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World Religion Exam Review
Unit 1:
The Nature of Religion
Vocabulary
faith
worldview
opinion
cosmocentric
humanism
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
religion
hedonism
truth
theocentric
ecumenism
worship
Enlightenment
objective reality
anthropocentric
inter-faith
magic
materialism
subjective reality
secular
all “views of God”
What does it mean to say that people have a basic need for meaning?
What is the difference between faith and religion?
What is the difference between truth and opinion?
What is a worldview?
Name five reasons why Canadians should study world religions.
Outline Ninian Smart’s model of the five main elements of religion. In other words,
what do all religions have in common (creed, code, etc.)?
Name and describe each of the main worldviews. What is the “view of God” in
each worldview (i.e. monism, agnosticism, etc.)?
Name and fully explain four factors, such as the Enlightenment, that have
contributed to the movement from a theocentric worldview to an anthropocentric
worldview.
Unit 2:
Judaism
Vocabulary
Conservative Judaism
Orthodox
Rosh Hashanah
Purim
Sukkoth
Rabbi
Tanakh
Shalom
Passover or Pesach
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Reform
Covenant of Circumcision
Yom Kippur
Hanukkah
menorah
Synagogue
Torah
Talmud
Seder Passover meal
Shema or Sh’ma
Sinai Covenant
Shofar
Star of David
Patriarchs
Zionism
Kosher
Tefillin /
phylacteries
What is the significance of the Covenant of Circumcision and the Sinai Covenant
for the Jewish people?
State the significance of the following dates in Jewish history: 586 B.C.E., 70 C.E.,
1948 C.E.
What is the view of God in Judaism?
State the main belief of Judaism as stated in the Shema? How is the Jewish belief
in one God rooted in Jewish history and revelation?
Name and describe any FOUR branches of Judaism and briefly describe each. To
review this information, go to the file, “Types of Judaism” in the Judaism folder “L4
Jewish symbols, rituals and festivals”.
What does the term “kosher” mean? The kosher laws have been called a moral
code. Explain.
What does the term Holocaust mean?
What is the meaning of anti-Semitism?
Name and briefly explain five ways in which the Nazis tried to dehumanize their
victims.
What ideologies and beliefs led to the Holocaust? What have we learned from this
historical experience?
What does the term “The Chosen People” say about the Jews?
What is the religious significance of each of the following?
a) kippah
b) mezuzah
Name any three Jewish festivals and for each one state the historical event it
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14.
15.
celebrates and describe how it is celebrated.
What is the menorah?
State the significance of the Bar Mitzvah and the Bat Mitzvah in Judaism.
Unit 3:
Christianity
Vocabulary
John Calvin
King Henry VIII
St. Paul
Jerusalem / Rome
Schism of 1054
Reformation
Lent
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Islam
Vocabulary
Five Pillars of Islam
Ramadan
Allah
Muezzin
Qur’an
2.
3.
The Last Supper
Apostle’s Creed
Protestant Christians
Council of Trent
Council of Nicea
monk and priest
Salvation and grace
Explain the main issue at the Council of Jerusalem and how this issue was
resolved. St. Paul’s influence on Christianity has been: bringing Gentiles into
Christianity as a result of the Council of Jerusalem, the writing of his letters
(Romans, etc.), spreading the Christian faith to the “ends of the earth”, and
establishing Churches as a place of worship.
Give five examples of how Christianity has beliefs and rituals that come from
Judaism such as: Passover and the last supper, commandments, the concept of a
messiah, sacrificial worship, the priesthood in Judaism that were carried over to
Christianity, the use of scriptures (Old Testament = TeNak), the concept of sin and
salvation and life after death, etc.
Explain why the Christians were not allowed to continue to worship in the Temple
and explain how this affected the relationship of the Christians with the Jewish
authorities.
List and describe the four main divisions of the New Testament: gospels, Acts of
the Apostles, epistles (letters of Paul and others), book of Revelation
(Apocalypse).
What is a martyr and who was St. Stephen?
Give three reasons as to why the Christians in Rome were persecuted by the
Romans.
Give at least five reasons for the Schism of 1054.
Name and describe five abuses that led to the Protestant Reformation.
Briefly explain how the Reformation in England differed from the Reformation in
Germany.
Name and briefly explain Martin Luther’s main protests.
At the Council of Trent, how did the Church respond to the individual protests of
the Reformation?
State the significance of the following councils for Roman Catholicism: Jerusalem,
Nicea, Trent, Vatican II.
What is ecumenism and what is inter-faith dialogue?
Unit 4:
1.
