I.

Terms, Thinkers, and Biblical Passages (be able to recognize the

definitions/meanings/connotations of terms, and the basic facts associated with a
particular thinker or biblical passage, as provided in class lecture and/or
reading—these terms, thinkers, and passages could appear in the form of
multiple choice)1
1. Theology (O’Collins/Farrugia definition from the handout) (Handout #1)
-Theo= God
- Logy= Study
- Theology= Study of God
- [T]he methodical effort to understand and interpret the truth of revelation. As
fides quaerens intellectum (Lat. “faith seeking understanding”), theology uses the
resources of reason, drawing in particular on the disciplines of history and
philosophy. In the face of the divine mystery, theology is always ‘seeking’ and
never reaches final answers and definitive insights” (O’Collins & Farrugia)
- Moral theology: “That field of theology which studies and teaches how Christians
(and others) ought to live. This systematic reflection on Christian conduct draws
from the Bible (e.g., the Decalogue, the Sermon on the Mount, and the parenesis of
Paul), philosophical reason, and the traditional experience and teaching of the
church. It should be based on a full vision of what is entailed by the original
creation (Gn 1:26-27) and the refashioning of humanity in Christ (Rom 6:4; 8:28-
30; 1 Cor 15:49; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10)” (O’Collins & Farrugia).
2. Jonah (Handouts #2, 6; Book of Jonah reading)
- Prophet
- Son of Amittai sent by God to deliver the prophecy of the destruction of
Nineveh as the price to pay for their wickedness
- Ignored God’s command to go preach to the Ninevehites and paid to escape on a
boat
- God makes the sea wild until the crew agrees to throw Jonah overboard and
when they do he is swallowed by a big fish
- Spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the fish
- After praying to God, he is spit on to the land and goes to Nineveh to deliver the
prophecy
 All the ninevehites, including their king, fast and repent upon hearing
Jonah’s message
3. The (First) Council of Nicaea (325 AD) (Handout #4; Bauerschmidt/Buckley,
Appendix)
- First ecumenical council
- The Nicene Creed

