Image: National Geographic
About This Quiz
Only in deep and serious theological debates can the grilling and eating of sausages be seen as an act of defiance! Believe it or not, this was a show of rebellion during the Protestant Reformation. This happened in Zurich, Switzerland, right in the city center. The culinary culprits were defying the Roman Catholic Church's ban on meat during Lent.
But that's only one moment of lightheartedness in a historical period that was far more serious. It sparked wars and cost many lives, and the changes it made to the now-worldwide religion of Christianity are with us to this day. How much do you know about this period in Christian history? What sparked the Reformation, and who was chiefly responsible? How did a king's marital affairs come into play? Why did southern Europe largely remain Catholic, while Northern Europe became Protestant?
Our quiz will test you on all these points and more. It will start easy -- you probably know who know nailed 95 theses to a church door -- but eventually get deeper into the details. The Reformation wasn't really one movement, after all. There were different branches of Protestant thought, some of which disagreed with one another quite violently. Fortunately, the debate between the Catholic and Protestant sides of Christianity is much more civilized today!
Which of these is the central figure of the Protestant Reformation?
Cotton Mather
Grigory Rasputin
Martin Luther
When people think of the Reformation, they immediately think of Luther. It was a radical act on his part that launched the break from the Catholic Church, where other reform attempts had largely petered out.
Charles Wesley
How many theses did Martin Luther nail to a church door?
12
60
95
This reminds us of one of our favorite student bloopers. A history professor, Anders Hendriksson, compiled a short history of religious life according to his students' papers, including this gem: "Martin Luther nailed 95 theocrats to a church door." Ouch!
110
In what year did Luther nail his theses's to the door?
1492
1517
Luther made his stand at the beginning of the 16th Century. He died about 30 years later, in 1546.
1788
1905
Advertisement
To which of these did Luther make his main objection?
celibacy of the clergy
the idea that God is a Trinity
the selling of indulgences
Originally, indulgences reduced the time spent in purgatory, and were earned through saying of prayers and committing good works. However, by Luther's time, they were being sold outright, sometimes under the claim that they would absolve sin entirely and allow a sinner into heaven.
the earlier split with the Eastern Church
"Sola scriptura" is the word for which central belief in Protestantism?
that the Bible is the only source of information about God's will
This phrase comes from Latin, as will many other phrases you see in this quiz. During the Reformation, nearly all European theologians wrote in Latin, regardless of their native language.
that the King James Version is the only authoritative translation of the Bible
that the Bible should be read in solitude
that the Scriptures have a soul embedded in their words
Which of these is NOT a key person in the Reformation?
Jan Hus
John of Patmos
John of Patmos came much earlier. He wrote the book of Revelation while exiled on the island of Patmos.
John Wycliffe
Huldrych Zwingli
Advertisement
In what city did Luther make his radical act of rebellion?
London
Rome
Salzburg
Wittenberg
You can see All Saints Church today, but the original doors were burned in the 18th century. They've been replaced by bronze doors with the text of Luther's manifesto on them.
Which pope did Luther anger with his act?
Gregory VIII
Innocent III
Leo X
Leo X had been selling indulgences for money to rebuild St. Peter's Basilica. This was probably part of the reason he was stung by Luther's criticisms.
Urban IV
True or false: An indulgence was only valid for the sinner who earned/bought it.
true
false
People could also buy indulgences on behalf of deceased loved ones, to reduce their time in purgatory. This is similar to the modern Mormon practice of evangelism to the dead.
Advertisement
The Protestant doctrine that faith alone saves is called ______________.
anabaptism
melanchthism
semper fidelis
sola fide
This is, again, Latin. Don't confuse it with the doctrine of "sola scriptura."
Why was Henry VIII important to the Reformation?
he wanted to build a humanist/secular society
he was a financial patron of John Wycliffe
he was related to Martin Luther
he broke with the Church in order to be able to remarry
Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, had not produced a male heir (at least, that had survived past infancy). Henry wanted this marriage annulled so he could marry Anne Boleyn. When the Pope denied him, it set the stage for the English Reformation.
Henry VIII also declared himself _____.
the new pope
head of the Church of England
Henry made himself head of the Church of England in order to be able to make the rules on marriage and annulment, as he wanted. (Side note: he almost might as well have been a bigamist, since he took six wives, the last five in relatively quick succession.
a living god
a bigamist
Advertisement
Where was Luther "tried," in effect, for his beliefs?
the Diet of Worms
The Diet of Worms (the name, we admit, sounds funny to English speakers), was called by Emperor Charles V. Luther was expected to renounce his ideas, but did not. Conventional wisdom claims he said, "Here I stand; I can do no other," but there is no actual evidence of this.
the Judgment of Paris
the Council of Nicea
the Council of Trent
What was the ultimate result of Luther's "heresy"?
he was executed
he was excommunicated
Luther was not killed, though some other early Protestant figures were. He was excommunicated, which was a terrible punishment for a devout Catholic of that time, but since Luther already had his doubts about the Church's moral purity, it didn't appear to trouble him unduly.
he was publicly censured
nothing
Which of these reformers came before Martin Luther?
Jan Hus
Huldrych Zwingli
John Wycliffe
both #1 and #3
Martin Luther wasn't the first to desire a change in Church policies. Hus and Wycliffe both preceded him, though they aren't as firmly associated with the Reformation.