Emperor Constantine
Martin Luther
Saint Peter
Constantinople
martyr
Council of Jerusalem
Advent
Hajj
Shahada
Prophet Muhammad
Shi’ite
Sufi
Jihad
Medina
Mecca
Sunni
Hijrah
Name and briefly explain the Five Pillars of Islam and give an example of a
Christian equivalent of each.
State the basic belief of Islam. How does it compare to the Jewish Shema?
State the fundamental difference between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims.
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4.
5.
6.
What is the Nation of Islam and how do its teachings differ from Orthodox Islam?
The main scriptural texts in Islam are: Qur’an, Hadith, and Sunnah (see file “Holy
Texts”). In the Qur’an, there aree four books regarded as inspired. What are
these books? How many of them belong to the Old Testament and how many
belong to the New Testament.
What is Shari’ah? (sources are the Qur’an and the Hadith).
Unit 5:
Hinduism
Vocabulary
ahimsa
Brahmin
Ganesha
mantras
samsara
Divali
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
atman
Bhagavad-Gita
guru
Maya
yoga
Holi
Brahma
caste system
Krishna
moksha
puja
Trimurti
Brahman
bhakti
Gandhi
reincarnation
dharma
Why is Hinduism called an “umbrella religion”? Where did the religion of Hinduism
originate?
Explain why Hinduism is considered an example of polytheistic monism.
Name the ultimate reality in Hinduism and give four characteristics of this ultimate
reality.
Why did polytheism develop in Hinduism? How many different gods are
worshiped in Hinduism? What are all of these gods an expression of in Hinduism?
Are these gods merely symbolic or also historical?
Name and briefly describe the three Hindu Paths to Salvation.
What is the caste system in Indian society? How is the caste system related to the
Hindu understanding of the afterlife and salvation?
Discuss the Hindu notion of the afterlife. Use such terms as moksha, samsara,
dharma, caste and yoga in your answer.
List and explain the four types of yoga in Hinduism.
Describe how mantras and mandalas are used as tools of mediation in the Eastern
religions.
What is ahimsa? Who was the chief proponent of ahimsa in India this century?
How is ahimsa related to the Christ’s saying, “Peace be with you,” and to the
Jewish saying Shalom? Are they more or less the same?
Unit 5 Continued:
Buddhism
Vocabulary
arhat
Buddha
koan / haiku
satori
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
bodhi tree
dharma
Mahayana
Theravada
Bodhisattva
Sangha
nirvana
Tripitaka
Zen
Describe the early life of Siddhartha Gautama.
What was the experience that led Gautama to leave his family in search of the
meaning of life?
What is the Middle path and why did the Buddha advocate it?
What are the Four Noble Truths?
Why do Buddhists try to escape suffering when Christians embrace the suffering
of Christ on the cross as part of the mystery of salvation?
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6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Name and briefly explain the eight guides for proper living given in the Eightfold
Path.
What is the meaning of the Buddhist concept of nirvana?
Name and explain two ways in which Mahayana differs from Theravada
Buddhism.
What is the basic goal of Zen Buddhism? Name and briefly explain the tools
used by Zen Buddhists.
Vajrayana Buddhism comes from Tibet and is called the “diamond vehicle”. Shin
Buddhism, like Zen, comes from Japan. Shin is closer to Mahayana and Zen is
closer to Theravada. Which branch does Vajrayana come from – Therevada or
Mahayana.
Comprehensive Review Questions
1.
How have the cosmocentric historical roots of religion had an impact on the
theocentric rituals of today?
2.
What do the causes of the Protestant Reformation have in common with the shift
from a theocentric to an anthropocentric worldview? Explain by referring to
historical events such as the Enlightenment.
3.
Describe the historical significance, rituals and symbols associated with the
holidays and ceremonies of the world’s great religions.
4.
The heart of all religions is in the encounter with the Divine, the sacred story, and
ultimately, the community’s creed, code and cult. Compare the world religions
under these dimensions.
5.
A simpler way of comparing world religions is by examining each religion’s view of
God (the ultimate reality) and it’s view of the afterlife and salvation (the ultimate
goal). How are the Eastern religions distinct from the Western religions in this
regard?
6.
The Western religions are referred to as the “monotheistic religions”. Is this an
accurate term? Can the term “monotheistic” apply to the religions of Hinduism and
Buddhism? Why or why not?
7.
How has this course challenged the understanding you have of your own religion?
What conclusions can you draw? Are all religions truly the same? What do you
believe?
8.
Given your understanding of secular humanism in the world you live in today, how
would you describe your own worldview? Is it theocentric? Do you believe Jesus
Christ is God who came to earth to conquer death for us and ensure our way to
eternal salvation? Has this course challenged your Christian beliefs but also
helped you to affirm them? Explain.
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