Sacred Texts of the World's Religions Quiz

Answer: Judaism

The Mishnah is a written collection of oral traditions. It was redacted in the 3rd century CE by Judah the Prince. Other sacred or honored texts of Judaism include the Talmud and the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible is divided into the Pentateuch (or Torah), the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Nevi'im, or Prophets, and the Ketuvim, or Writings.

Answer: Catholicism

Though originally written in Hebrew by a Jewish author and the origin of the story of Hanukkah, 1 & 2 Maccabees are not in the Jewish canon. They are in the Catholic Old Testament canon, but not in the Protestant canon. The books are also considered canon by the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Set during the Seleucid Greek empire, 1 & 2 Maccabees tells of the Maccabean revolt against Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who attempted to suppress Temple worship.

Answer: Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

This Hebrew apocalyptic text is not accepted as canonical by Jews, Protestants, or Catholics, though Jude possibly alludes to the book in the New Testament. In the epistle, Jude writes, "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints" (Jude 1:14).

However, the Ethiopian Orthodox Twewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church view the book as canonical. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church regards the Ethiopian text version to be the original version.

Although not accepted as part of the traditional Jewish canon, the book is also considered inspired by Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews).

Answer: Tibetan Buddhism

"The Bardo Thodol" is known in the west as "The Tibetan Book of the Dead." It is part of a longer work titled "The Profound Dharma of Self-Liberation through the Intention of the Peaceful and Wrathful Ones." Although not precisely canonical in Buddhism, the book is a major work of Tibetan Buddhist literature and is recited when someone dies in order to ease their consciousness through death and to assist their rebirth.

Answer: Sikhism

Originally known as the Adi Granth, Sri Guru Granth Sahib is consider by Sikhs to be the eternal guru. Compiled in the early 17th century by Guru Arjan Dev, it is divided into 39 chapters.

Answer: The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (or Mormons) include the Bible, The Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price among its standard works, which are distributed in a single binding. The Pearl of Great Price includes excerpts from Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Matthew, excerpts from autobiographical events from his life, and the articles of faith composed by Joseph Smith, as well as the Books of Moses and Abraham.

Answer: Hinduism

The Vedas, which consist of the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda, are the primary texts of Hinduism, though they have also influenced Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The fourth of the Vedas, and a late addition to Hindu scriptures, the Atharva Veda contains 6,000 mantras and 730 hymns.

Answer: Islam

The Hadith is a record of the actions and words of the prophet Muhammad. It is a source of religious law and moral guidance and the second most important text in Islam after the Quran. Not all Muslims regard all of the hadith accounts as divine revelation, however.

Answer: Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism has few modern adherents, but it is thought to have influenced Judaism, Christianity, and Vedic Hinduism. The Avesta is a collection of religious texts written in an early Iranian language that is known today only from its use in this text. Scholars date the text to the iron age or late bronze age.

Answer: Shintoism

The Nihon-gi, also called the Nihon Shoki, or "Chronicles of Japan", dates to about 720 CE. It begins with a Japanese creation myth, but, for scholars, it also contains the most complete historical record of ancient Japan. The Kojiki or "Records of Ancient Matters" is another sacred book of Shintoism.