Are You Religiously Literate?
Religious Knowledge Quiz
1. Name the four Gospels.
Answer: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
2. Name a sacred text of Hinduism.
Answer: The Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads, Puranas, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayan, Yoga Sutras, Laws of Manu, Kama Sutra
3. What is the name of the Holy Book of Islam?
Answer: Quran
4. Where according to the Bible was Jesus born?
Answer: Bethlehem
5. President George W. Bush spoke in his first inaugural address of the Jericho Road. What Bible story was he invoking?
Answer: The Good Samaritan
6. What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Old Testament?
Answer: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
7. What is the golden rule?
Answer: Do onto others as you would have them do unto you – Matthew 7:12
8. “God helps those who help themselves”: Is this statement in the Bible? If so, where?
Answer: No, it is not in the Bible. It even contradicts Proverbs 28:26, which says, ‘he who trusts in himself is a fool’. Benjamin Franklin said, ‘God helps those who help themselves’.
9. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God”: Does this appear in the Bible? If so, where?
Answer: Yes, in the Beatitudes of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5:3
10. Name the 10 Commandments. List as many as you can.
Answer: There are 12 to select from since the Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish versions of the 10 Commandments differ:
1. I the Lord am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage
2. You shall have no other gods before me
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 mother and your father
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.
Answer:
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.
Answer:
Baptism
Eucharist/ Mass/ Holy Communion
Reconciliation/ Confession/ Penance
Confirmation
Marriage
Holy Orders
Anointing of the sick/ Last Rights
13. The first amendment says two things about religion, each in its own “clause.” What are the two religion causes of the first amendment?
Answer: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ The first part refers to the establishment of the clause, while the 2nd part constitutes the free exercise clause.
14. What is Ramadan? It what religion is it celebrated?
Answer: Ramadan is a Muslim holiday characterized by a month of fasting.
15. Match the Bible characters with the stories in which they appear. Some characters may match with more than one story or vice versa.
Characters:
Adam and Eve
Paul
Moses
Noah
Jesus
Abraham
Serpent
Stories:
Exodus
Binding of Isaac
Olive Branch
Garden of Eden
Parting of the Red Sea
Road to Damascus
Garden of Gethsemane
Answers:
Adam and Eve – Garden of Eden
Paul – Road to Damascus
Moses – Exodus and Parting of the Red Sea
Noah – Olive Branch
Jesus – Road to Damascus and Garden of Gethsemane
Abraham – Binding of Isaac
Serpent – Garden of Eden
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