Table Of Contents For 'The Khalsa in Comparative Perspective' By Darshan Singh

Preface To Book 'The Khalsa in Comparative Perspective' By Darshan Singh

Religious traditions from now onwards are to be conceived and lived in a global context. The whole world has grown into a global village. The age of proselytisation and exclusivism in the field of religion is already past. The varied religious traditions are in a situation of inter-religious dialogue. It is not enough for any religious interpretation to be meaningful within the particular religious tradition itself but it should also be a meaningful for the whole religious heritage of mankind. In brief, the religious interpretation in future is to be carried out in the context of religious diversity. The genuine recognition of religious diversity not only includes regard for every individual religious tradition but also impresses upon us the necessity of openness to diverse religious traditions.

The collection of papers being presented here is conceived in a genuine ecumenical spirit without being unfair to the rightful claims of the Sikh identity. All these papers are already published in the journals enjoying international reputation. Some of these papers were presented in the International conferences in India and abroad. Majority of the papers concern the study of basic Sikh themes. Papers relating to other traditions have the distinction of being approved by the scholars and laymen belonging to those traditions. The paper on the "Issues in the Study of Faith" was presented to Professor Wilfred Cantwell Smith himself.

The author wants to express his sincere thanks and gratitude to the Centre for the Study of World Religions (Harvard), the International Religious Foundation (New York), the Coventry University (U.K.) and the Guru Gobind Singh Department of Religious Studies (Patiala), for these institutions were main inspiration and instrumental behind the preparation of these papers. These papers are being issued in the book form with the hope that they will not only strengthen our resolve to work further in this direction but also awaken the author to many of their limitations and inadequacies.

Lastly, sincere thanks are due to S. Gursagar Singh ji of the Singh brothers for bringing out these papers in the book form and for their ungruding editional labours to create unifirmity in the presentation.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Darshan Singh

About The Author Of Book 'The Khalsa in Comparative Perspective'

Dr. Darshan Singh (b.1950) took his M.A., M.Litt and Ph.D. degrees from the Punjabi University, Patiala. In the Year 1980-81 he was offered a fellowship by the Centre for the study of World Religions at Harvard University (U.S.A.) and he earned a Certificate in Advanced Study in Comparative Religions. A Study of Bhakta Ravidasa, Western Image of the Sikh Religion, Western Perspective on the Sikh Religion, Guru Granth Sahib among the Scriptures of the world (edited), Dharam Adhyan ate Sikh Adhyan (Pbi.) and Bhai Gurdas the First Interpreter of Sikhism (Pbi.) are the other publications of the author. He has been editing Journal of Religious Studies for the last 10 years. He also published more than forty research papers on different aspects of Sikhism and Religious Studies in the journals of international repute. Presently he is a professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Religious Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala.