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Total Categories: 6
Religious cosmology is exclusively concerned with explaining the origin of the universe solely through scientific observation and the principles of physical law.
Answer: False
Religious cosmology seeks to explain the universe's origin, evolution, current form, and ultimate destiny from a religious viewpoint, which is not limited to scientific observation and physical laws.
Religious cosmology seeks to explain the universe's origin, evolution, current form, and ultimate destiny from a religious viewpoint.
Answer: True
Religious cosmology encompasses beliefs about how and why everything is the way it is, including its origin, evolution, current state, and ultimate significance from a spiritual perspective.
Scientific cosmology is considered more inclusive than religious cosmology due to its incorporation of religious beliefs.
Answer: False
Scientific cosmology relies on empirical observation and hypothesis testing, whereas religious cosmology is not bound by these methods and can address questions of purpose and meaning, making it distinct rather than inherently more inclusive in its methodology.
A primary limitation of scientific cosmology, as presented in the text, is its strict reliance on empirical observation and hypothesis testing.
Answer: True
The text suggests that scientific cosmology's adherence to empirical observation and hypothesis testing, while rigorous, limits its capacity to address questions of ultimate purpose or meaning, which religious cosmology can explore.
Which of the following best defines religious cosmology?
Answer: An explanation of the universe's origin, evolution, fate, and significance from a religious perspective.
Religious cosmology provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the universe's existence, development, and ultimate purpose through the lens of religious doctrine and belief.
How does religious cosmology differ fundamentally from scientific cosmology according to the text?
Answer: Religious cosmology is not limited by observation and testing, allowing it to address questions of purpose and meaning.
While scientific cosmology adheres strictly to empirical evidence and testable hypotheses, religious cosmology can explore metaphysical questions concerning purpose, meaning, and value, which lie beyond the scope of scientific inquiry.
In Zoroastrian cosmology, the universe's history is divided into four epochs, each lasting 3,000 years.
Answer: True
Zoroastrian cosmology conceptualizes the universe's history as unfolding over a total of 12,000 years, divided into four distinct epochs of 3,000 years each.
In Zoroastrian cosmology, the initial 3,000-year epoch, termed Infinite Time, was characterized by a state of equilibrium rather than active conflict between the forces of good and evil.
Answer: True
The first epoch, Infinite Time, in Zoroastrian cosmology, was a period where Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu existed in balance, separated by the Void, prior to the commencement of active conflict.
The cosmic conflict in Zoroastrianism commences when Angra Mainyu breaches the Void and confronts Ahura Mazda at the conclusion of the first epoch.
Answer: True
The initiation of the cosmic struggle in Zoroastrianism occurs at the end of the first 3,000-year period when Angra Mainyu attacks Ahura Mazda after crossing the Void.
During the 3,000-year interlude in Zoroastrian cosmology, Ahura Mazda was responsible for the creation of both material elements and spiritual beings.
Answer: True
Following Angra Mainyu's retreat, Ahura Mazda utilized the 3,000-year interlude to bring forth the entirety of creation, including spiritual entities like the Amesha Spentas and Yazatas, as well as material elements.
Ancient Israelite cosmology depicted a universe comprising a flat, disc-shaped Earth situated upon waters. Above this Earth lay Heaven, and beneath it was the Underworld.
Answer: True
The traditional ancient Israelite cosmological model envisioned a flat Earth floating on primordial waters, surmounted by the heavens and underlain by the realm of the dead.
During the Hellenistic period, Jewish beliefs evolved, incorporating the concept of the underworld as a place of punishment, alongside a growing emphasis on an afterlife in Heaven.
Answer: True
The Hellenistic era witnessed a shift in Jewish eschatological thought, integrating Greek ideas that the underworld could be punitive and fostering a stronger belief in an afterlife in Heaven.
In the Hellenistic period, the older three-level Israelite cosmology was largely superseded by the Greek concept of a spherical Earth, envisioned as suspended centrally within a system of concentric heavens.
