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Cameroon GCE A-Level Religious Studies study materials
Cameroon GCE A-Level Religious Studies study resources

Cameroon GCE A-Level Religious Studies practice questions

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Question 1Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the Genesis creation account of chapter 1, how is humanity described at the moment of its creation?

  1. Created after the seventh day of rest
  2. Created in the image and likeness of God Correct answer.
  3. Made from a rib taken from the man
  4. Formed from the dust and given a living breath

Explanation

Genesis 1:26-27 presents humanity as made in God's image and likeness, male and female, and this image is given at creation itself rather than acquired later. The dust and rib imagery belongs to the second creation account in Genesis 2.

Question 2Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

Which command in the Decalogue of Exodus 20 is introduced by the reminder that Israel was brought out of Egypt?

  1. The command to honour father and mother
  2. The prohibition of murder
  3. The command to keep the Sabbath
  4. The prohibition of idolatry Correct answer.

Explanation

Exodus 20:2-6 grounds the ban on idols and other gods in the Exodus deliverance: 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.' The Sabbath command is instead grounded in the creation rest of Genesis 2.

Question 3Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the parable of the sower in Mark 4, what does Jesus identify as the meaning of the seed?

  1. The faith of the disciples
  2. The riches of the world
  3. The word of God Correct answer.
  4. The kingdom of God

Explanation

Mark 4:14 states plainly that the sower sows the word, and the four soils describe different responses to that word. The kingdom is the wider theme of the parables, but it is not the stated meaning of the seed.

Question 4Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

According to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-10, which group is promised that they will 'inherit the earth'?

  1. The poor in spirit
  2. The pure in heart
  3. Those who hunger for righteousness
  4. The meek Correct answer.

Explanation

Matthew 5:5 promises that the meek will inherit the earth, echoing Psalm 37:11. Each beatitude pairs a distinct group with a distinct promise, so the rewards must be matched carefully.

Question 5Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Luke's infancy narrative, which canticle is spoken by Mary when she visits Elizabeth?

  1. The Magnificat Correct answer.
  2. The Gloria in Excelsis
  3. The Benedictus
  4. The Nunc Dimittis

Explanation

Luke 1:46-55 records Mary's song of praise beginning 'My soul magnifies the Lord', traditionally called the Magnificat from the Latin for 'magnifies'. The other canticles in Luke belong to Zechariah and Simeon.

Question 6Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the Acts of the Apostles, what happens to Saul on the road to Damascus?

  1. He receives a vision calling him to preach in Macedonia
  2. He is blinded by a light and hears the voice of Jesus Correct answer.
  3. He is chosen by lot to replace Judas among the twelve
  4. He is stoned and left for dead outside the city

Explanation

Acts 9:3-9 describes a light from heaven, Saul falling to the ground, and the voice of Jesus asking why he persecutes him, leaving him blind for three days. His sight is later restored through Ananias.

Question 7Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Romans 4, which Old Testament figure does Paul use to argue that justification comes by faith rather than works?

  1. David
  2. Abraham Correct answer.
  3. Jacob
  4. Moses

Explanation

Romans 4 builds its argument on Abraham, who believed God and was credited with righteousness before circumcision and before the law. Paul uses him as the father of all who believe.

Question 8Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In 1 Corinthians 15, what image does Paul use to explain the nature of the resurrection body?

  1. A seed sown that dies and is raised Correct answer.
  2. A vine and its branches
  3. A lamp placed on a stand
  4. A building made of living stones

Explanation

1 Corinthians 15:36-44 compares the body to a seed: what is sown is perishable and dishonourable, but what is raised is imperishable and glorious. The image answers the question of how the dead are raised.

Question 9Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the Genesis 2 creation account, what is the stated purpose of the garden planted in Eden?

  1. To test the animals before they are named
  2. To provide a dwelling place for the man God had formed Correct answer.
  3. To serve as a place of sacrifice for the first family
  4. To mark the boundary between the rivers of the world

Explanation

Genesis 2:8 says the LORD planted a garden in Eden and placed there the man he had formed, making it a dwelling prepared for him. The garden also contains the trees of life and of knowledge, but its stated purpose is habitation.

Question 10Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Exodus 3, how does God identify himself to Moses at the burning bush?