1
This is not a comprehensive list of terms you will need to know. As you can see, you will need to be
familiar with many other terms in order to know the answers to the questions in Parts II and III below.
 - Called by Emperor Constantine, who was unbaptized at the time
 Baptized on his death bed
 There were several divides within Christianity at this time (status of
various bishops- Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, and
Jerusalem- which one took priority over the empire)
 Constantine wanted these issues sorted out so he summoned a council
of Christian bishops to express a consensual theological framework that
would bring religious harmony to his empire
4. John Chrysostom (Handout #4)
- Doctor of the Church (for Roman Catholics)
- Great Hierarch (for Eastern Orthodox Christians)
5. The Great Schism (Handout #4; McGrath, Chapter 4)
- Theological Disagreements about the nature of God, the authority of the Bishop
of Rome (Pope), Married Priests
- Political Disagreements
6. John Calvin (Handout #4; McGrath, Chapter 4)
- The Institutes of the Christian Religion
- Total Depravity
- Unconditional election
- Limited atonement
- Irresistible grace
- Perseverance of the saints
7. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) (Handout #4; McGrath, Chapter 4)
- Prompted by Protestant Reformation
- Known as the Counter Reformation since the Roman Catholic Church developed
means of combating the Protestant Reformation, in order to limits its influence
- Roman Catholic Church reformed itself from within in order to remove any
grounds for criticism from Protestants
- Objectives: settling theological disputes, reforming the church, and liberating
Christians from` Turkish invaders
- Banned the sale of indulgences, Protestants were declared not true Christians,
Church Tradition was declared equal to Scripture, officially decided to recognize
the Deuterocanonical books, good deeds are essential for salvation
8. Teresa of Calcutta (Handout #5)
- Founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta
- Worked with the poor, the crippled, the lepers, people affected by HIV/AIDS,
the poor, etc.
- Recognized by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee
 1 of 2 Christians to win the award, in 1979
- Struggled to feel God’s presence
9. The Second Vatican Council (Handout #5; McGrath, Chapter 4)
- Gave permission for mother tongue to be used in mass, since mass was only
given in Latin
- Laity (lay members of the Church) were given more important roles in the
Church, roles that were normally reserved only for priests and sisters
- Positive towards other Christians (acknowledged Protestants)
10. Bartholomew I (Handout #5)
- Spiritual Leader of Eastern Orthodoxy
- Does not have the authority the Pope does
- All bishops are equal in Eastern Orthodox religions
- Made efforts in ecumenical(inter-Christian) dialogues and interfaith dialogues
- “Green Patriarch”  Spoken out about the environment
11. Ex cathedra (Handout #6)
- literally means “from the throne”
- The pope declares infallibility when his teaching is ex cathedra; that is when he
teaches as supreme pastor of the Church
12. “Sense of the faithful” (Handout #6)
- “The whole body of the faithful cannot err . . . in matters of belief. This
characteristic is shown in the supernatural appreciation of faith (sensus fidei) on
the part of the whole people, when, ‘from the bishops to the last of the faithful,’
they manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals”
- Clear example: Immaculate Conception (the day Mary was conceived without
original sin)
- Contested: Contraception
- “The faithful is a term that should be understood as referring to Christians who
let their views be formed by the gospel and the teaching of the Church…[Also, it]
is not a matter of the majority of laypeople outvoting the pope and the bishops”
(Dulles 2000, p.100)
13. John 3:16 (Handout #9)
- “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
-God’s love is shown through the sending of Jesus
- He didn’t send Jesus to condemn the world but to save it “For God did not send
his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:17
- To sin against God is to owe him a debt
- The sinning of the world made the debt so infinite only Jesus, who is part human
and part divine, could pay it
14. Via negativa (Bauerschmidt/Buckley, Chapter 2)
- The negative way
 - The “apophatic” strategy for speaking about God
- Begins with the unlikeness between God and creatures and proceeds by way of
denial
 In speaking of God, we deny those things that are true creatures
 We deny of God those things by which creatures fall short of perfection
 These denials tend to be couched in positive terms:
i. God is eternal (lacking limitation of power)
ii. Omnipresent (lacking spatial limitation)
iii. Omnipotent (lacking limitation of power)
iv. Omniscient (lacking limitation of knowledge)
 Even the things that are perfection in creatures are denied of God, not
because He doesn’t possess them but because He possesses them in a way
that far surpasses creatures. (God’s on another level)
15. Diosito (Johnson reading only)
- a term of endearment for One who is known intimately: dear little God
- This protective, supportive Holy One walks every day with the community. In
turn, the living God is known by the company Love keeps
- The metaphor of accompaniment plays a central role in articulating the peoples’
experience of the holy mystery who journeys with them in daily life
- When put in the framework of the peoples’ experience of “being with” on the
human level, the meaning gains depth
 One of the significant characteristics of Hispanic culture has to do with
the meaning of the individual
 In this culture, the fundamental unit of society is envisioned as a group,
mainly the family
 Just as Latinos walk together, they envision God walking with them,
gifting them with life and strength
 The many rituals of the religion, especially those regarding the birth
and death of Jesus, indicate that God understands: the struggles,
sufferings, and joys of human existence and that they are not alien to the
divine, but rather are a site of divine solidarity and care.
II. Short Answer Questions (three of these six questions will appear word-for-word
on the exam in the form of short answers, and some additional questions may
appear in the form of multiple choice—with short answers, be sure to answer in
complete (not run-on) sentences, and in no more than seven sentences—on these
questions, I will give credit ONLY for material presented by me in class lecture
and/or the required reading for ALL students)
1. What are two possible proximate (short-term) and three possible ultimate (long-
term) reasons for someone to bother with this introductory course in theology and
religious studies (regardless of whether he or she is religious)? (Make sure to
 clearly distinguish between proximate and ultimate reasons.) (Handout #1; see
also the course objectives on the Syllabus)
- Proximate Goal #1  Develop a basic understanding of the Bible and its
interpretation, the relationship between faith and reason, and Christianity
(especially Catholicism) in a historical, contemporary, and global context
- Proximate Goal #2  Cultivate the skills of critical thinking, analytic reading,
careful writing, and public speaking
- Ultimate Goal #1  Make more informed decisions about some of life’s
“deeper questions”
- Ultimate Goal #2  Better comprehend and appreciate other subjects and
endeavors
- Ultimate Goal #3  Develop tolerance of (and thereby foster peaceful
relationships with) people with different beliefs and practices
2. What are the five books of the Pentateuch, and who is traditionally held to be their
author (2 points total)? The contemporary “Documentary Hypothesis” argues that
the Pentateuch has four authors or sources; name each of these and describe their
style. (Handout #2)
Five Books:
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy

