a holy life?

8. What does Pagels give as an explanation as to why the story of the story of the resurrection seems to be so important to the faithful?

9. What kind of criteria would the Gnostics give as being the true definition of a Christian?

10. What does Jesus tell Thomas when Thomas requests that Jesus give him directions on how to get to the next level?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the end, it seems unclear as to what a true Christian might look like or believe.

Part 1: Do you think there should be only one definition of what a Christian is? Why or why not?

Part 2: How do you think that religion would change if there was only one definition of a Christian?

Part 3: Why do you think it's important for some to have a definition of what a Christian is?

Essay Topic 2

According to Pagels, most of the Western religions realize that God is beyond the idea of gender.

Part 1: Do you think this it's important to determine a gender for God? Why or why not?

Part 2: Why do you think that many people believe that God is without gender?

Part 3: How do you think religion or spirituality changes when God is given a gender identity? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Pagels also points out that at times, beliefs that weren't logical became preeminent.

Part 1: Do you think it's dangerous for illogical beliefs to be powerful? Why or why not?

Part 2: Does it matter whether a belief is logical? Why or why not?

Part 3: How do you think society would change of all accepted beliefs were logical? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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