Stephen Prothero, chairman of the religion department of Boston University, has written a new book titled Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know – and Doesn’t.  For the last two years, Prothero has administered a fifteen-question quiz he gives his undergraduate students - one which they consistently fail.

Game to give it a try?

Here’s the test (answers below):

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Directions:  Tally your points and multiply by two to get your score out of 100.

1 point each:

• Name the Four Gospels.

1 point:

• Name a sacred text of Hinduism.

1 point:

• What is the name of the holy book of Islam?

1 point:

• Where, according to the Bible, was Jesus born?

1 point:

• President George W. Bush spoke in his first inaugural address of the Jericho road.  What Bible story was he invoking?

1 point each:

• What are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or the Christian Old Testament?

1 point:

• What is the Golden Rule?

2 points:

• “God helps those who help themselves.”  Is this in the Bible?  If so, where?

2 points:

• “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”  Does this appear in the Bible?

10 points:

• Name the Ten Commandments.

4 points:

• Name the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.

7 points:

• What are the Seven Sacraments of Catholicism?

1 point each:

• The First Amendment says two things about religion, each in its own “clause.”  What are its two religion clauses?

2 points:

• What is Ramadan?  In what religion is it celebrated?

7 points:

• Match the Bible characters with the stories in which they appear.  Some characters may be matched with more than one story or vice versa.  Characters:  Adam and Eve, Noah, Paul, Moses, Jesus, Abraham, Serpent.  Stories:  Exodus, Binding of Isaac, Olive Branch, Garden of Eden, Parting of the Red Sea, Road to Damascus, Garden of Gethsemane.

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