Answer: True
The adoption of Greek philosophical and astronomical models during the Hellenistic period led to the replacement of the ancient Israelite three-tiered universe with a geocentric model featuring a spherical Earth at the center of concentric celestial spheres.
The doctrine of 'creatio ex nihilo' posits that a deity created the universe and its matter from absolute nothingness, rather than from pre-existing substance.
Answer: True
'Creatio ex nihilo' is the theological concept that divine creation originated from absolute nothingness, distinguishing it from creation derived from pre-existing materials.
The doctrine of 'creatio ex nihilo' is the accepted orthodoxy within most denominations of Judaism and Christianity.
Answer: True
The principle of creation from nothing ('creatio ex nihilo') is a foundational theological tenet widely affirmed across major branches of Judaism and Christianity.
Within Islamic cosmology, the universe is conceptualized as a divine creation, interpretable either as a compendium of divine symbols or as a spiritual prison from which the soul seeks liberation.
Answer: True
Islamic cosmology presents the universe as a divinely created entity that can be understood metaphorically as a 'book of symbols' for contemplation or as a 'prison' that the soul must transcend.
Which statement accurately describes the cosmological depiction attributed to Zakariya al-Qazwini?
Answer: False
Zakariya al-Qazwini's depiction portrays a flat Earth supported by an ox, which stands on Bahamut, within a cosmic ocean, rather than a spherical Earth surrounded by concentric heavens.
The conceptualization of the universe as a prison within Islamic cosmology serves to motivate the pursuit of spiritual freedom through detachment from the material world.
Answer: True
The Islamic cosmological metaphor of the universe as a prison emphasizes the need for spiritual liberation from material constraints to achieve ultimate freedom and proximity to God.
The doctrine of 'creatio ex materia' posits the creation of the universe and its constituent matter from pre-existing substance, in contrast to creation from absolute nothingness.
Answer: True
'Creatio ex materia' refers to the theological concept where a deity shapes the universe from pre-existing materials, differentiating it from 'creatio ex nihilo'.
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld's 1860 illustration captures a moment of divine repose, depicting God resting subsequent to the completion of the act of creation.
Answer: True
The illustration by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld from 1860 visually represents the completion of creation, showing God at rest after the creative process.
In Zoroastrian cosmology, what marks the beginning of the cosmic conflict?
Answer: The end of the first 3,000-year epoch when Angra Mainyu attacks Ahura Mazda.
The cosmic conflict in Zoroastrianism commences precisely at the conclusion of the first 3,000-year epoch, when Angra Mainyu breaches the Void and confronts Ahura Mazda.
What does Ahura Mazda create during the 3,000-year interlude following Angra Mainyu's initial retreat in Zoroastrian cosmology?
Answer: The entire creation, including spiritual beings (Amesha Spentas, Yazatas) and material elements.
During the 3,000-year interlude, Ahura Mazda brings forth the complete creation, encompassing both spiritual entities like the Amesha Spentas and Yazatas, and the fundamental material elements.
Which statement accurately describes the ancient Israelite view of the universe?
Answer: A flat, disc-shaped Earth floating on water, with an underworld beneath.
Ancient Israelite cosmology depicted the Earth as a flat disc resting on waters, with the heavens above and the underworld below.
How did Jewish beliefs about the afterlife evolve during the Hellenistic period?
Answer: The underworld began to be seen as a place of punishment, and the concept of an afterlife in Heaven grew.
During the Hellenistic period, Jewish thought integrated the idea of the underworld as a place of punishment and increasingly emphasized the concept of an afterlife in Heaven.
What does 'creatio ex nihilo' mean in the context of religious cosmology?
Answer: The creation of matter itself from absolute nothingness by a deity.
'Creatio ex nihilo' is the doctrine that posits the creation of the universe and all its matter by a deity from a state of absolute nothingness.
In Islamic cosmology, how can the universe be visualized?
Answer: As a book of symbols for spiritual upliftment or a prison to escape.
Islamic cosmology offers dual metaphorical interpretations of the universe: as a 'book of symbols' inviting contemplation, or as a 'prison' from which the soul seeks liberation.