Advertisement
What nationality was reformer Huldrych Zwingli?
Greek
Italian
Polish
Swiss
Zwingli objected in particular to the practice of fasting during Lent. His followers grilled and ate sausages in Zurich's city square as a protest.
Which of these northern European countries did not, in the main, turn Protestant?
England
Ireland
Poland
both #1 and #2
You could include France in this short list, if you consider it a northern European country. But most others consider it southern, and like Spain and Italy, it has remained majority Catholic.
Which of these greatly aided the spread of Protestantism?
changing ideas about marriage and divorce
increased migration with Europe
the printing press
The printing press allowed for theologians to spread their ideas more widely than those in earlier eras. In this way, the Reformation was a technological revolution as well as a theological one.
the early telegraph
Advertisement
What nationality was reformer John Wycliffe?
Czech
English
Wycliffe was an English reformer who preceded Martin Luther. His teachings inspired the later reformer, Jan Hus.
German
French
Which of these reformers was executed?
John Calvin
Jan Hus
Jan Hus was guaranteed safe passage to his trial, but was never allowed to leave after being found a heretic. Instead, he was burned at the stake.
Increase Mather
both #2 and #3
To which of these Catholic ideas did Luther also object?
celibacy of the clergy
the idea that Christ is God
the idea that priests must intercede for ordinary people
all of these
only #1 and #3
The idea that priests have to intercede with God for ordinary people is commonly called "sacerdotalism." Luther believed that each believer can approach God through prayer and attain forgiveness through individual repentance; formal confession is not necessary.
Advertisement
Was Martin Luther married?
yes
Luther wasn't married when he wrote the 95 theses, but later married a former nun. They had six children together.
no
this is unknown
Which of these wars grew out of the Reformation?
the Norman Invasion
the Thirty Years' War
In some ways, the Thirty Years' War presaged World War I -- it was a struggle of European nations for pre-eminence on the continent. What started as a clash between Protestant and Catholic states grew into a much larger fray that killed 8 million people.
the War of the Roses
World War I
What ended the Thirty Years' War?
the Accord of Lyon
the Treaty of Versailles
the Peace of Westphalia
The Holy Roman Empire and the Protestant powers signed several peace treaties in the region of Westphalia. Then they all drove off in camper vans with pop-up tops. (Sorry ... that joke probably only landed with people well over 35!)
nothing -- it just petered out
Advertisement
What nationality was Jan Hus?
Czech
Hus was part of what is called the Bohemian Reformation. This was later the title of a song by Queen ... oh, wait, that's something else!
Lithuanian
French
Swiss
Martin Luther practiced which of these professions?
priest
professor
monk
all of these
Some of these aren't exactly "professions," but Luther followed all these paths. He also composed music.
The Protestant figure, John Calvin, believed in predestination, which means what?
that all believers should occupy the Promised Land of Israel
that opening the Bible at random lets God choose your day's scripture reading
that only a few are called to be saved
Predestination or election means that God chooses those He wishes to save, who are then divinely directed to hear and accept the message of salvation. The opposite doctrine is Arminianism, which teaches that salvation is available to all (though not all choose it).
that God calls priests to be ministers by making them bald
Advertisement
Which country gave us the Puritans?
England
The Puritan movement came some time after Luther's reforms. The Puritans believed the Church of England still had a lot of "Popish" traditions that needed to be purged.
Germany
Holland
Finland
Into which language did Luther translate the Bible?
Greek
German
Luther translated the Bible into the language of his homeland, then called Saxony. This was consistent with his belief that Christians should approach the scriptures, and even God, without the intervention of a priest.
English
Latin
What did the Anabaptists believe?
that all baptism is wrong
that only adults should be baptized
By "adult," these radical reformers meant an age when a person could make a true confession of faith. People can argue about what age that is, but infancy certainly doesn't count.
that only priests should be baptized
that anyone can perform a baptism
Advertisement
Which of these groups grew out of the Anabaptist movement?
the Amish
Both the Amish and the Mennonites grew out of the Anabaptist tradition. Despite the similarity of the names, the Baptists did not.
the Methodists
the Baptists
the Church of Latter-Day Saints
What was the Defenestration of Prague?
a division of the city into Catholic and Protestant halves
mandatory circumcision for all Prague males
the representatives of a Catholic duke being thrown out a window
Duke Ferdinand was a devout Catholic, and unpopular with Bohemian protestants. They showed their displeasure with his ascension to princehood by throwing his representatives out a third-floor window. This, in the main, sparked the Thirty Years' War.
a vast bug-extermination event
Which of these things stains Martin Luther's legacy?
anti-Semitic writings
Luther advocated for the seizure of Jewish assets and their expulsion from Christian regions, which disappoints his modern admirers. (Just to be clear, though, he was not rumored to do any of the other three things).
child abuse
sexual misconduct
the rumor that he embezzled from churches
Advertisement
Luther is honored today by _____.
the name of a denomination
a religious holiday
a type of pastry
both #1 and #2
If you're not familiar with Reformation Day, that's probably because it is usually on October 31, and overshadowed by the popular holiday of Halloween. Some churches move it to the nearest Sunday on the calendar, calling it Reformation Sunday.
You Got:
/35
National Geographic