ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I focus on Bhai Vir Singh's (BVS) role as a philosophical theologian in reconfiguring the Sikh understanding of gurmat (or central teaching of the Sikh Gurus) in alignment with modern Western thought, which he achieved by ontologically reconstituting (or systematizing) of the concept of God. The questions I ask in my reading of BVS are relatively simple. Bearing in mind that BVS was born into a family of traditional exegetes and memory-bearers of Sikh tradition, what was the motivation for reinterpreting Sikh concepts? How exactly did he achieve this? Is it possible to analyze the key moves in this reconstitution? What are the broader implications—intellectual, philosophical, theological, ethical, and psychological—of this reinterpretation? Why does it matter today? In this chapter, I begin by setting BVS's commentary in the context of broader Singh Sabha revivalist activity and its responses to perceived threats from contemporary organizations and movements. The chapter then provides a close reading of the analytical moves by BVS in his Santhya. In the final section, I conclude this chapter with discussion of scholarly assessments of BVS and his work, their understanding of the task he undertook, and its impact.
