Holidays & Traditions
In the United States, Christmas is traditionally celebrated on December 25th. When is Orthodox Christmas traditionally celebrated?
January 7th
(Extra credit opportunity: Why is there a difference in dates?)
What are the four gospels of the New Testament?
Matthew, Luke, Mark, John
(Extra credit opportunity: Which one is the oldest?)
In which three major world religions is Jerusalem a religiously significant city?
Christianity, Judaism, and Islam
(Extra credit opportunity: The Old City of Jerusalem is traditionally divided into four uneven regions, with three of the regions corresponding to each of the three faiths that consider the city to be religiously significant. What is the name of the historical fourth quarter?)
What are the names of the two Jewish student groups on campus?
Hillel and Chabad
(Extra credit opportunity: Explain one difference between the two.)
Finish the statement: Buddha argued that a primary goal of life was to reduce/control one’s __.
Desire(s) (also accept synonyms, i.e., craving, wants, attachment)
(Extra credit opportunity: By what method does one reduce or eliminate their desire?)
Hindus celebrate love and colorful joy during the spring season every year with a festival celebrating the love of two Hindu deities, Krishna and Radha. What is the name of this holiday?
Holi
(Extra credit opportunity: Where does the largest Holi celebration in the U.S. take place?)
How many Sikh gurus are there?
10
(Extra credit opportunity: The Sikh holy text is considered the final, eternal guru. What is the name of this text?)
What is the name for the separation of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches in 1054 AD?
The Great Schism
(Extra credit opportunity: At this time, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church resided in Rome. In what city did the Patriarch leading the Orthodox Church reside?)
What year was Rollins Chapel first dedicated?
1885
(Extra credit opportunity: Who is Rollins Chapel named after (full name)?)
What are two animals that cannot be eaten in the Kosher diet?
Pigs, camels, rabbits, rodents, certain birds, catfish, sturgeon, shellfish
(Extra credit opportunity: What two things that can be eaten separately cannot be eaten together?)
Every year, the month of Ramadan, when Muslims observe fasts from dawn to dusk in accordance with one of the five pillars of Islam (Sawm), moves up around 10 days on average in the calendar. Why is that?
The Islamic calendar is lunar. The year lasts 354 days, which is shorter than the 365 days of the Gregorian calendar, so the month of Ramadan falls 10 days earlier each year.
(Extra credit opportunity: What year is it currently in the Islamic calendar?)
What city do Muslims traditionally travel to during the hajj?
Mecca
(Extra credit opportunity: What are the other two holiest cities in Islam?)
Which religious tradition, originating in modern-day Iran, is considered one of the world’s oldest organized religions?
Zoroastrianism
(Extra credit opportunity: What is the name of the supreme deity in Zoroastrianism?)
Who is the namesake of the Catholic student organization on campus? (first and last name)
St. Thomas Aquinas
(Extra credit opportunity: What religious order was Aquinas a part of?)
Jains commit to a strict diet that is guided by the principle of "ahimsa." What does this word translate to?
Nonviolence
(Extra credit opportunity: What famous American theologian and leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference was heavily influenced by this concept?)
Which holiday celebrates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death, all observed on the same day?
Vesak, or Buddha Day
(Extra credit opportunity: Why are all three cycles of the Buddha’s life celebrated on the same day?)
What are the five books of the Torah (in any order)?
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
(Extra credit opportunity: What is the collection of these 5 books called in Christianity?)
This tradition in ancient China originated from early philosophical texts like the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) from the 4th century BCE.
Taoism/Daoism
(Extra credit opportunity: Which philosopher is attributed with writing this foundational text of Taoism?)
For two years now, the Plum Village monastics have visited Dartmouth in the spring term. Who is considered the founder of the Plum Village Tradition?
Thích Nhất Hạnh
(Extra credit opportunity: Where is the original Plum Village Monastery located?)
This faith is a 19th-century monotheistic religion founded in Persia that emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind with a collective, unifying god, and a religion and humanity free of prejudice.
Baháʼí
(Extra credit opportunity: What famous American actor, who is known for his role in The Office, is a proponent and member of the Baháʼí faith?)
Shinto holidays, known as matsuri, are commonly tied to seasonal celebrations, agriculture, renewal, and honoring spirits. What are these spirits called?
Kami
(Extra credit opportunity: There are two harvest festivals, one in the spring and one in the autumn. Name one of these festivals.)
One of the most essential texts of Confucianism is this text, which consists of Confucius’s teachings that his students compiled after his death.
The Analects
(Extra credit opportunity: The core Confucian Texts consist of the 4 books and the 5 classics. The Analects is one of the 4 books. Name another one of these books or classics.)
What is the name of the period in Australian Aboriginal spiritual belief during which mystical beings called “the ancestors” roamed the Earth, creating life, land, and law?
The Dreaming (Tjukurrpa)
(Extra credit opportunity: When did humans first settle the land we now call Australia?)
The Abenaki people, who traditionally live on the lands on which Dartmouth College was established, believe in a creator varyingly known as Niwaskowôgan, Gici Niwaskw, and Tabaldak. What are the English translations of these titles (there is more than one correct answer)?
The Owner, The Great Spirit, The Lord
(Extra credit opportunity: Along with many Anishinaabe groups, Abenaki traditions are included within the Midewiwin (which is an Anishinaabe word) religious society. What is the English translation of the word that refers to male practitioners of Midewiwin?)
This philosophy, belief system, or life stance embraces human reason, logic, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism, while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, and superstition as the basis of morality and decision-making.
Secular Humanism
(Extra credit opportunity: Name one of the 4 most commonly celebrated holidays within Humanism.)