Question

Which of the following explanations best interprets the meaning of the following sentence? "The church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion."
a) The church was simply a common tool used by people.
b) Popular opinion had a great deal of influence on the church.
c) The principles and ideas of society needed to be reformed.
d) The church did not just reflect what was happening in society.

Answer 1

I just took the test and got option D and it was correct!!

Answer 2

Option d) The church did not just reflect what was happening in society.

Explanation: a thermometer does not influence anything, just measures or reflects the temperature of something. Then the comparisson of the church with the thermometer is to establish whether it merely reflected something or did something else.