REL 2011 Midterm (Chapters 1-7)
Questions and Answers
1. Clifford Geertz talks about religion in all the following ways EXCEPT:: C. The symbols transhuman
nature/reality.
Note: Clifford Geertz says religion:
1. Is a system of symbols
2. Establishes long-lasting motivations in people
3. Is beliefs about the general order of nature/society
2. Examining one's own religious/philosophical beliefs is what, according to Livingston?: A. a worthy risk that
comes with being educated.
3. There is a very distinct difference between religions and ideologically sec- ular societies. T/F?: False
Note: They have resemblance/similarities such as the communist ideology.
4. Livingston believes religion is a trait unique to our species, but universal to all of us. T/F?: True
5. For a Christian to learn about Buddhism and vice versa, this is considered spiritual promiscuity. T/F?: False
6. Livingston advocates that people should hold a critical faith. T/F?: True
7. Livingston thinks that it is important to study religion because it will culti- vate an ethnocentric perspective
on other religions. T/F?: False
8. According to the author, Schleiermacher and Otto focus on which aspect of the religious experience?: B. The
emotional dimension
9. Dewey and Tillich's definitions of religion can be considered guilty of the genetic fallacy, according to
Livingston. T/F?: False
10.Paul Tillich's definitions of religion perceives resemblances among ideolo- gies, worldviews, and religions.
T/F?: True
11.What was one of Max Weber's contributions to his field, according to Livingston?: C. The effects of
religious ethic on society.
12.An important figure in the field of psychology who had a negative view of religion:: A. Sigmund Freud
13.The documentary critic is primarily concerned with what?: A. Determining whether the writing is complete
and who wrote it.
14.The following is an example of explanatory reduction: offering a Freudian analysis to explain a person's
religious views. T/F?: True
15.Which of the following best describes the falsification principle?: A. If a statement is not falsifiable, then it
is not a real factual assertion at all.
16.What was one of Gordon Allport's contributions to his field, according to Livingston?: D. The extrinsic and
intrinsic perspectives of religion.
, REL 2011 Midterm (Chapters 1-7)
Questions and Answers
17.What is Livingston's understanding of the relation between religion and culture?: C. Religion and culture
interact collaboratively.
18.Which of the following best describes phenomenology of religion?: A. a concern with the expression of the
religious experience as it presents itself in a given context.
19.Fideism is mostly associated with which of the following individuals, according to Livingston?: A.
Immanuel Kant
20.Which of the following is not true about historiography?: A. The historian relies only on textual sources.
21.Which of the following is considered a pervasive symbol in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?: B. The
cosmic mountain
22.An example of an axis mundi.: A. a holy mountain.
23.The Mysterium, like a murder mystery, is capable of being understood by investigation. T/F?: False
24. What is Mt.Sinai's significance to the Israelites, according to Livingston?-
: D. all of these
Note: It was their image of security, it was where they received the law, and it was the axis mundi.
25.The basic idea of this chapter (the Sacred and the Holy, Ch.3) is that religion is often about: A. power
26.Which of the following is not a bearer of sacred power?: A. Idea
27.What does Livingston claim is unique about the feature(s) of the religions of the Axial Age?: C.
Transcendence of the sacred and its association with moral attributes.
28.According to Eliade, a hierophany is an appearance of the sacred that makes a place holy. T/F?: True
29.What is Mircea Eliade's focus in the study of religion, according to Liv- ingston?: A. the place of the
sacred in the history of religions
30.Rudolf Otto refers to which of the following to exemplify the numinous?: D. all of the above
Note: Isaiah's vision of God in Jerusalem, Krishna's revelation of himself as Vishnu to Arjuna, and Ruskin's experience
with nature.
31.A scholar of the psychological function of myth was: C. Jung
32.An example of a presentational symbol is the color green on the traffic light. T/F?: False
Note: This would be a representational symbol.
Questions and Answers
1. Clifford Geertz talks about religion in all the following ways EXCEPT:: C. The symbols transhuman
nature/reality.
Note: Clifford Geertz says religion:
1. Is a system of symbols
2. Establishes long-lasting motivations in people
3. Is beliefs about the general order of nature/society
2. Examining one's own religious/philosophical beliefs is what, according to Livingston?: A. a worthy risk that
comes with being educated.
3. There is a very distinct difference between religions and ideologically sec- ular societies. T/F?: False
Note: They have resemblance/similarities such as the communist ideology.
4. Livingston believes religion is a trait unique to our species, but universal to all of us. T/F?: True
5. For a Christian to learn about Buddhism and vice versa, this is considered spiritual promiscuity. T/F?: False
6. Livingston advocates that people should hold a critical faith. T/F?: True
7. Livingston thinks that it is important to study religion because it will culti- vate an ethnocentric perspective
on other religions. T/F?: False
8. According to the author, Schleiermacher and Otto focus on which aspect of the religious experience?: B. The
emotional dimension
9. Dewey and Tillich's definitions of religion can be considered guilty of the genetic fallacy, according to
Livingston. T/F?: False
10.Paul Tillich's definitions of religion perceives resemblances among ideolo- gies, worldviews, and religions.
T/F?: True
11.What was one of Max Weber's contributions to his field, according to Livingston?: C. The effects of
religious ethic on society.
12.An important figure in the field of psychology who had a negative view of religion:: A. Sigmund Freud
13.The documentary critic is primarily concerned with what?: A. Determining whether the writing is complete
and who wrote it.
14.The following is an example of explanatory reduction: offering a Freudian analysis to explain a person's
religious views. T/F?: True
15.Which of the following best describes the falsification principle?: A. If a statement is not falsifiable, then it
is not a real factual assertion at all.
16.What was one of Gordon Allport's contributions to his field, according to Livingston?: D. The extrinsic and
intrinsic perspectives of religion.
, REL 2011 Midterm (Chapters 1-7)
Questions and Answers
17.What is Livingston's understanding of the relation between religion and culture?: C. Religion and culture
interact collaboratively.
18.Which of the following best describes phenomenology of religion?: A. a concern with the expression of the
religious experience as it presents itself in a given context.
19.Fideism is mostly associated with which of the following individuals, according to Livingston?: A.
Immanuel Kant
20.Which of the following is not true about historiography?: A. The historian relies only on textual sources.
21.Which of the following is considered a pervasive symbol in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?: B. The
cosmic mountain
22.An example of an axis mundi.: A. a holy mountain.
23.The Mysterium, like a murder mystery, is capable of being understood by investigation. T/F?: False
24. What is Mt.Sinai's significance to the Israelites, according to Livingston?-
: D. all of these
Note: It was their image of security, it was where they received the law, and it was the axis mundi.
25.The basic idea of this chapter (the Sacred and the Holy, Ch.3) is that religion is often about: A. power
26.Which of the following is not a bearer of sacred power?: A. Idea
27.What does Livingston claim is unique about the feature(s) of the religions of the Axial Age?: C.
Transcendence of the sacred and its association with moral attributes.
28.According to Eliade, a hierophany is an appearance of the sacred that makes a place holy. T/F?: True
29.What is Mircea Eliade's focus in the study of religion, according to Liv- ingston?: A. the place of the
sacred in the history of religions
30.Rudolf Otto refers to which of the following to exemplify the numinous?: D. all of the above
Note: Isaiah's vision of God in Jerusalem, Krishna's revelation of himself as Vishnu to Arjuna, and Ruskin's experience
with nature.
31.A scholar of the psychological function of myth was: C. Jung
32.An example of a presentational symbol is the color green on the traffic light. T/F?: False
Note: This would be a representational symbol.
