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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Justin was a philosopher who wrote to the Emperor protesting the treatment of a __________________.
(a) Whore.
(b) Christian man.
(c) Disciple of Jesus.
(d) Christian woman.

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

3. Authoritative Teaching rails against external acts of worship as making so-called Christians worse than the __________.
(a) Devil.
(b) Bishop.
(c) Pagans.
(d) Pope.

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

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

6. Pagels points out that it was not the orthodox church's agenda to eliminate all ____________ from the church.
(a) Christians.
(b) Pulpits.
(c) Pagans.
(d) Controversy.

7. Jesus tells Thomas that no one comes to the Father, but by ________ when he is asked about getting to the next level.
(a) Faith.
(b) Me.
(c) You.
(d) Her.

8. In the Dialogue of the Savior, Jesus says that in order to get to Heaven, when you get to "the ________ where you can reach, stand there."
(a) Mountain.
(b) Town.
(c) Place.
(d) Sky.

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

10. 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 _________."
(a) Right.
(b) Light.
(c) White.
(d) Trite.

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

12. The Roman Empire believed that the Christian followers saw their many pagan gods as _______________.
(a) Helpers.
(b) Demonic.
(c) Truth.
(d) Lesser beings.

13. Frederik Wiss speculates that perhaps the Nag Hammadi find was the results of __________ at St. Pachomius.
(a) Nuns.
(b) Priests.
(c) Monks.
(d) Children.

14. It is thought that perhaps some of the texts which were to be destroyed were buried in a _______ where they were later found.
(a) Box.
(b) Statue.
(c) Well.
(d) Jar.

15. Tertullian suggested the Gnostics were trying to evade death by changing the story of the _________________, which elevated Christ into a God.
(a) Apple.
(b) Creation.
(c) Passion.
(d) Resurrection.

Short Answer Questions

1. The orthodox church wanted to have more controversy in order to create ______________ to basic institutional and doctrinal elements.

2. The laughing Jesus implies a separation between the physical and the spiritual Jesus and casts doubt on the traditional concept of the ________.

3. What Dostoevsky novel talks about Jesus being rejected by his own church within the story written?

4. Pagels is quick to point out that this book is not an argument for _______________, but a call to learning more.

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

(see the answer keys)

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