4 authors:
- J (The Yahwist) = refer to Israel’s God as Yahweh (Lord) and portray him as
down to earth with human like qualities. Said to have written Genesis Chapter
2 and had an unsophisticated writing style
- E (The Elohist) = referred to God as Elohim and portrayed him as less human
like and more transcendent. They had a sophisticated writing style
- D (the Deuteronomist) = Second Law
- P (The Priestly Source) = Emphasis on God’s Holiness. Concerned with
priestly matters- ritual law, sacrifice, and genealogies. Their style is formal
and repetitive.
3. What is the main language that the Old Testament was written in, and what is the
primary language that the New Testament was written in? Next, what exactly is
“the majority position within Christian theology” on the relation of the Old and
New Testaments? Finally, what are three criteria that played a role in deciding
whether a given writing was to be accepted as “canonical” (part of the New
 Testament) or not? (Handouts #2-3 for the first question; McGrath, Chapter 2 for
the last two questions)
- Old Testament is mostly written in Hebrew, with some portions in Arabic
- New Testament is mostly written in Greek
- “The majority position with Catholic Theology” has emphasized the continuity
between the two testaments while affirming the distinction between them
- 3 Criteria:
 Apostolic Origins or connections= Were they to be attributed to, or based
upon, the preaching of the first-generation apostles or those in their inner circle?
 The extent to which they had secured general acceptance within Christian
communities= Individual Churches were moving towards agreement as to which
text should be regarded as “authoritative”
 The extent to which they were used in liturgy= How often where they used in
Mass
4. In a sentence or two, explain what the Crusades were. Then describe one positive
and three negative aspects of them. (Handout #4; McGrath, Chapter 4)
-The Crusades were military campaigns that assisted in stemming, and even
reversing, Islamic territorial gains in the 11th Century.
- Positive: The Crusades provided new doors to trade along with an exchange of
knowledge.
- Negative: Brought about the death of hundreds of thousands of people, increased
tensions between Muslims and Christians, were unsuccessful (from the
perspective of Crusaders), increased animosity between Western and Eastern
Christians.
5. What is faith, according to Hebrews 11:1? And what are fideism and rationalism,
and what is one possible criticism of each position? (Handout #7;
Bauerschmidt/Buckley, Chapter 1)
- “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do
not see.” Hebrews 11:1
- Fideism- “The tendency (a) to undervalue the role of reason in examining
religious claims, and (b) to overemphasize the free decision of faith”
(O’Collins & E. Farrugia).
- Rationalism- “Any system that privileges reason in the search for truth,
including religious truth” (O’Collins & E. Farrugia).
CONSIDERATION CONSIDERATION
AGAISNT FIDEISM AGAINST RATIONALISIM
MORAL - Fideism can lead you - Rationalism can lead
to treat other people you to treat other
poorly people poorly (e.g.,
ignorant to science)
 - Can be irresponsible - Could be considered
(especially because it disrespectful (to
can lead you into demand proof that
cultish behavior that someone, e.g., God, is
can endanger yourself trustworthy)
and others, e.g., -
Jonestown/terrorism)
PRACTICAL - It’s very difficult to be
a fideist in practice
(whether you’re
already committed to
a religion or just a
seeker)
BIBLICAL - Don’t tempt God, be - Abraham and Isaac in
able to think for Genesis 22 (Abraham
yourself is praised for his faith
- First letter of Peter in being willing to
3:15 “Always be sacrifice Isaac)
ready to give an - Jesus to doubting
explanation to anyone Thomas “Blessed are
who ask you for a those who have not
reason for your hope, seen but have
but do so with believed” (John
gentleness” 20:29)
- “For from the - Jesus to Peter “Oh,
greatness and beauty you of little faith, why
of created things their did you doubt?”
original author, by (Matthew 14:31)
analogy is seen”
(Wisdom 13:5)

6. What is one biblical verse that is open to a Trinitarian interpretation, and why?
Explain how Catholics compare to Eastern Orthodox Christians and to Jews on
the issue of the Trinity. What was Thomas Jefferson’s view of this doctrine?
Finally, articulate a specific analogy for the Trinity that has been proposed by
Christians. (Handout #8; McGrath, Chapter 3)
- The Christian God
3 Persons (F, S, HS)
 1 Nature
- The Jewish and Muslim God
  1 Person
1 Nature
- Thomas Jefferson:
 was severely critical of this doctrine
 he termed it the “incomprehensible jargon of the Trinitarian arithmetic”
 Why should Christians speak about God in this convoluted and
puzzling way? Surely this compromised the simplicity of faith?
- Material analogy: Shamrock
- Human individual: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Social: “A threefold subsistence does not entail three consciousnesses and three
wills, as if the three persons. . .. constituted a kind of divine committee. One
consciousness . . . is shared by all three persons . . .. It is as if God realizes the
dream expressed by the saying about persons very much in love with each other:
‘They are of one mind and heart’” (O’Collins 1999, pp. 178-79).

