What's your religion IQ? Many Americans get an 'F' when it comes to their knowledge of religion. Take this quiz to see what you know.

• Author: Goodstein, Laurie
• Position: NATIONAL

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The 17th-century European settlers who flocked to the American Colonies were deeply religious men and women seeking refuge from persecution and the freedom to worship as they chose.

Though religion still plays an important role in American life, it turns out that many Americans today get a failing grade when it comes to their basic knowledge of the subject.

People who took a recent quiz about religion conducted by Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life answered only half the questions correctly, on average, and many were stumped even by questions about their own faith.

Those who scored highest were atheists and agnostics, as well as two religious minorities: Jews and Mormons.

"As a society, we flunked this test, and our ignorance has important consequences both at home and abroad," says Stephen Prothero, a religion professor at Boston University who advised on the study. "To understand what's going on in almost every hot spot in the world, from the Middle East to Kashmir to Nigeria, you need to know about the world's religions."

Pew's survey is the first comprehensive look at religious knowledge in the U.S., so it's hard to say whether Americans today are more or less informed about religion than in the past.

How does your knowledge of religion compare with that of other Americans? Take this excerpt from the Pew Center's quiz to find out.

1. Which figure from the Bible is most closely associated with leading the exodus from Egypt?

   1. Job B) Elijah C) Moses D) Abraham

2. Mother Teresa was a ...

   1. Catholic B) Jew C) Buddhist D) Mormon E) Hindu

3. Which of the following is NOT one of the Ten Commandments?

   1. Do not commit adultery,

   2. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

   3. Do not steal.

   4. Keep the Sabbath holy.

4. When does the Jewish Sabbath begin?

   1. Friday

   2. Saturday

   3. Sunday

5. Ramadan is ...

   1. the Hindu festival of lights

   2. a Jewish day of atonement

   3. the Islamic holy month

6. Which of the following best describes the Catholic teaching about the bread and wine used for Communion?

   1. The bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

   2. The bread and wine are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

7. In which religion are Vishnu and Shiva central figures? A) Islam B) Hinduism C) Taoism

8. Which biblical figure is most closely associated with remaining obedient to God despite suffering?

   1. Job B) Elijah C) Moses D)...