The cosmological depiction attributed to Zakariya al-Qazwini includes:
Answer: A flat Earth supported by an ox, which stands on Bahamut.
Zakariya al-Qazwini's cosmological illustration depicts a flat Earth supported by an ox, which stands upon Bahamut, situated within a cosmic ocean.
Contrary to the belief in a singular creation event by a supreme deity, Buddhist cosmology posits that the universe has no ultimate beginning or end.
Answer: True
A core tenet of Buddhist cosmology is the absence of a definitive origin or final cessation for the universe, aligning with its understanding of impermanence and cyclical existence.
Buddhist cosmology characterizes the universe as impermanent and in constant flux, a fundamental aspect underpinning the concept of Samsara.
Answer: True
The Buddhist understanding of the universe as inherently impermanent and constantly changing is foundational to its doctrine of Samsara, the cycle of existence.
The Buddhist theory of Samsara explains the cyclical nature of existence through rebirth and redeath.
Answer: True
Samsara, in Buddhist thought, is the doctrine that describes the continuous cycle of existence, characterized by repeated birth, death, and rebirth.
Early Buddhist cosmology typically enumerated five realms of existence within Samsara: hells, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, and gods. The realm of demi-gods (asuras) was a later addition.
Answer: True
While later traditions expanded the list to six realms, early Buddhist cosmology primarily described Samsara as comprising five distinct realms of existence.
In Buddhist thought, the cycle of rebirth through cosmological realms is propelled by the interplay of ignorance, desires, and karma, which encompasses volitional actions and their consequences.
Answer: True
Buddhist philosophy identifies ignorance, craving, and the accumulation of karma as the primary forces driving the continuous cycle of rebirth across various cosmological realms.
Scholarly analysis suggests that Buddhist cosmology is often considered more complex and employs significantly larger numerical scales compared to the Vedic and post-Vedic Hindu traditions, while still sharing conceptual overlaps.
Answer: True
Comparative studies, such as those by Akira Sadakata, indicate that Buddhist cosmology often exhibits greater intricacy and utilizes larger numerical figures than its Hindu counterparts, despite shared conceptual foundations.
A foundational concept shared by Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain cosmologies is the cyclic nature of existence, wherein the universe undergoes repeated phases of creation and destruction.
Answer: True
The cyclical understanding of time and existence, involving recurrent cycles of cosmic formation and dissolution, is a fundamental shared principle across Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain cosmological frameworks.
Hindu cosmology has historically embraced a plurality of viewpoints regarding the universe's structure, rather than enforcing a single, mandatory perspective, a characteristic evident even in its earliest Vedic scriptures.
Answer: True
The history of Hindu cosmology is characterized by a rich diversity of theories and interpretations, reflecting a tradition that values multiple perspectives rather than imposing a singular dogma.
The Nasadiya sukta of the Rigveda profoundly interrogates the origin of the cosmos, questioning whether existence or non-existence preceded creation and contemplating the identity of its ultimate creator.
Answer: True
The Nasadiya sukta, a hymn from the Rigveda, is notable for its philosophical exploration of the cosmic origins, posing fundamental questions about the initial state of being and the identity of the creator.
In contrast to a linear conception, Hindu cosmology often conceptualizes time in vast, cyclical epochs known as Yugas. Mount Meru frequently serves as a central cosmological element, representing the cosmic axis or world mountain in various models.
Answer: True
Hindu cosmology typically employs a cyclical model of time, measured in immense Yugas, and frequently features Mount Meru as a symbolic representation of the universe's central axis or cosmic mountain.
Jain cosmology posits that the universe (loka) is an eternal, uncreated entity that has existed infinitely, possessing neither beginning nor end, and is self-sustaining.
Answer: True
A fundamental tenet of Jain cosmology is the eternal nature of the universe (loka), which is considered uncreated, without temporal beginning or end, and inherently self-sustaining.
Jain texts, including the Mahapurana, explicitly reject the doctrine of a world created by a divine deity.
Answer: True
Prominent Jain scriptures, such as the Mahapurana, articulate a strong rejection of the concept of a creator deity, questioning the logical coherence of such a doctrine.
