Sikhism: Demystifying the World’s Fifth-Largest Religion

SIKHISM: Demystifying the World’s Fifth-Largest Religion with Simram Jeep Singh

Saturday, May 1, 2021 9:30 am - 5:00 pm ET Videoconference | Recording General Public: $100 | One Spirit Graduates: $90 | One Spirit Elective Credit: 1

Sikhism is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world, yet many books on religion devote little space to it. Who are the Sikhs, what do they believe, and how do they experience the Divine? Established in the latter part of the 15th century by Guru Nanak, this relatively young religion is based in the love of a universal God. Key values include social justice, human rights, and religious freedom for people of all religions. A core tenet of Sikhism is seva (selfless service), and Sikhs across the world practice this in many forms, including providing free meals and lending a helping hand as needed--testaments to a belief system that demonstrates true dedication to its values. This one-day workshop will offer participants the opportunity not only to add Sikhism to their knowledge of world religions but also to • Experience Sikh prayer/meditation • Explore the importance of Sikh sacred scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib • Participate in performance of religious hymns (keertan) • Learn about important contributions of Sikhs to the world • Understand the social challenges Sikh communities are facing

Dr. Simran Jeet Singh is an educator, writer, activist, and scholar who speaks regularly on issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Sikh Coalition, visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary, and a chaplain at New York University and Columbia University. Simran has served on Governor Cuomo’s Interfaith Advisory Committee and Elizabeth Warren’s Interfaith Advisory Council. He was the first Sikh wire-service columnist in US history, is a columnist for Religion News Service,

and is the host of the podcast Spirited. Simran is the author of Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Run a Marathon, which is the first-ever children’s

book from a major publisher (Penguin Random House) to center on a Sikh story. He is also writing an adult nonfiction book for Riverhead (Penguin Random House) on Sikh wisdom to help navigate today’s contentious world.