BTheol Bachelor of Theology Church History 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Waldensian movement, founded by Peter Waldo in the 12th century, emphasized which practice that brought conflict with the Church?
- Baptism of adults only
- Lay preaching and vernacular Scripture reading (Correct answer)
- Rejection of the Trinity
- Communal ownership of property
Correct answer: Lay preaching and vernacular Scripture reading
Peter Waldo and the Waldensians promoted lay preaching and reading Scripture in the vernacular, which the Church prohibited for laypeople without authorization.
Question 2: Arianism, condemned at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD), taught that Jesus Christ was what?
- Fully human but not divine
- A created being subordinate to the Father (Correct answer)
- Co-equal with the Father but not the Spirit
- A divine spirit who only appeared to be human
Correct answer: A created being subordinate to the Father
Arianism, taught by Arius of Alexandria, held that the Son was the first and greatest creation of God but was not co-eternal or co-equal with the Father.
Question 3: The term 'apostolic succession' in church history refers to which concept?
- The spread of Christianity through missionary journeys
- The unbroken line of ordained bishops tracing back to the apostles (Correct answer)
- The authority of Scripture over tradition
- The selection of church leaders by congregational vote
Correct answer: The unbroken line of ordained bishops tracing back to the apostles
Apostolic succession refers to the continuous chain of ordained authority passed from the apostles through bishops, ensuring the legitimacy of church leadership and sacraments.
Question 4: Which event in church history is commonly referred to as the 'Babylonian Captivity of the Church' (1309–1377)?
- The Ottoman conquest of Constantinople
- The period when the papacy was relocated to Avignon, France (Correct answer)
- The imprisonment of Pope Clement VII by Emperor Charles V
- The suppression of the Knights Templar
Correct answer: The period when the papacy was relocated to Avignon, France
The 'Babylonian Captivity' refers to the 68-year period when the papacy was based in Avignon under French influence rather than in Rome.
Question 5: The First Great Awakening in colonial America (1730s–1740s) was most closely associated with which preachers?
- Roger Williams and William Penn
- Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield (Correct answer)
- Cotton Mather and Increase Mather
- John Wesley and Charles Wesley
Correct answer: Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield
Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield were central figures of the First Great Awakening, sparking widespread revival and emotional conversion experiences across the colonies.
Question 6: Which 5th-century church council declared Mary as 'Theotokos' (God-bearer), affirming the unity of Christ's divine and human natures?
- Council of Nicaea
- Council of Chalcedon
- Council of Ephesus (Correct answer)
- Council of Constantinople II
Correct answer: Council of Ephesus
The Council of Ephesus (431 AD) affirmed Mary as Theotokos to protect the doctrine that Jesus was fully divine and human in one person, against Nestorius's teaching.
Question 7: The Jesuit Order (Society of Jesus), founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1540, was particularly known for its work in which area?
- Monastic contemplation and manual labor
- Education and foreign missions (Correct answer)
- Translation of Scripture into Latin
- Administration of the Inquisition
Correct answer: Education and foreign missions
The Jesuits became renowned for establishing schools and universities and conducting missionary work in Asia, the Americas, and Africa as part of the Counter-Reformation.
BTheol Bachelor of Theology Church History 4
The Waldensian movement, founded by Peter Waldo in the 12th century, emphasized which practice that brought conflict with the Church?