  1. The LORD of hosts who rides on the cherubim
  2. I AM WHO I AM Correct answer.
  3. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob only
  4. The Holy One who dwells on Mount Zion

Explanation

Exodus 3:14 gives the name 'I AM WHO I AM', which Moses is to give as the answer to Israel's question about God's name. The same passage also calls God the God of the patriarchs, but the name itself is the 'I AM'.

Question 11Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

Which Old Testament passage does Jesus quote in Mark 12:26 to defend the resurrection against the Sadducees?

  1. The vision of dry bones in Ezekiel 37
  2. The promise to David in 2 Samuel 7
  3. The servant song of Isaiah 53
  4. The burning bush narrative of Exodus 3 Correct answer.

Explanation

Mark 12:26 has Jesus cite the words spoken at the burning bush, 'I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob', arguing that God is God of the living. Since the Sadducees accepted only the Pentateuch, the argument is drawn from a text they acknowledged.

Question 12Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Matthew's Gospel, how does the genealogy of Jesus differ from Luke's in its overall structure?

  1. Matthew traces the line through Mary, while Luke traces it through Joseph
  2. Matthew lists only kings, while Luke lists only prophets
  3. Matthew gives no genealogy, while Luke gives two
  4. Matthew runs from Abraham forward to Jesus, while Luke runs backward from Jesus to Adam Correct answer.

Explanation

Matthew 1:1-17 moves from Abraham to Jesus in three sets of fourteen generations, stressing Jesus' Jewish ancestry. Luke 3:23-38 works backward from Jesus through Joseph to Adam, stressing universal human solidarity.

Question 13Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, what provokes the elder brother's anger at the father's welcome?

  1. The father has divided the inheritance unequally between the sons
  2. The younger son refuses to apologise before entering the house
  3. The father has killed the fatted calf for the returning son without giving him a feast Correct answer.
  4. The servants have failed to inform the elder brother of the return

Explanation

Luke 15:28-30 shows the elder brother complaining that he has served faithfully without receiving even a young goat, while the returning son receives the fatted calf. His grievance is about the father's generosity, not about the inheritance itself.

Question 14Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In John 6, what does Jesus identify himself as after feeding the five thousand?

  1. The light of the world
  2. The bread of life Correct answer.
  3. The true vine
  4. The good shepherd

Explanation

John 6:35 records Jesus saying 'I am the bread of life', developing the sign of the loaves into a discourse on the bread that endures to eternal life. The other 'I am' sayings belong to different chapters and images.

Question 15Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Romans 7, what does Paul describe as the function of the law in relation to sin?

  1. The law removes sin entirely from the believer
  2. The law makes sin known and even provokes it Correct answer.
  3. The law applies only to Gentile converts
  4. The law replaces faith as the means of justification

Explanation

Romans 7:7-13 argues that the law is holy but that it reveals sin and, through the commandment, gives sin an occasion to work death. Paul insists the law itself is good while showing that it cannot save.

Question 16Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In 1 Corinthians 11, what problem in the Corinthian church does Paul address regarding the Lord's Supper?

  1. Some members celebrate the meal only on the Sabbath
  2. Some members arrive drunk and humiliate those who have nothing Correct answer.
  3. Some members refuse to eat meat sacrificed to idols
  4. Some members deny that Jesus instituted the supper

Explanation

1 Corinthians 11:20-22 rebukes factions in which one person goes hungry while another becomes drunk, so that the meal no longer expresses the Lord's death. Paul calls for self-examination and discernment of the body.

Question 17Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the Sermon on the Mount, how does Jesus relate his teaching to the law and the prophets in Matthew 5:17?

  1. He claims to abolish the law and replace it with new commandments
  2. He claims the law applies only to the scribes and Pharisees
  3. He claims to fulfil the law rather than abolish it Correct answer.
  4. He claims the law has already been fulfilled by John the Baptist

Explanation

Matthew 5:17 says Jesus came not to abolish but to fulfil the law and the prophets, and the following verses intensify commandments such as those on murder and adultery. Fulfilment, not abolition, frames the whole sermon.

Question 18Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Acts 2, what is the immediate effect of the outpouring of the Spirit on the disciples at Pentecost?

  1. They fall into a trance and see a vision of unclean animals
  2. They elect Matthias as the twelfth apostle
  3. They receive the gift of healing and immediately go to the temple
  4. They begin to speak in other tongues, and the crowd hears its own languages Correct answer.