What is a core tenet of Buddhist cosmology regarding the universe's origin and existence?
Answer: There is no concept of an ultimate beginning or final end to the universe.
Buddhist cosmology posits that the universe is without a definitive beginning or end, emphasizing its cyclical and impermanent nature.
The Buddhist theory of Samsara explains:
Answer: The cyclical nature of existence through endless rebirth and redeath.
The theory of Samsara in Buddhism elucidates the continuous cycle of existence, driven by rebirth and redeath, as a fundamental aspect of the universe's operation.
Which of the following was NOT among the original five realms of existence in early Buddhist Samsara cosmology?
Answer: Demi-gods (asuras)
Early Buddhist cosmology typically included five realms: hells, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, and gods. The realm of demi-gods (asuras) was a later addition to this enumeration.
What drives the cycle of rebirth through the cosmological realms in Buddhist thought?
Answer: Ignorance, desires, and purposeful karma.
Buddhist philosophy identifies ignorance, desires, and the consequences of karma (actions) as the fundamental forces perpetuating the cycle of rebirth across cosmological realms.
How does Buddhist cosmology compare to Hindu traditions in terms of complexity and scale, according to scholars like Akira Sadakata?
Answer: Buddhist cosmology is considered far more complex and uses larger numbers.
Scholarly assessments, such as those by Akira Sadakata, suggest that Buddhist cosmology often exhibits greater complexity and employs significantly larger numerical scales than Vedic and post-Vedic Hindu traditions.
What fundamental concept of existence is shared by Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain cosmology?
Answer: The universe undergoing repeated cycles of creation and destruction.
A core shared principle among Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain cosmologies is the cyclical nature of existence, characterized by recurrent periods of cosmic creation and destruction.
Which statement best reflects the diversity of cosmological theories within Hindu tradition?
Answer: Hinduism has historically accepted diverse cosmological theories, including those with and without a creator god.
Hindu tradition demonstrates a remarkable historical acceptance of varied cosmological perspectives, encompassing theories with and without a creator deity, reflecting its intellectual flexibility.
The Nasadiya sukta of the Rigveda primarily explores:
Answer: The profound question of the cosmos's origin and creator.
The Nasadiya sukta from the Rigveda is renowned for its deep philosophical inquiry into the ultimate origin of the cosmos, questioning the initial state of existence and the identity of its creator.
What is the Jain perspective on the origin of the universe (loka)?
Answer: It is an uncreated entity that has existed infinitely.
Jain cosmology posits that the universe (loka) is eternal and uncreated, existing infinitely without a beginning or end.
Which description matches the shape of the universe as depicted in Jain texts?
Answer: Resembling a cosmic man, narrow at the top and broad in the middle.
Jain texts describe the universe (loka) as having a specific shape akin to a cosmic human figure, characterized by being narrow at the top, broad in the middle, and widening again at the bottom.
Jain texts like the Mahapurana explicitly reject:
Answer: The doctrine of a world created by God.
Jain scriptures, including the Mahapurana, explicitly refute the notion of a creator deity, questioning the logical basis for such a doctrine.
Chinese cosmology posits that the primordial universe originates as Wuji, which subsequently transforms into Taiji, ultimately multiplying into the Wuxing (the five elements or phases) and all phenomena.
Answer: True
The developmental sequence in Chinese cosmology progresses from Wuji (the ultimate, undifferentiated state) to Taiji (the principle of duality), which then generates the Wuxing (five elements) and subsequently all manifest reality.
The Pangu legend describes Pangu separating Yin and Yang and his body transforming into the universe after his death.
Answer: True
In the Pangu creation myth, Pangu emerges from chaos, separates the primordial Yin and Yang, and upon his death, his body parts become the elements of the cosmos.
Gnosticism, a philosophical and religious movement contemporaneous with Neoplatonism, characteristically distinguishes between transcendent realms of Light, known as the Pleroma, and a subordinate material world.
Answer: True
Gnostic traditions, developing alongside Neoplatonism, typically posit a dualistic cosmology that contrasts the divine, luminous Pleroma with the flawed, material creation.
