Funeral Service Practice Exam

What rite emphasizes the soul as the vital principle in Early Roman beliefs?

1. Materialistic view

2. Animistic view

3. Spiritual view

4. Pragmatic view

The correct answer is: Animistic view

The animistic view emphasizes the belief in the soul as a vital principle in Early Roman beliefs. This perspective asserts that everything, including animals, plants, and inanimate objects, possesses a spirit or soul. In the context of Early Roman culture, this belief system reinforced the idea that the soul was a crucial element of existence, playing a significant role not only in life but also in the realms of death and the afterlife. This viewpoint influenced rituals and customs surrounding death, as the soul was thought to have an ongoing existence beyond the physical body. The other perspectives do not align as closely with the idea of the soul being a vital principle. A materialistic view focuses on physical matter and tangible existence, which diminishes the importance of the soul. The spiritual view might seem relevant but is broader and less focused on the practical implications of the soul as observed in animistic traditions. The pragmatic view is focused on practical outcomes and may overlook the underlying spiritual beliefs that the animistic perspective encapsulates. Thus, the animistic view stands out in this context as the correct answer.