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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. It is the mixing of the _________________ with normal humanity that engenders the interpretation of the birth of Jesus.

2. In the Hypostasis of the Archons, ________ is elevated to being the spiritual mother of Adam, even though other stories contradict this.

3. Pagels recounts how in the story of _________ that Jesus tells his disciples to reach out and touch him to show he is flesh and bones.

4. In Christianity, Judaism and in Islam, God is the king, lord, master, judge, and ____________.

5. The Gnostic teachers tell the story of the ___________ differently from their orthodox brethren, according to Pagels.

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why did the orthodox preserve Christianity, according to the logic of Pagels?

3. What did a letter attributed to the Bishop of Rome around 90 to 100 AD create in official language for the first time?

4. What kind of suffering was focused on in the Gnostic path and the belief system?

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

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

7. What is the tradition that developed, though not completely logical and contradicted by two other gospels?

8. How did Marcus the Magician relate to the idea of a feminine God or God-figure?

9. What happened when a Roman soldier expressed his contempt for the Jews?

10. The Gnostics did not stress the idea of obedience to authority, so what did they choose to stress in their communities?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

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

There is also some debate that the Gnostic gospels were not necessarily written by the actual apostles to whom they are ascribed, but rather that they are written in the spirit of these apostles.

Part 1: Why do you think that some felt it necessary to point out the possible difference in the authors?

Part 2: Do you think it matters who wrote the gospels which were found? Why or why not?

Part 3: How do you think the Gnostic viewpoint might change if it were proven that none of the gospels were written by the actual apostles? Why?

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