1.  Name the four Gospels.  List as many as you can.

2.  Name a sacred text of Hinduism.

3.  What is the name of the holy book of Islam?

4.  Where according to the Bible was Jesus born?

5.  President George W. Bush spoke in his firs inaugural address of the Jericho road.  What Bible story was he

    invoking?

6.  What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or Christian Old Testament?

7.  What is the Golden Rule?

8.  "God helps those who helps themselves": Is this in the Bible?  If so, where?

9.  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God": Does this appear in the Bible?  If so, where?

10.  Name the Ten Commandments.  List as many as you can.

11.  Name the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.

12.  What are the seven sacraments of Catholicism?  List as many as you can.

13.  The First Amendment says two things about religion, each in its own "clause."  What are the two religion

      clauses of the First Amendment?

14.  What is Ramadan?  In which religion is it celebrated?

15.  Match the Bible characters with the stories in which they appear.  Draw a line from one to the other.  Hint:

      Some characters may be matched with more than one story or vice versa.

Adam and Eve          Exodus

Paul            Binding of Isaac

Moses          Olive Branch

Noah          Garden of Eden

Jesus            Parting of the Red Sea

Abraham            Road to Damascus

Serpent               Garden of Gethsemane

Dr. Prothero was generous enough to give me permission to post the quiz he gives his students here.  Give it a shot; you may surprise yourself.  The quiz is not scripted; print this page, or use a separate piece of paper.  Answers are at the bottom of the page.  Printed here with permission; please do not reproduce without the author's express consent.

1.  Name the four Gospels.  List as many as you can.  (1 point each)

    Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.

2.  Name a sacred text of Hinduism. (1 point)

    There are many possibilities here.  They include: the Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads, Puranas,

    Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Yoga Sutras, Laws of Manu and the Kama Sutra.

3.  What is the name of the holy book of Islam? (1 point)

    The Qur'an.

4.  Where according to the Bible was Jesus born? (1 point)

    Bethlehem.

5.  President George W. Bush spoke in his firs inaugural address of the Jericho road.  What Bible story was he

     invoking? (1 point)

    The Good Samaritan

6.  What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or Christian Old Testament? (1 point for each book you get

    right)

    Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

7.  What is the Golden Rule?  (1 point)

    "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12), or a similar sentiment from Rabbi Hillel

      or Confucius.  "Love your neighbor as yourself" is not the Golden Rule.

8.  "God helps those who helps themselves": Is this in the Bible?  If so, where? (2 points)

     No, this is not in the Bible. In fact, it is contradicted in Proverbs 28:26: "He who trusts himself is a fool."  The

     words are Benjamin Franklin's.

9.  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God": Does this appear in the Bible?  If so, where? (2

    points)

  Yes, in the Beatitudes of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3).

10.  Name the Ten Commandments.  List as many as you can. (10 points)

The Protestant, Catholic and Jewish versions of the Ten Commandments differ,  Give yourself credit for any

ten of the following twelve commandments, each of which appears in at least one of those three versions:

1.  I the Lord am your God who brought you out to the land of Egypt, the house of bondage.

2.  You shall have no other gods before me.  [Deborah's note: I find it interesting that the implication here is

             that there are in fact other gods--you just don't get to put one ahead of YHVH).

3.  You shall not make yourself a graven image.

4.  You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

5.  Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

6.  Honor your father and your mother.

7.  You shall not kill/murder.

8.  You shall not commit adultery.

9.  You shall not steal.

10.  You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

11.  You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.

12.  You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

11.  Name the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.  (4 points)

1.  Life is suffering.

2.  Suffering has an origin.

3.  Suffering can be overcome (nirvana).

4  The path to overcoming suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path.

12.  What are the seven sacraments of Catholicism?  List as many as you can. (7 points)

1.  Baptism

2.  Eucharist/Mass/Holy Communion

3.  Reconciliation/Confession/Penance

4.  Confirmation

5.  Marriage

6.  Holy Orders/Ordination

7.  Anointing of the Sick/Last Rites/Supreme Unction

13.  The First Amendment says two things about religion, each in its own "clause."  What are the two religion

      clauses of the First Amendment? (1 point each)

       "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." 

        The words before the comma are referred to as the establishment clause; the words that follow constitute the

        free exercise clause.

14.  What is Ramadan?  In which religion is it celebrated? (2 points)

      Ramadan is  Muslim holiday characterized by a month of fasting.

15.  Match the Bible characters with the stories in which they appear.  Draw a line from one to the other.  Hint: Some characters may be matched with more than one story or vice versa.

Copyright Stepehn Prothero, 2007.  All right reserved.

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