Dark Days in Christian History. Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. No developments in religious thought occurred during the dark ages.

Answer: False

The dark ages were possibly one of the most vibrant times of the intellectual development of church thought. The Lindisfarne Gospels were produced. The intellectual life in monasteries continued with the establishment of schools. The Venerable Bede was one, among many, active at this time.

2. Which king of England said: 'Who will rid me of this troublesome priest'?

Answer: Henry II

Henry II reputedly uttered that sentiment, relating to Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket was not content to be a puppet Archbishop, which displeased Henry, who had presumed that as they were friends Becket would be pliable.

3. For what offence was Galileo Galilei pursued by the Inquisition?

Answer: Asserting that the Earth revolved around the Sun

Galileo was victimised by the inquisition for asserting that the Earth revolved around the Sun rather than the 'correct' view that the Sun revolved around the Earth. The Roman Catholic Church adhered to the 'established' view of the time.

4. Louis XIV and his ministers issued the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. What, specifically was being revoked?

Answer: Freedom of religion for the Huguenots

The Act led to a deterioration in the life chances of Huguenots within France. Many of them resettled in England and brought their skills - which assisted in the economic development of England at the expense of that of France. There was a strong tradition among the Huguenots of being innovative in technology and business.

5. What was the primary social (as opposed to theological) reason why Lollards were persecuted in medieval England?

Answer: They represented ordinary folk and were perceived as a threat to the established order.

The Lollards are sometimes claimed to be proto Protestants, with their emphasis on a less ritualistic approach to religious observance. They would, for example, have outdoor sermons. John Wycliff was associated with this group and was persecuted by the established church.

It has been said that Lollardy never really died. This religious movement got ordinary people questioning the rule under which they lived.

6. Which of these were a series of events, initially instigated by the Papacy and senior clergy, dating from the late eleventh century to the thirteenth century?

Answer: The crusades

The crusades spanned more than two centuries. Politically they took people's minds off what was happening in the local area and focussed on a 'problem' in a different area. The supposed aim was to regain Jerusalem for the Christian world, though in fact it fared well under Arab rule.

The crusades were a military attempt to secure the Holy Land - Palestine - for Christians. Some medieval pilgrims did venture this far.

7. From the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries this 'trade' persisted. It took the efforts of well-meaning reformers much time to eradicate this trade. Please name it.

Answer: The slave trade of Africans

The African slave trade was denounced early by the Quakers. However, it was a hugely profitable concern and vested interests sought to maintain it. Eventually in 1807 a seminal act was passed by the British Parliament. However, slavery continued in the British empire until the 1830s and in the United States until the 1860s.

In the sixteenth century there was no noticeable opposition to this heinous trade from church authorities, although papal pronouncements starting in the 1400s had denounced the practice.

8. This happened in the twentieth century, in Western Europe, and was principally directed against young women. It was under the auspices of the church. Which of these events is it?

Answer: The Magdalen sisters in Eire deprived young unwed mothers of their children and their liberty.

Until the 1970s the Magdalen sisters operated in the Republic of Ireland. Their harsh regime was meant to be directed against the 'sin' of unwed girls having babies. There was no counterpart to this regarding the young men involved. There were instances of inhumanity which sit ill in a twentieth century democracy.

9. Possibly the darkest of all the activities of the Christian church, historically, has been in relation to which particular group?

Answer: Jews

The qualification 'possibly' is necessary because Christian groups have engaged in some pretty horrible actions against a number of groups. The Crusades spring to mind, along with any number of acts of colonialist oppression of local groups. However, the historically strained relations between Christianity and Judaism provide some of the worst examples.

Historically derived from Judaism, the developing Christian church sought to evade acknowledgement of its debt and establish its independence. Blaming the Jews for the crucifixion permitted the church to accommodate itself to the Roman world. Various Christian religious groupings, Protestant and Catholic and Orthodox, have been prone to periodic outbreaks of severe intolerance and barbarity.

10. This religious group was seen as a threat by the medieval church. The church therefore decided to eradicate the heresy and heretics. This was in the thirteenth century; who were they?

Answer: The Cathars

The Cathars were based in the area from Languedoc to Aquitaine in France. Their manner of life was peaceable, and they sought perfection. There were some differences with the established church; for example, Cathars did not require the ministration of a priest.

As these differences were perceived as a dire threat to public order, the senior clerics favoured the extermination of the group.

Source: Author KATE211

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

This is an introduction to the dark days of Church History. This spreads across many denominations and several centuries.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>