In Gnosticism, the Pleroma represents the higher realms of divine fullness, not the lower world of Matter. The pre-creation crisis is understood as an event within the Pleroma that led to the emanation of the material world.
Answer: True
The Pleroma signifies the divine totality in Gnosticism, and the pre-creation crisis is an internal event within this realm that precipitated the formation of the material cosmos.
In Gnosticism, the 'pre-creation crisis' denotes a disruption or fall within the divine realms (Pleroma), which ultimately precipitates the emergence of the material world, rather than its direct creation from divine substance.
Answer: True
The pre-creation crisis in Gnosticism refers to an event within the divine realm that leads to the subsequent formation of the material world, not a direct creation from divine substance.
Within Gnosticism, the 'divine spark' is conceived as a fragment of the divine essence imprisoned within the material world. The central Gnostic aim is the liberation and return of this spark to its divine source.
Answer: True
The Gnostic concept of the divine spark represents a portion of the divine trapped in the material realm, and its liberation and reunification with the divine source is a primary soteriological goal.
In Chinese cosmology, what does the sequence Wuji -> Taiji -> Wuxing represent?
Answer: The transformation of the primordial universe into all known things.
This sequence illustrates the cosmological process in Chinese thought, beginning with the undifferentiated Wuji, evolving into the duality of Taiji, and finally manifesting as the Wuxing (five elements) and all subsequent phenomena.
What is the Pleroma in Gnostic teachings?
Answer: The higher worlds of Light inhabited by godheads called Aeons.
In Gnosticism, the Pleroma signifies the totality of divine realms, populated by Aeons, representing the ultimate spiritual reality from which the material world emanates.
What is the significance of the 'divine spark' in Gnosticism?
Answer: It is a fragment of the divine trapped in the material world, seeking liberation.
The 'divine spark' in Gnosticism refers to a particle of the divine essence ensnared within the material world, whose liberation and return to the divine source is a central salvific goal.
In the Serer religion, Roog functions as the creator deity, symbolizing both the origin and the ultimate culmination of the cosmological order.
Answer: True
Roog is identified as the supreme creator deity in the Serer religion, representing the alpha and omega of their cosmological framework.
Within Serer cosmology, the star Sirius, referred to as Yoonir, holds symbolic significance as representing the universe and is utilized for calendrical purposes, such as determining planting seasons.
Answer: True
The star Sirius, known as Yoonir in the Serer language, functions symbolically as representing the universe and plays a crucial role in determining agricultural timing and other vital aspects of Serer life.
The Dogon people of Mali exhibit notable parallels in their astronomical beliefs concerning the star Sirius, mirroring certain aspects observed within the cosmological traditions of the Serer people.
Answer: True
Similar cosmological beliefs and astronomical observations related to the star Sirius have been documented among the Dogon people of Mali, suggesting potential shared cultural or observational heritage.
Who is the creator deity in the Serer religion, and what is its symbolic role?
Answer: Roog, representing both the departure and conclusion of cosmology.
Roog is the supreme creator deity in the Serer religion, embodying both the origin point and the ultimate end of their cosmological framework.
As articulated in Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum, what are the three frameworks for understanding the human relationship with the created cosmos?
Answer: True
Pope Francis's Laudate Deum outlines three perspectives on the human-cosmos relationship: exploitation, human extraneousness, and integral interdependence within nature.
Pope Francis champions the third interpretation, emphasizing humanity's role as an intrinsic part of nature, characterized by continuous interaction and interdependence, rather than as a force of exploitation or alienation.
Answer: True
In Laudate Deum, Pope Francis advocates for an understanding of humanity as interconnected with and part of the natural world, moving away from anthropocentric views of dominance or separation.
According to Pope Francis in Laudate Deum, which interpretation of the human relationship with the cosmos does he advocate?
Answer: Recognizing humans as part of nature in constant interaction with it.
Pope Francis advocates for an understanding of humanity as intrinsically connected to and interacting constantly with the natural world, rather than viewing it solely as a resource or a separate entity.