1. How Well do you Know the Great World Religions?

2. 1. What does the term “hajj” mean in Islam?
The annual month of fasting
The obligation of believers to do good works?
The prescribed Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca

3. 1. c)
The hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the five basic duties of Islam. Every Muslim physically and financially able to do so is obliged to undertake this pilgrimage once in his lifetime. The hajj always takes place in the last month of the Islamic lunar year.

4. 2. Buddhism and Hinduism believe in “samsara.” What does this mean?
Inborn social status
The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth
The community of believers

5. 2. b)
According to Buddhism and Hinduism, every living creature is subject to the sequence of birth, death, and rebirth. This cycle is deemed to be one of suffering. The goal of believers is therefore to reach nirvana – liberation from this cycle.

6. 3. Which is the largest religious community in the world?
Christianity
Islam
Hinduism

7. 3. a)
Christianity is the most widespread religious community – it has over 2.1 billion members worldwide. In second and third places, respectively, Islam with 1.3 to 1.5 billion, and Hinduism with around 900 million followers.

8. 4. Which monarch established his own church to be able to divorce his wife?
Henry VIII
Frederick I (Barbarossa)
Alexander the Great

9. 4. a)
King Henry VIII ( ), King of England, broke with the Roman Catholic Church because it would not allow him to divorce Catherine of Aragon. In order to be able to wed another woman, Anne Boleyn, this monarch defiantly established the Church of England (Anglican Church) and proclaimed himself as its head. In total, Henry VIII was married six times.

10. 5. In what year does the Islamic calendar begin?
AD 622
257 BC
AD 162

11. 5. a)
In the year AD 622, the Prophet Muhammad left Mecca for Medina. The Islamic calendar begins with this event. In contrast to the Gregorian sun calendar, the Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles. The moon year has 354 days and so is shorter than the sun calendar. This is why the 12 months of the Islamic calendar, over the years, is displaced with respect to the seasons. So, for instance, the Ramadan month of fasting occurs in winter one year and in summer several years later.

12. 6. What is the name of the candelabra with seven branches that plays a significant role in Judaism?
Kippah
Menorah
Chutzpah

13. 6. b)
The menorah is reminiscent of the candle holders in the huts of the early faithful and in the Temple of Jerusalem. It is one of the most important symbols of Judaism and is today also depicted as the official emblem on Israel’s state coat of arms.

14. 7. On which day is Easter Sunday?
The first Sunday after the first full moon after the first day of spring
The end of the fifteenth calendar week
The first Sunday after the fourth full moon of the year

15. 7. a)
Even though it sounds complicated, Easter is in fact celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the beginning of spring. This determination was made at the First Council of Nicaea in the year AD 325, which means that Easter may occur as early as March 22 and as late as April 25th.

16. 8. In which religion are cows revered as holy animals?
Buddhism
Islam
Hinduism

17. 8. c)
In Hinduism, cows are considered holy and may not be killed. Their high standing arises from their mythological connection with the god Krishna. After he was born, Krishna was placed in the care of a family of herders and grew up as their son, spending much time with the cattle.

18. 9. What role does Jesus play in Islam?
None
Prophet
Son of God

19. 9. b)
Jesus is also mentioned in the Koran, and Muslims hold him in high esteem as a prophet. However, he is not considered by them to be the Son of God.

20. 10. What are the foundations of Buddhism?
The Four Noble Truths
Buddha’s Five Decrees
The Ten Levels of Enlightenment

21. 10. a)
Buddha teaches his followers the Four Noble Truths: the Truth of Suffering; the Truth of the Origin of Suffering; the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering; and the Truth of the Path that Leads to the Cessation of Suffering.

22. 11. Which is the oldest monotheistic (believing in only one God) religion?
Christianity
Judaism
Islam

23. 11. b)
Judaism began about 4000 years ago.

24. 12. The Seven Grandfather Teachings are cherished virtues within:
Hinduism
Native Spirituality
Buddhism

25. 12. b)
The Seven Grandfather Teachings are cherished virtues within many Native communities. They are represented on Medicine Wheels. The 7 Grandfathers (spiritual figures) were concerned with the attitudes and behaviours of humanity. They chose a human representative to pass on their teachings to people. The teachings include: wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, and truth.

26. Source:
Reader’s Digest. December “Questions about Religion: How well do you know the five great world religions? Test your knowledge in our Religion quiz!”