Explanation

Acts 2:4-11 describes the disciples speaking in other tongues as the Spirit enables them, with pilgrims from many nations hearing the mighty works of God in their own languages. Peter then interprets the event through Joel's prophecy.

Question 19Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Philippians 2:6-11, what does Paul say Christ did in his incarnation?

  1. He emptied himself by taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient to death Correct answer.
  2. He retained his divine equality and added human nature without loss
  3. He appeared in human form but did not truly suffer
  4. He received his divine status only after the resurrection

Explanation

Philippians 2:7-8 describes Christ emptying himself, taking the form of a servant, and becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross. The passage is often called the kenosis hymn, and it grounds the call to humility.

Question 20Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the Genesis 3 narrative, what are the consequences pronounced on the serpent?

  1. It is stripped of its wings and made mute
  2. It is cursed to crawl on its belly and eat dust Correct answer.
  3. It is cast into the sea and destroyed by the waters
  4. It is banished to the wilderness east of Eden

Explanation

Genesis 3:14-15 curses the serpent to go on its belly and eat dust, and it also announces enmity between the serpent's offspring and the woman's offspring. The latter verse is traditionally read as the first promise of a redeemer.

Question 21Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the Exodus narrative, what is the significance of the blood of the Passover lamb in chapter 12?

  1. It is drunk by the family during the meal
  2. It is poured on the altar of the tabernacle as a sin offering
  3. It is used to anoint the firstborn sons of Israel
  4. It marks the houses so that the destroyer passes over them Correct answer.

Explanation

Exodus 12:13 says the blood on the doorposts will be a sign, and when God sees it he will pass over that house and not strike it. The blood functions as a protective sign of deliverance, not as food or an altar sacrifice.

Question 22Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

How does Matthew's account of the temptation of Jesus differ from Luke's in the order of the temptations?

  1. Matthew arranges the temptations in the same order as Luke
  2. Matthew places the offer of the kingdoms last, while Luke places the temple temptation last Correct answer.
  3. Matthew omits the temptation in the wilderness entirely
  4. Luke adds a fourth temptation involving wealth

Explanation

Matthew 4:1-11 orders the temptations as bread, then the temple pinnacle, then the kingdoms of the world. Luke 4:1-13 reverses the last two, placing the offer of the kingdoms second and the temple temptation last.

Question 23Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In John 3:14, Jesus compares his own lifting up to which Old Testament event?

  1. The lifting of Elijah's mantle over the Jordan
  2. The lifting of the ark before Israel in the wilderness
  3. The raising of the staff of Moses over the Red Sea
  4. The bronze serpent lifted up by Moses in the wilderness Correct answer.

Explanation

John 3:14 alludes to Numbers 21:8-9, where Moses lifted up the bronze serpent so that those who looked at it might live. Jesus uses the image to explain that the Son of Man must be lifted up so that believers may have eternal life.

Question 24Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

Which Old Testament text does Peter cite in Acts 2:25-28 to explain the resurrection of Jesus?

  1. Jeremiah 31, where a new covenant is promised
  2. Malachi 3, where the messenger prepares the way
  3. Isaiah 7, where the virgin conceives a son
  4. Psalm 16, where the holy one will not see corruption Correct answer.

Explanation

Acts 2:25-28 quotes Psalm 16:8-11, arguing that David's words about not seeing corruption cannot refer to David himself, whose tomb was known, but to the risen Christ. Peter thus reads the psalm messianically.

Question 25Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Romans 9-11, how does Paul explain the apparent failure of Israel to accept the gospel?

  1. Israel has been permanently rejected and replaced by the church
  2. A remnant remains by grace, and Israel's stumbling is temporary within God's plan Correct answer.
  3. The law was given to Israel as a punishment rather than a covenant
  4. Israel never received the promises, which belonged only to the Gentiles

Explanation

Romans 11:1-5 insists that God has not rejected his people, since a remnant chosen by grace remains, and verses 25-32 speak of a future ingathering. Paul treats Israel's stumbling as part of a larger plan rather than final rejection.

Question 26Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Genesis 22, what does the narrative say Abraham did when Isaac asked where the lamb for the burnt offering was?

  1. He replied that God himself would provide the lamb, and the two went on together. Correct answer.
  2. He rebuked Isaac for questioning the command of God.
  3. He confessed that he did not know what God intended.
  4. He told Isaac that the lamb was already waiting at the top of the mountain.

