Dorrough Smith, Ramey/Religions of the World, 10. Sikhism

This chapter explores and then interrogates four different representations of Sikhism. The chapter begins by focusing on Sikhism as a type of devotion to the lineage of gurus that began with Nanak. The second representation emphasizes the philosophical construction of the divine as being formless, a notion that, traditionally, rejected some of the practices that we could label as Hinduism. The third representation features the notion of service within Sikhism, which many Sikhs argue is distinctive of the movement: that they work to defend the human dignity of all. The final representation in this chapter focuses on Sikhism as a legal classification, with particular emphasis on the process of Sikhism being recognized as a separate religion from Hinduism.