Abstract
Both Sikhism, which originated with Guru Nanak (1469–1539), and Evangelii Gaudium agree on various issues, especially on the need to bring about peace and harmony, love, and mutual trust in the world. Sikhism holds that all human beings originate from the same Divine light and are hence one in essence and equal: as God is present in all beings and places, reviling anyone or desecrating any place of worship would mean reviling or desecrating the Divine Presence. God loves all beings who in return must imbibe love in return: the best way to express our love for God is to love God’s creation. Each religion is a valid means toward God-realization. Only dialogue, not polemics, can help them reach the truth. Freedom of faith for all and affirmation of our own identity without threatening the identity of others are at the core of Sikh message, as exemplified by the martyrdoms of Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur. Each person must be true to the faith he believes in. Monopoly over revelation is rejected: the Guru Granth Sahib is a fine example of this. “Remembrance of the Name Divine and doing noble deeds comprises true religion which must aim at uniting humankind,” as says Bhai Gurdas.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
J. Johnston Walsh, A Memorial of the Futtehgurh Mission and Her Martyred Missionaries (Philadelphia: Joseph M. Wilson, and London: James Nisbet and Co, 1859), 113. Duleep Singh was removed from Punjab in February 1850, and relocated to Fatehgarh, in the modern-day Uttar Pradesh of India. There he was quietly baptized as a Christian at a private ceremony in March 1853. In April 1854, he was exiled to England.
- 2.
Harbans Singh, ed., The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism, vol. 4 (Patiala: Punjabi University, 1998), 205.
- 3.
This slogan was popularized by John R. Mott, The Evangelization of the World in This Generation (New York. Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, 1900).
- 4.
Martin Forward, Inter-Religious Dialogue: A Short Introduction (Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2001), 29.
- 5.
Paul F. Knitter, ed., The Myth of Religious Superiority: A Multifaith Exploration (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2005), ix.
- 6.
Wilfred Cantwell Smith, The Faith of Other Men (New York: Harper and Row, 1962), 11.
- 7.
John Hick, The Rainbow of Faiths (London: SCM Press, 1995), 12.
- 8.
Ibid.
- 9.
Ibid., 13.
- 10.
For example, the statements in this context such as “evangelization and interreligious dialogue, far from being opposed, mutually support and nourish one another” can possibly be misunderstood, as the term evangelization implies preaching the Gospel as well as winning over a person to Christianity. It is perfectly understandable in the former sense.
- 11.
Bhai Gurdas, Varan, 1.29.
- 12.
Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Insecurity of Freedom: Essays in Applied Religion (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1st edition, 1966), 182.
- 13.
This incident is found in almost all of the old Sikh chronicles, including Bhai Mani Singh’s Sikhan di Bhagatmala and Santokh Singh’s Sri Gurpratap Suraj Granth. See also The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism, vol. 2, 104.
- 14.
Bhai Gurdas, Varan, 33.4.
- 15.
- 16.
Mushir-ul-Haq, “Muslim Attitude towards Guru Nanak,” in Perspectives on Guru Nanak, ed. Harbans Singh (Patiala: Punjabi University, 1975), 295.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Singh, D. (2018). A Sikh in Dialogue with Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. In: Kasimow, H., Race, A. (eds) Pope Francis and Interreligious Dialogue. Pathways for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96095-1_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96095-1_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-96094-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-96095-1
eBook Packages: Religion and PhilosophyPhilosophy and Religion (R0)