Explanation

Genesis 22:7-8 records Isaac's question and Abraham's answer that 'God himself will provide the lamb, my son', after which the text says they went on together. The answer expresses Abraham's trust in God's provision and anticipates the ram caught in the thicket later in the chapter.

Question 27Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the Genesis 37 narrative of Joseph's dreams, what do the sheaves in his first dream signify when interpreted by his brothers?

  1. The grain Joseph would store for Pharaoh during the years of plenty.
  2. The famine that would later drive the nations to Egypt for grain.
  3. The wealth Jacob would bequeath to his favoured son.
  4. Joseph's rule over his brothers, whose sheaves bow to his. Correct answer.

Explanation

In Genesis 37:7 Joseph's brothers are binding sheaves when his sheaf rises and theirs bow down to it, and the brothers themselves draw the conclusion in verse 8 that he intends to reign over them. Their hostile reaction shows they understood the dream as a claim of family supremacy.

Question 28Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In 1 Samuel 3, how does the narrative describe Samuel's ability to recognise God's voice when he is first called?

  1. He recognises the voice at once because Eli had already instructed him.
  2. He sees a vision of God standing beside the ark in the sanctuary.
  3. He refuses to answer because he is afraid of the ark.
  4. He mistakes the voice for Eli's and runs to him three times. Correct answer.

Explanation

1 Samuel 3:4-8 reports that Samuel ran to Eli each time he heard the call, saying 'Here I am', because he did not yet know the LORD and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. Only after Eli's instruction does he respond with 'Speak, LORD, your servant is listening'.

Question 29Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Isaiah 6, what does the seraph do to Isaiah's lips, and what is the stated effect?

  1. He covers them with his wing, and Isaiah is told to remain silent for seven days.
  2. He anoints them with oil from the temple lampstand, and Isaiah is commissioned as a prophet.
  3. He strikes them with a staff, and Isaiah is healed of a speech impediment.
  4. He touches them with a burning coal from the altar, and Isaiah's guilt is taken away and his sin atoned for. Correct answer.

Explanation

Isaiah 6:6-7 describes a seraph flying to Isaiah with a live coal taken from the altar, touching his mouth and declaring that his guilt is removed and his sin atoned for. The act symbolises purification, preparing Isaiah for the prophetic commission that follows.

Question 30Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Jeremiah 31:31-34, what distinguishes the new covenant from the covenant made with the ancestors after the exodus?

  1. It is made only with the priests of the house of Aaron.
  2. It is written on stone tablets and kept in the ark for all generations.
  3. It is written on the heart, so that all will know the LORD without being taught by neighbours. Correct answer.
  4. It replaces the law with a single command to offer sacrifice in Jerusalem.

Explanation

Jeremiah 31:33-34 promises that God will put his law within his people and write it on their hearts, and that no one will need to teach a neighbour to know the LORD because all will know him. The contrast is with the covenant broken by the ancestors, whose law was external.

Question 31Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the parable of the sower in Mark 4, what does Jesus say the seed sown on rocky ground represents?

  1. Those who hear the word but the evil one immediately snatches it away.
  2. Those who hear the word and bear fruit thirty, sixty and a hundredfold.
  3. Those who are choked by the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches.
  4. Those who receive the word with joy but fall away when tribulation or persecution arises. Correct answer.

Explanation

Mark 4:16-17 explains that the rocky ground stands for people who hear the word and immediately receive it with joy, yet have no root and endure only for a time, falling away when trouble or persecution comes on account of the word. The key mark is initial enthusiasm without endurance.

Question 32Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Luke 4:16-30, how does the synagogue congregation in Nazareth react to Jesus' citation of Elijah and Elisha?

  1. They ask him to explain which prophet he considers himself to be.
  2. They demand that he perform in Nazareth the healings done in Capernaum.
  3. They are filled with rage and try to throw him from the brow of the hill. Correct answer.
  4. They marvel at his gracious words and ask him to remain as their teacher.

Explanation

Luke 4:28-29 says that when the congregation heard his reference to the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian, all in the synagogue were filled with rage and drove him out to the brow of the hill to throw him down. The two Gentile examples signal that the prophet's mission extends beyond Nazareth and Israel.

Question 33Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Matthew 16:13-20, what does Jesus say he will give Peter, and on what basis?