Essays:
1. Give two reasons why Stephen Colbert thinks the Bible reliably shows us that
Jesus was God, and two reasons why Bart Ehrman doubts this conclusion. Do
you agree more with Colbert or Ehrman on this issue? Why? (Handout #3;
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/lywaay/the-colbert-report-bart-ehrman)

Stephen Colbert:
- 4 Gospels call him “Son of God”
- Gospel of John “I and the Father are one”
- 4 Gospels say Jesus both performed miracles and was called the Son of God
(unlike other people who just raised the dead or were just called the Son of God,
like King Solomon, but never both)
- Each man, author of the gospels, has different idea of what is Jesus? *Elephant
analogy= 4 blind men fall into a pit where an elephant has fallen. Each one is
touching it and assuming what it is. Could it be possible Jesus is so big that each
man could only see part of him*
Bart Ehrman
- Jesus is divine only in the Gospel of John, he was portrayed as human in the
other 3 Gospels
- Other people were called the Son of God
- Different accounts of the crucifixion
 In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus goes to his death in deep agony and doesn’t
understand why this is happening to him “My God, My God, why have
you forsaken me”
  In Luke’s Gospel, he is more concerned with the women weeping and
is in no agony. On the cross, he prays “Father forgive them, they don’t
know what they’re doing”. While hanging on the cross he says “Father
into your hands I commend my spirit.”
2. Explain the Catholic view of biblical inerrancy, and describe one possible biblical
interpretation that it is opposed to. Next, articulate two reasons why Catholics
believe that God left them with a Magisterium. Do you think that a person can
believe that there are historical errors in the Bible and still be a good Christian?
And do you think that if God does/did exist, God would set up a Magisterium?
Explain. (Handout #6)
- In matters of faith the Bible is inerrant
- The are no spiritual errors in the Bible
 Doesn’t say anything about historical errors
- One Biblical interpretation opposed to it is Historical reductionism as it denies
are supernatural accounts in the Bible (such as miracles)
- 2 reasons:
 To provide a faithful and authentic interpretation of both scripture and
tradition
 To help avoid confusion and allow for Catholics to follow God’s will
properly under the guidance of a teaching authority
3. Describe four aspects of Catholic teaching on science and evolution. Do you
agree? Why or why not? (Handout #7; O’Collins/Farrugia reading for this topic)
- God is truth= Whether in the religious sphere or in that of science, all truth is
based in God and can never be opposed to itself. (Reading)
- The Galileo affair= Heliocentric v. geocentric universe (lecture/handout)
- The issue of evolution= humans evolve and develop by natural
selection/Darwinism (lecture/handout)
-
4. What are two reasons for and two reasons against referring to God in exclusively
masculine language (“He”/ “Father”)? By what pronoun(s) do you think
Christians should refer to God, in order to be true to the core beliefs of their
religion? Explain. (Handout #9)
- “In the struggle for full and equal human dignity, women have glimpsed that the
living God, who created women in the divine image and likeness, not only desires
their flourishing but can also be reflected in their female ways” (Johnson 2007, p.
90).
- “By calling God ‘Father,’ the language of faith indicates two main things: that
God is the first origin of everything and transcendent authority; and that he is at
the same time goodness and loving care for all his children. . .. We ought . . . to
recall that God transcends the human distinction between the sexes. He is neither
man nor woman: he is God” (CCC § 239).

Biblical considerations
Considerations regarding the
divine attributes
Calling God “Father”/”He”
“This is how you are to pray:
Our Father in heaven . . .”
(Matt. 6:9-13; see also, e.g.,
Deut. 32:6
Referring to God as
“Father”/”He” accurately
reflects God’s transcendence
Calling God
“Mother”/”She”
“Can a mother forget her
infant, be without tenderness
for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you” (Isa.
49:15; see also, e.g., Prov. 8
and Gen. 1:26-27).
Referring to God as
“Mother”/”She” accurately
reflects God’s immanence