Theology Test 3

Indicate whether each of the following social roles was exclusively reserved to men or open to both men and women in ancient Roman society.

Military Service

men

Indicate whether each of the following social roles was exclusively reserved to men or open to both men and women in ancient Roman society.

temple priest of a pagan deity

both

Indicate whether each of the following social roles was exclusively reserved to men or open to both men and women in ancient Roman society.

Political Officeholder

men

According to Bryan, several of the assumptions and methodologies developed for postcolonial studies in the aftermath of the European empires of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries do not apply when studying the 1st-century Roman Empire.  Indicate whether each of the following is an example he cites in support of his position.

Unlike later European views toward the civilizations of their subject peoples, Romans were less likely to consider the civilization of their Greek and Greek-speaking subjects to be less sophisticated and less developed than their own.

true

According to Bryan, several of the assumptions and methodologies developed for postcolonial studies in the aftermath of the European empires of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries do not apply when studying the 1st-century Roman Empire.  Indicate whether each of the following is an example he cites in support of his position.

Unlike later Europeans and those whom they ruled, Roman rulers and those ruled by Rome shared many cultural assumptions about the proper ordering of society.

true

According to Bryan, several of the assumptions and methodologies developed for postcolonial studies in the aftermath of the European empires of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries do not apply when studying the 1st-century Roman Empire.  Indicate whether each of the following is an example he cites in support of his position.

Unlike later European attitudes toward the cultures of their subject peoples, Romans were more likely to see Greek culture as foundational to their own and less likely to see it as exotic and peripheral.

true

Indicate whether each of the following statements about women’s roles in typical Roman households is accurate or inaccurate.

Women typically managed household operations.

true

Indicate whether each of the following statements about women’s roles in typical Roman households is accurate or inaccurate.

Mothers typically did not play any role in supervising their children’s education.

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements about women’s roles in typical Roman households is accurate or inaccurate.

Women could engage in commercial activity.

true

Indicate whether each statement regarding the Roman imperial cult is accurate or inaccurate

The cult originated in a request from local leaders in the province of Asia.

true

Indicate whether each statement regarding the Roman imperial cult is accurate or inaccurate

Intense imperial promotion by the first two Roman Emperors prompted the cult to grow in popularity among the people.

false

Indicate whether each statement regarding the Roman imperial cult is accurate or inaccurate

The imperial cult was just like earlier Asian and Hellenistic ruler in virtually every respect.

false

The typically voluntary turning over of a specified fraction of one’s income or harvest (usually one-tenth) to temple or governmental authorities for a designated purpose.

Tithe

Compulsory extraction of money or other property payable to a foreign power.

Tribute

People who contracted with the Roman state to collect from inhabitants financial obligations imposed on them under Roman law.

Publicani

A tariff, typically paid in cash, on the transportation of goods or, sometimes, individuals.

Toll

The general term for a compulsory financial charge or levy imposed by a government on individuals or entities to fund public expenditures (not directly tested in this question but commonly paired with tribute and toll in Roman contexts).

Tax

The management or administration of a household, often used in theological contexts to refer to God's plan for salvation history (included for completeness).

Oikonomia

Indicate whether each of the following items poses a challenge to efforts in postcolonial studies to uncover the voices of those who were ruled.

the prevalence of illiteracy and the inability to write in pre-modern societies

true

Indicate whether each of the following items poses a challenge to efforts in postcolonial studies to uncover the voices of those who were ruled.

rulers’ desire to prevent their “public transcripts of power” from being widely known

false

Indicate whether each of the following items poses a challenge to efforts in postcolonial studies to uncover the voices of those who were ruled.

the frequent goal of those who were ruled to keep opposition efforts hidden in the interest of survival

true

Indicate whether each of the following statements accurately or inaccurately characterizes Bryan’s view of the “biblical-prophetic tradition” discernible in the Old Testament.

The biblical-prophetic tradition is most concerned with refining, perfecting, and, when necessary, replacing governmental structures of political power in an attempt to institute the best ones.

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements accurately or inaccurately characterizes Bryan’s view of the “biblical-prophetic tradition” discernible in the Old Testament.

The biblical-prophetic tradition required that the nation of Israel establish a monarchy.

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements accurately or inaccurately characterizes Bryan’s view of the “biblical-prophetic tradition” discernible in the Old Testament.

It is possible for rule by non-Israelite pagans to effect God’s purposes in the world.

true

Indicate whether each of the following is or is not one of the normal criteria of historical criticism identified by Bryan.

Rhetoric

false

Indicate whether each of the following is or is not one of the normal criteria of historical criticism identified by Bryan.

Consistency among sources

true

Indicate whether each of the following is or is not one of the normal criteria of historical criticism identified by Bryan.

multiple attestation

true

Indicate whether each of the following statements about the institution of slavery in the Roman Empire during the New Testament era is true or false.