  1. The gift of tongues, because Peter has fasted for forty days.
  2. The seat of Moses, because Peter has kept the whole law from his youth.
  3. The keys of the kingdom of heaven, because Peter has confessed him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Correct answer.
  4. Authority over the Roman governor, because Peter has paid the temple tax.

Explanation

Matthew 16:16-19 records Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and Jesus' reply that flesh and blood did not reveal this but the Father in heaven, promising the keys of the kingdom. The confession of faith, not personal merit, is the stated basis.

Question 34Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In John 2:1-11, what is the significance of the Evangelist's note that the water jars were used for Jewish rites of purification?

  1. It explains why Jesus refused to attend the wedding feast.
  2. It indicates that the steward was a Levite responsible for the jars.
  3. It suggests that the abundant wine of the sign replaces the purification rites with messianic abundance. Correct answer.
  4. It shows that the wedding took place in the temple courts.

Explanation

John 2:6 specifies six stone jars used for the Jewish rites of purification, holding twenty or thirty gallons each, and Jesus transforms their contents into wine. The detail invites a symbolic reading in which the old purification system is surpassed by the abundance of the messianic banquet.

Question 35Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Acts 15, what is the decisive argument that settles the Jerusalem council in favour of not imposing circumcision on Gentile converts?

  1. The report that the Gentile converts had already submitted to the whole law.
  2. Paul's appeal to his Roman citizenship and his right of appeal to Caesar.
  3. Peter's testimony that God gave the Spirit to the Gentiles and cleansed their hearts by faith, supported by James's citation of the prophets. Correct answer.
  4. Gamaliel's advice that the council should wait to see whether the movement survives.

Explanation

Acts 15:7-11 records Peter reminding the assembly that God had given the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles and purified their hearts by faith, adding that the law was a yoke neither they nor their ancestors could bear. James then supports this by citing the prophets, and the council resolves not to trouble Gentile converts with circumcision.

Question 36Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Romans 8:18-25, how does Paul describe the present state of creation?

  1. Creation is hostile to God and will be destroyed at the final judgement.
  2. Creation is indifferent to human sin and awaits no change.
  3. Creation was subjected to futility and groans in labour pains awaiting adoption as sons. Correct answer.
  4. Creation has already attained the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Explanation

Romans 8:20-23 says creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, and groans together with believers in labour pains while waiting for the revealing of the children of God and the redemption of the body. Paul personifies creation to link its destiny with the redemption of humanity.

Question 37Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Galatians 3:6-9, which scripture does Paul cite to show that the Gentiles would be justified by faith?

  1. The giving of the law at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20.
  2. The prophecy of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53.
  3. The promise to David of an everlasting throne in 2 Samuel 7.
  4. The words to Abraham that all the nations would be blessed in him. Correct answer.

Explanation

Galatians 3:8 says that scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham with the promise that all the nations would be blessed in him. Paul then concludes that those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham the man of faith.

Question 38Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In Hebrews 7, on what grounds does the author argue that Melchizedek's priesthood is superior to the Levitical priesthood?

  1. Levi was not yet born when Melchizedek blessed Abraham, so Levi was still in the loins of his ancestor and paid tithes to him. Correct answer.
  2. Melchizedek was a descendant of Aaron and therefore held a hereditary claim.
  3. Melchizedek offered a sacrifice in the Jerusalem temple that the Levites later copied.
  4. Melchizedek was appointed by the Sanhedrin and confirmed by the high priest.

Explanation

Hebrews 7:9-10 argues that Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, since he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. The author also stresses that Melchizedek has no recorded genealogy or beginning of days, making his priesthood a fitting type of an eternal priesthood.

Question 39Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the Genesis 6-9 flood narrative, what is the stated purpose of the rainbow set in the cloud?

  1. It serves as a sign of the covenant that the waters will never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. Correct answer.
  2. It indicates the direction of the ark toward Mount Ararat.
  3. It warns that a second flood will come if humanity sins again.
  4. It marks the season of harvest for the descendants of Noah.

Explanation

Genesis 9:13-15 says the bow is set in the cloud as a sign of the covenant between God and the earth, so that when the cloud brings rain God will remember the covenant and the waters will never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The sign is unilateral and unconditional.

Question 40Scripture study (set texts and exegesis)

In the book of Job, how does the prose prologue present the relationship between Job's suffering and his own sin?

