Intro
Comparative study often reveals surprising resonances between Sikh praxis and the Bible. Some are direct biblical precedents; others are cultural convergences that look similar without implying dependence. This article weighs key examples with documentation so readers can discern where claims are strong, where they’re plausible parallels, and where they should be rejected.
1) Barefoot before the Holy
The Bible records God telling Moses and Joshua to remove their sandals in God’s presence (Exod 3:5; Josh 5:15). Sikhs likewise remove shoes before the Guru Granth Sahib as a sign of reverence. While shoe-removal is also a deep South Asian/Middle Eastern custom across religions, the biblical pattern provides a compelling antecedent Christians recognize immediately. BibleGatewayBible HubDiscover SikhismWikipedia
2) Kachera and Priestly Breeches
Sikh Kachera—one of the Five Ks—embodies modesty, discipline, and readiness, instituted at the 1699 Khalsa initiation. The Bible prescribes linen breeches for priests (Exod 28:42). The functions align (modesty in worship/service), but Sikh history roots Kachera in the Khalsa code, not biblical imitation. Best read as a parallel, not a proof of borrowing. Wikipedia+1Bible Hub
3) Turbans in Scripture and the Dastar
Exodus lists a turban/mitre among priestly garments (Exod 28). Turbans, however, are ancient and widespread across South and West Asia; Sikh adoption reflects regional custom and identity formation, not a Christian pipeline. Parallels are real; genealogical dependence is not. Bible HubYouVersion | The Bible App | Bible.comWikipediaSikhNet
4) Do Gurdwara Domes Come from Churches?
The onion/bulbous dome seen on many gurdwaras ultimately has its roots in Byzantine Christian church architecture. Early Islamic builders, lacking their own architectural heritage, relied on Christian converts and craftsmen who adapted church forms—domes, arches, and decorative programs—for mosque construction. These forms spread east via Persian and Mughal architecture, eventually being adopted into Sikh gurdwara design.
5) Sikh Summer Camps – While Sikh youth camps in North America often resemble Christian summer camps in structure — same facilities, week-long residential programs, recreational and instructional time — the Christian tradition pioneered this modern camp format in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Christian camps were designed for intensive discipleship, biblical teaching, and community bonding. Sikh organizers adapted the format for Gurmat instruction, sangat-building, and Punjabi language/catechesis. The similarity in format points to a Christian-originated model that Sikh institutions later applied to their own purposes.
6) Worship on Sundays – Many gurdwaras in the West hold their main divan on Sunday, aligning with the Christian practice of weekly Sunday worship. In Sikh contexts, this is often explained as a matter of convenience (Sunday being a general day off), but the pattern nonetheless mirrors the Christian weekly rhythm of gathering for worship, which long predates Sikhism. Even if adopted pragmatically, the parallel remains historically rooted in a Christian precedent.
7) Dasvandh and the Tithe
Sikh dasvandh (“tenth”) is explicitly mandated in the Rehat Maryada and historically administered through the masand system that developed under the Gurus, especially Guru Arjan. This anchors dasvandh squarely within Sikh institutional history. While the Jewish tithe (maʿaser) is an ancient biblical practice and Jews have long lived in India, scholarly sources do not document a transmission chain from Jewish communities in Kerala/Konkan to Sikh institutions in Punjab. More broadly, percentage-based religious giving was already familiar in the region (e.g., zakāt at 2.5% and ʿushr on agricultural produce), and Indian traditions of dāna long predate Sikhism. The most defensible conclusion is that dasvandh is Sikh-institutional and textually grounded—with cross-cultural analogues rather than a provable external source.
8) The Kirpan and Self-Defense
The kirpan embodies the Sikh call to protect the weak, rooted in miri-piri (Guru Hargobind) and crystallized in the Khalsa ethos. Christians sometimes cite Luke 22:36 (“buy a sword”) as Jesus’ practical instruction to prepare for self-defense, especially against robbers or bandits on dangerous travel routes — a meaning His disciples would have readily understood. When one disciple replied that they already had a sword, Jesus said, “That is enough” (Luke 22:38), showing He was not advocating stockpiling weapons or preparing for armed revolt. Furthermore, when Peter drew his sword to defend Jesus at His arrest, Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who live by the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52), affirming that the sword’s place was for limited, prudent protection — not for initiating violence. In both traditions, the defensive weapon symbolizes readiness to safeguard the vulnerable while rejecting aggressive violence.
Additional Possible Parallels – Beyond the most evident customs already discussed, a few other similarities between Sikh practice and biblical or Christian traditions deserve brief mention, even if the historical links are weaker or only superficial.
9. Head covering in worship – In Sikh gurdwaras, male head-covering is mandatory as a sign of reverence. In the early Christian context, 1 Corinthians 11 reflects different norms: men were not to cover their heads in prayer, while women were. The practices are opposite in form, so no direct dependence is evident, though both symbolize reverence.
10. Langar Communal meal – Sikh langar is a distinctive institution built on principles of equality (sangat and seva), where all eat together regardless of caste or status. Early Christians practiced communal agape meals and the Eucharist (Acts 2:46; 1 Cor 11:17–34), but there’s no historical evidence that langar was borrowed from Christianity, even if both share a fellowship ethos.
11. Long hair – Sikh kesh (uncut hair) is one of the Five Ks, signifying acceptance of God’s will and Khalsa identity. In the Bible, Samson’s uncut hair was tied to a Nazirite vow (Judges 13–16), yet the New Testament says, “Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him?” (1 Cor 11:14). While both traditions know the concept of long hair in a religious context, the Christian Scriptures do not present it as a general male ideal — the NT in fact discourages it — making the similarity superficial rather than theological.
Conclusion
Some Sikh practices clearly echo biblical patterns (such as reverence by removing shoes). Others show striking parallels (modesty garments, percentage-based giving, defensive weapons) or pragmatic convergences (Sunday gatherings, youth camps). Whether by direct adoption, indirect cultural influence, or coincidental similarity, the historical fact remains: the Bible and Christian practice long predate Sikhism. Christianity had already shaped societies from the Near East to parts of India centuries before the Sikh Gurus, with its Scriptures and traditions firmly established.
This means that wherever parallels exist, the direction of priority is clear — the biblical record and Christian tradition came first. Sikhism arose in a world where these precedents were already known. Recognizing this chronology does not diminish Sikh identity; it simply affirms that Christian revelation is the original source against which all later similarities must be measured.
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