People could sell themselves into slavery.

True

Indicate whether each of the following statements about the institution of slavery in the Roman Empire during the New Testament era is true or false.

A slave was legally prohibited from owning slaves.

False

Indicate whether each of the following statements about the institution of slavery in the Roman Empire during the New Testament era is true or false.

Only an individual human being was entitled to be the owner of slaves.

False

Indicate whether each of the following statements about Roman slavery is true or false.

Slaves occupied the bottom tier in the socioeconomic hierarchy.

False

Indicate whether each of the following statements about Roman slavery is true or false.

Roman slavery was fundamentally race-based

False

Indicate whether each of the following statements about Roman slavery is true or false.

Some slaves actually held important government positions

True

Indicate whether each of the following statements about Roman practices regarding marriage and parenthood is accurate or inaccurate.

A valid marriage required a license from state authorities

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements about Roman practices regarding marriage and parenthood is accurate or inaccurate.

Fathers could reject a newborn child, who would be left outside the house to die of exposure.

true

Indicate whether each of the following statements about Roman practices regarding marriage and parenthood is accurate or inaccurate.

Both men and women typically married when they had reached their late twenties.

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements characterizes Greek (and, therefore, Roman) religion accurately or inaccurately.

It utilized a common set of scriptures universally recognized as sacred and divinely inspired.

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements characterizes Greek (and, therefore, Roman) religion accurately or inaccurately.

It did not involve any sense of personal faith or personal conversion.

true

Indicate whether each of the following statements characterizes Greek (and, therefore, Roman) religion accurately or inaccurately.

Ethics and morality were at the heart of its teachings.

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements accurately or inaccurately describes the sense in which 1st-century Romans saw Christians as a “security threat.”

Christians repeatedly sought to instigate armed rebellion against the empire.

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements accurately or inaccurately describes the sense in which 1st-century Romans saw Christians as a “security threat.”

Christians regularly sought to infiltrate the government bureaucracy to bring down the imperial government.

false

Indicate whether each of the following statements accurately or inaccurately describes the sense in which 1st-century Romans saw Christians as a “security threat.”

Christians’ persistent refusal to demonstrate respect and honor to the pagan gods threatened to bring down the wrath of the gods on the empire and its cities.

true

Bryan quotes Said’s descriptions of imperialism and colonialism.  Indicate whether each of the following statements is an accurate or inaccurate reflection of Said’s thinking.

Imperialism is the practice of implanting settlements on a distant territory.

false

Bryan quotes Said’s descriptions of imperialism and colonialism.  Indicate whether each of the following statements is an accurate or inaccurate reflection of Said’s thinking.

Colonialism is best understood as the practice, the theory, and the attitudes of a dominating metropolitan center ruling a distant territory.

false

Bryan quotes Said’s descriptions of imperialism and colonialism.  Indicate whether each of the following statements is an accurate or inaccurate reflection of Said’s thinking.

Imperialism is often a consequence of colonialism.

false

Bryan agrees with contemporary scholars who claim that the Roman Empire was not simply “a good thing” for first-century Christians, but he asserts that we cannot, as a result, conclude that it was simply “a bad thing” for them.  Indicate whether each of the following is one of Bryan’s supporting claims for his assertion.

Roman hegemony did manage to bring with it an improved measure of peace and security to the lives of subject peoples

true

Bryan agrees with contemporary scholars who claim that the Roman Empire was not simply “a good thing” for first-century Christians, but he asserts that we cannot, as a result, conclude that it was simply “a bad thing” for them.  Indicate whether each of the following is one of Bryan’s supporting claims for his assertion.

Roman rule was far less violent and brutal than that of other ruling peoples in the ancient world

false

Bryan agrees with contemporary scholars who claim that the Roman Empire was not simply “a good thing” for first-century Christians, but he asserts that we cannot, as a result, conclude that it was simply “a bad thing” for them.  Indicate whether each of the following is one of Bryan’s supporting claims for his assertion.

Although Roman exploitation of subject peoples was no worse than that of other ruling peoples in the ancient world, Rome did nothing to improve public and economic infrastructure in its territories.

false

Bryan agrees with contemporary scholars who claim that the Roman Empire was not simply “a good thing” for first-century Christians, but he asserts that we cannot, as a result, conclude that it was simply “a bad thing” for them.  Indicate whether each of the following is one of Bryan’s supporting claims for his assertion.

Roman law and justice tended to be an improvement over that of other ruling peoples in the ancient world since it afforded some opportunity for redress against poor local governors.

true

Semi-divine intermediary gods including defiled human beings of great courage and accomplishment.

Heroes

Intermediary spiritual powers populating the earth and eventually considered the most harmful beings in the universe.

Daimones

Household or local guardian deities, often associated with protecting homes, families, or specific places in Roman religion. (Not tested in this question but included for completeness.)

Lares