  1. Job is described as blameless and upright, and his suffering follows a heavenly challenge rather than a specific transgression. Correct answer.
  2. Job's friends correctly identify a hidden sin that explains his losses.
  3. Job's children are said to have sinned, and Job suffers as their substitute.
  4. The narrator states that Job had oppressed the poor and was being punished accordingly.

Explanation

Job 1:1 describes Job as blameless and upright, fearing God and turning away from evil, and the losses that follow are triggered by the adversary's challenge in the heavenly council rather than by any sin of Job. The prologue thus frames the suffering as a test, which the friends' retribution theology later misreads.

Question 41Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

In the study of religion, which term describes the human attribution of human form, emotions and motives to the divine?

  1. Anthropomorphism Correct answer.
  2. Syncretism
  3. Pantheism
  4. Henotheism

Explanation

Anthropomorphism is the practice of describing a deity in human terms, such as speaking of God's 'hand' or 'anger'. It is a central issue in discussions of religious language and concepts of God.

Question 42Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

Which concept of God holds that the divine is wholly distinct from and beyond the created order, while still sustaining it?

  1. Panentheism
  2. Transcendence Correct answer.
  3. Polytheism
  4. Immanentism

Explanation

Transcendence stresses that God exceeds and stands beyond the world, unlike views that absorb God into nature. Classical theism typically pairs transcendence with a qualified immanence.

Question 43Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

A candidate argues that God is active within history and accessible to human experience. Which attribute of God is being emphasised?

  1. Simplicity
  2. Immanence Correct answer.
  3. Impassibility
  4. Aseity

Explanation

Immanence refers to God's closeness to and involvement in the world and human experience. It is often balanced against transcendence in systematic theology.

Question 44Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

Which type of revelation is communicated through the natural world, human reason and conscience rather than through specific historical events?

  1. Progressive revelation
  2. General revelation Correct answer.
  3. Private revelation
  4. Special revelation

Explanation

General revelation is available to all people through nature, reason and conscience. It is distinguished from special revelation, which comes through particular events, persons or scriptures.

Question 45Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

In Christian theology, which event is most commonly cited as the supreme example of special revelation?

  1. The incarnation of Jesus Christ Correct answer.
  2. The migration of peoples
  3. The creation of the universe
  4. The discovery of fire

Explanation

Special revelation is understood as God's self-disclosure in particular historical acts, and the incarnation is treated as its climax in Christian thought. Creation is usually linked to general revelation.

Question 46Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

Which term describes the belief that reason alone can establish the existence and nature of God without appeal to revelation?

  1. Mysticism
  2. Fideism
  3. Rationalism in natural theology Correct answer.
  4. Existentialism

Explanation

Natural theology uses reason and observation to argue for God's existence, as in the cosmological and teleological arguments. Fideism, by contrast, grounds belief in faith rather than reason.

Question 47Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

Which form of religious language describes God by denying human limitations, as when one says God is 'immortal' or 'infinite'?

  1. Via negativa Correct answer.
  2. Equivocation
  3. Via positiva
  4. Analogy

Explanation

The via negativa, or apophatic way, speaks of God by negating creaturely limits. Statements such as 'God is unlimited' deny a limitation rather than affirm a positive quality.

Question 48Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

Thomas Aquinas argued that words such as 'good' apply to God and to creatures neither univocally nor equivocally but by what means?

  1. Symbol
  2. Analogy Correct answer.
  3. Parable
  4. Metaphor

Explanation

Aquinas used analogy to hold that creaturely perfections resemble God's perfections without capturing them fully. This avoids both making God identical to creatures and making religious language meaningless.

Question 49Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

A believer claims that no words can adequately describe God, so silence is more truthful than speech. Which approach to religious language does this reflect?

  1. Literal interpretation
  2. Univocal language
  3. Apophatic theology Correct answer.
  4. Logical positivism

Explanation

Apophatic theology emphasises the limits of language and approaches God through negation and silence. It treats human concepts as inadequate to the divine reality.

Question 50Themes in the study of religion (concepts of God, revelation, worship, religious language)

Which practice involves the ritual killing of an animal as an offering to the divine?

  1. Initiation
  2. Pilgrimage
  3. Fasting
  4. Sacrifice Correct answer.

Explanation

Sacrifice is a ritual offering, often of an animal, given to a deity as gift, communion or atonement. The other terms name different religious practices.